diff --git a/cmd/gogitver/cmd/root.go b/cmd/gogitver/cmd/root.go
index ee9158b..522a31b 100644
--- a/cmd/gogitver/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/gogitver/cmd/root.go
@@ -19,10 +19,23 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Run:   runRoot,
 }
 
+var prereleaseCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use: "label",
+	Short: "Gets the prerelease label, if any",
+	Long: ``,
+	Run: runPrerelease,
+}
+
 func init() {
-	rootCmd.Flags().String("path", ".", "the path to the git repository")
-	rootCmd.Flags().String("settings", "./.gogitver.yaml", "the file that contains the settings")
+	var cmds = [2]*cobra.Command{rootCmd, prereleaseCmd}
+	for _, cmd := range cmds {
+		cmd.Flags().String("path", ".", "the path to the git repository")
+		cmd.Flags().String("settings", "./.gogitver.yaml", "the file that contains the settings")
+	}
+
 	rootCmd.Flags().Bool("forbid-behind-master", false, "error if the current branch's calculated version is behind the calculated version of refs/heads/master")
+
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(prereleaseCmd)
 }
 
 // Execute gogitver
@@ -33,16 +46,12 @@ func Execute() {
 	}
 }
 
-func runRoot(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+func getRepoAndSettings(cmd *cobra.Command) (*gogit.Repository, *git.Settings) {
 	f := cmd.Flag("path")
 	sf := cmd.Flag("settings")
-	fbm, err := strconv.ParseBool(cmd.Flag("forbid-behind-master").Value.String())
-	if err != nil {
-		fbm = false
-	}
 
 	var s *git.Settings
-	_, err = os.Stat(sf.Value.String())
+	_, err := os.Stat(sf.Value.String())
 	if sf.Changed || err == nil {
 		r, err := os.Open(sf.Value.String())
 		if err != nil {
@@ -62,6 +71,17 @@ func runRoot(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
+	return r, s
+}
+
+func runRoot(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	r, s := getRepoAndSettings(cmd)
+
+	fbm, err := strconv.ParseBool(cmd.Flag("forbid-behind-master").Value.String())
+	if err != nil {
+		fbm = false
+	}
+
 	version, err := git.GetCurrentVersion(r, s, false, fbm)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
@@ -69,3 +89,18 @@ func runRoot(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 
 	fmt.Println(version)
 }
+
+func runPrerelease(cmd *cobra.Command, args[]string) {
+	r, s := getRepoAndSettings(cmd)
+
+	label, err := git.GetPrereleaseLabel(r, s)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+
+	if label == "master" {
+		label = ""
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println(label)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/git/git.go b/pkg/git/git.go
index 74737ce..198eb97 100644
--- a/pkg/git/git.go
+++ b/pkg/git/git.go
@@ -78,6 +78,15 @@ func GetCurrentVersion(r *git.Repository, settings *Settings, ignoreTravisTag bo
 	return v.String(), nil
 }
 
+// GetPrereleaseLabel returns the prerelease label for the current branch
+func GetPrereleaseLabel(r *git.Repository, settings *Settings) (result string, err error) {
+	h, err := r.Head()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "GetCurrentVersion failed")
+	}
+	return getCurrentBranch(r, h)
+}
+
 func getVersion(r *git.Repository, h *plumbing.Reference, tagMap map[string]string, forbidBehindMaster bool, settings *Settings) (version *semver.Version, err error) {
 	currentBranch, err := getCurrentBranch(r, h)
 	if err != nil {