diff --git a/bin/plugin/commands/packages.js b/bin/plugin/commands/packages.js
index 95173227f72d81..fe421c2c1d25b7 100644
--- a/bin/plugin/commands/packages.js
+++ b/bin/plugin/commands/packages.js
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ async function runWordPressReleaseBranchSyncStep(
 				gitWorkingDirectoryPath,
 				wordpressReleaseBranch
 			);
+			await git.fetch( gitWorkingDirectoryPath, [ '--depth=100' ] );
 			log(
 				'>> The local release branch ' +
 					formats.success( wordpressReleaseBranch ) +
diff --git a/bin/plugin/lib/git.js b/bin/plugin/lib/git.js
index 64b4c532b6c623..3b16df953ab423 100644
--- a/bin/plugin/lib/git.js
+++ b/bin/plugin/lib/git.js
@@ -26,6 +26,17 @@ async function clone( repositoryUrl ) {
 	return gitWorkingDirectoryPath;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Fetches changes from the repository.
+ *
+ * @param {string}          gitWorkingDirectoryPath Local repository path.
+ * @param {string[]|Object} options                 Git options to apply.
+ */
+async function fetch( gitWorkingDirectoryPath, options = [] ) {
+	const simpleGit = SimpleGit( gitWorkingDirectoryPath );
+	await simpleGit.fetch( options );
+}
+
 /**
  * Commits changes to the repository.
  *
@@ -166,6 +177,7 @@ module.exports = {
 	checkoutRemoteBranch,
 	createLocalBranch,
 	createLocalTag,
+	fetch,
 	pushBranchToOrigin,
 	pushTagsToOrigin,
 	discardLocalChanges,