diff --git a/jjb/onos/onos-bazel-release-build.sh b/jjb/onos/onos-bazel-release-build.sh
index a32f30d..6dd846a 100644
--- a/jjb/onos/onos-bazel-release-build.sh
+++ b/jjb/onos/onos-bazel-release-build.sh
@@ -47,10 +47,12 @@
 export WIKI_USER
 
 # lock gerrit to prevent checkins
-ssh -p 29418 gerrit.onosproject.org projectlock lock onos ${GERRIT_BRANCH}
+# FIXME: re-enable locking when projectlock will be added to new ONOS gerrit
+#  or change the release process to tag a specific commit instead of the whole branch
+# ssh -p 29418 gerrit.onosproject.org projectlock lock onos ${GERRIT_BRANCH}
 
 # unlock on exit
-trap "ssh -p 29418 gerrit.onosproject.org projectlock unlock onos ${GERRIT_BRANCH}" EXIT
+# trap "ssh -p 29418 gerrit.onosproject.org projectlock unlock onos ${GERRIT_BRANCH}" EXIT
 
 # get the sources
 git checkout $GERRIT_BRANCH
diff --git a/jjb/onos/onos-release-build.sh b/jjb/onos/onos-release-build.sh
index 0fe572a..44803ce 100644
--- a/jjb/onos/onos-release-build.sh
+++ b/jjb/onos/onos-release-build.sh
@@ -47,11 +47,13 @@
 WIKI_USER="jenkins"
 export WIKI_USER
 
+# FIXME: re-enable locking when projectlock will be added to new ONOS gerrit
+#  or change the release process to tag a specific commit instead of the whole branch
 # lock gerrit to prevent checkins
-ssh -p 29418 gerrit.onosproject.org projectlock lock onos ${GERRIT_BRANCH}
+# ssh -p 29418 gerrit.onosproject.org projectlock lock onos ${GERRIT_BRANCH}
 
 # unlock on exit
-trap "ssh -p 29418 gerrit.onosproject.org projectlock unlock onos ${GERRIT_BRANCH}" EXIT
+# trap "ssh -p 29418 gerrit.onosproject.org projectlock unlock onos ${GERRIT_BRANCH}" EXIT
 
 # get the sources
 git checkout $GERRIT_BRANCH