diff --git a/.buildkite/merge_base_branch.sh b/.buildkite/merge_base_branch.sh
index eb7219a56d..361440fd1a 100755
--- a/.buildkite/merge_base_branch.sh
+++ b/.buildkite/merge_base_branch.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-set -ex
+set -e
 
 if [[ "$BUILDKITE_BRANCH" =~ ^(develop|master|dinsic|shhs|release-.*)$ ]]; then
     echo "Not merging forward, as this is a release branch"
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ else
     GITBASE=$BUILDKITE_PULL_REQUEST_BASE_BRANCH
 fi
 
+echo "--- merge_base_branch $GITBASE"
+
 # Show what we are before
 git --no-pager show -s