diff --git a/src/centpkg/__init__.py b/src/centpkg/__init__.py
index 1ed0757..588fc23 100644
--- a/src/centpkg/__init__.py
+++ b/src/centpkg/__init__.py
@@ -19,22 +19,31 @@
 import re
 import warnings
 
+import git
 from pyrpkg import Commands, rpkgError
+from pyrpkg.utils import cached_property
+
 # doc/centpkg_man_page.py uses the 'cli' import
 from . import cli  # noqa
 from .lookaside import StreamLookasideCache, SIGLookasideCache
-from pyrpkg.utils import cached_property
+
+
+_DEFAULT_VERSION = '9'
 
 
 class DistGitDirectory(object):
 
     signame = None
-    centosversion = None
+    centosversion = _DEFAULT_VERSION
     projectname = None
     releasename = None
     distrobranch = False
+    repo = None
+    git_origin_substr = 'git@gitlab.com/redhat/centos-stream'
 
-    def __init__(self, branchtext):
+    def __init__(self, branchtext, repo_path=None):
+        if repo_path:
+            self.repo = git.cmd.Git(repo_path)
         sigtobranchre = r'c(?P<centosversion>\d+[s]?)-sig-(?P<signame>\w+)-?(?P<projectname>\w+)?-?(?P<releasename>\w+)?'
         distrobranchre = r'c(?P<centosversion>\d+)-?(?P<projectname>\w+)?'
         oldbranchre = r'(?P<signame>\w+)(?P<centosversion>\d)'
@@ -65,7 +74,34 @@ class DistGitDirectory(object):
             warnings.warn("This branch is deprecated and will be removed soon",
                           DeprecationWarning)
         else:
-            raise ValueError("Branchname: {0} is not valid".format(branchtext))
+            if not self.is_fork():
+                raise ValueError("Branchname: {0} is not valid".format(branchtext))
+            else:
+                self.distrobranch = True
+                self.signame = 'centos'
+                self.projectname = self.get_origin().split('_')[-1].replace('.git', '')
+
+                warnings.warn('Remote "origin" was detected as a fork, ignoring branch name checking')
+
+    def get_origin(self):
+        if self.repo is None:
+            return ''
+        return self.repo.execute('git config --get remote.origin.url'.split())
+
+    def is_fork(self):
+        """
+        Check if origin remote repository is using a fork url.
+
+        Returns
+        bool
+            A boolean flag indicating if origin remote url is using
+            a forked repository url.
+        """
+        # git+ssh://git@gitlab.com/redhat/centos-stream/rpms/binutils.git
+        if self.repo is None:
+            return False
+        return self.git_origin_substr not in self.get_origin()
+
 
     @property
     def target(self):
@@ -105,7 +141,7 @@ class Commands(Commands):
 
     @property
     def distgitdir(self):
-        return DistGitDirectory(self.branch_merge)
+        return DistGitDirectory(self.branch_merge, repo_path=self.path)
 
     @cached_property
     def lookasidecache(self):
diff --git a/tests/test_distgit.py b/tests/test_distgit.py
index 1b921c8..5b1ad05 100644
--- a/tests/test_distgit.py
+++ b/tests/test_distgit.py
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import unittest
+import unittest.mock
 
 from .mixins import CatchWarningsMixin
 from centpkg import DistGitDirectory
+from centpkg import git as centpkg_git
+
 
 class TestDistGitNothing(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_distgit_emptystring(self):
@@ -180,3 +183,21 @@ class TestOldGitBranch(unittest.TestCase, CatchWarningsMixin):
        with self.assertWarns(DeprecationWarning):
            branchstring = 'virt7'
            d = DistGitDirectory(branchstring)
+
+class TestIsFork(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.branchstring = 'c9s'
+
+    def test_none(self):
+        d = DistGitDirectory(self.branchstring)
+        self.assertFalse(d.is_fork())
+
+    @unittest.mock.patch.object(centpkg_git.cmd.Git, 'execute', new=lambda s, c: 'git@gitlab.com:user/centos_rpms_binutils.git')
+    def test_fork_url(self):
+        d = DistGitDirectory(self.branchstring, 'binutils')
+        self.assertTrue(d.is_fork())
+
+    @unittest.mock.patch.object(centpkg_git.cmd.Git, 'execute', new=lambda s, c: 'git+ssh://git@gitlab.com/redhat/centos-stream/rpms/binutils.git')
+    def test_upstream_url(self):
+        d = DistGitDirectory(self.branchstring, 'binutils')
+        self.assertFalse(d.is_fork())
\ No newline at end of file