diff --git a/example/config.yml b/example/config.yml
index 06fe0687..a930e59b 100644
--- a/example/config.yml
+++ b/example/config.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ backend:
   delay: 0.1
 
 media_folder: "assets/uploads"
-publish_mode: branch
 
 collections: # A list of collections the CMS should be able to edit
   - name: "posts" # Used in routes, ie.: /admin/collections/:slug/edit
diff --git a/src/backends/backend.js b/src/backends/backend.js
index 05fbc153..d588aea6 100644
--- a/src/backends/backend.js
+++ b/src/backends/backend.js
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import TestRepoBackend from './test-repo/implementation';
 import GitHubBackend from './github/implementation';
 import { resolveFormat } from '../formats/formats';
-import { randomStr } from '../lib/randomGenerator';
 import { createEntry } from '../valueObjects/Entry';
+import { SIMPLE, BRANCH } from './constants';
 
 class LocalStorageAuthStore {
   storageKey = 'nf-cms-user';
@@ -93,12 +93,12 @@ class Backend {
   }
 
   getPublishMode(config) {
-    const publish_modes = ['simple', 'branch'];
-    const mode = config.get('publish_mode');
+    const publish_modes = [SIMPLE, BRANCH];
+    const mode = config.getIn(['backend', 'publish_mode']);
     if (publish_modes.indexOf(mode) !== -1) {
       return mode;
     } else {
-      return 'simple';
+      return SIMPLE;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/backends/constants.js b/src/backends/constants.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f6c6852
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backends/constants.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+// Create/edit modes
+export const SIMPLE = 'simple';
+export const BRANCH = 'branch';
diff --git a/src/backends/github/implementation.js b/src/backends/github/implementation.js
index fbd18407..b742ce62 100644
--- a/src/backends/github/implementation.js
+++ b/src/backends/github/implementation.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import MediaProxy from '../../valueObjects/MediaProxy';
 import { createEntry } from '../../valueObjects/Entry';
 import AuthenticationPage from './AuthenticationPage';
 import { Base64 } from 'js-base64';
+import { randomStr } from '../../lib/randomGenerator';
+import { BRANCH } from '../constants';
 
 const API_ROOT = 'https://api.github.com';
 
@@ -47,6 +49,7 @@ class API {
     let filename, part, parts, subtree;
     const fileTree = {};
     const files = [];
+    const branchName = ( options.mode === BRANCH ) ? 'cms-' + randomStr() : this.branch;
     mediaFiles.concat(entry).forEach((file) => {
       if (file.uploaded) { return; }
       files.push(this.uploadBlob(file));
@@ -62,9 +65,15 @@ class API {
     });
 
     return Promise.all(files)
-      .then(() => this.getBranch())
-      .then((branchData) => {
-        return this.updateTree(branchData.commit.sha, '/', fileTree);
+      .then(() => {
+        if (options.mode === BRANCH) {
+          return this.createBranch(branchName);
+        } else {
+          return this.getBranch();
+        }
+      })
+      .then((BranchCommit) => {
+        return this.updateTree(BranchCommit.sha, '/', fileTree);
       })
       .then((changeTree) => {
         return this.request(`${this.repoURL}/git/commits`, {
@@ -72,7 +81,7 @@ class API {
           body: JSON.stringify({ message: options.commitMessage, tree: changeTree.sha, parents: [changeTree.parentSha] })
         });
       }).then((response) => {
-        return this.request(`${this.repoURL}/git/refs/heads/${this.branch}`, {
+        return this.request(`${this.repoURL}/git/refs/heads/${branchName}`, {
           method: 'PATCH',
           body: JSON.stringify({ sha: response.sha })
         });
@@ -108,8 +117,24 @@ class API {
     });
   }
 
+  createBranch(branchName) {
+    return this.getBranch()
+    .then(branchCommit => {
+      const branchData = {
+        ref: 'refs/heads/' + branchName,
+        sha: branchCommit.sha
+      };
+      return this.request(`${this.repoURL}/git/refs`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        body: JSON.stringify(branchData),
+      });
+    })
+    .then(branchData => branchData.object);
+  }
+
   getBranch() {
-    return this.request(`${this.repoURL}/branches/${this.branch}`);
+    return this.request(`${this.repoURL}/branches/${this.branch}`)
+    .then(branchData => branchData.commit);
   }
 
   getTree(sha) {