diff --git a/docs/Versions.asciidoc b/docs/Versions.asciidoc
index d2bee689738..8f58ae3afc5 100644
--- a/docs/Versions.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/Versions.asciidoc
@@ -58,6 +58,16 @@ endif::[]
 :javadoc-license: {rest-high-level-client-javadoc}/org/elasticsearch/protocol/xpack/license
 :javadoc-watcher: {rest-high-level-client-javadoc}/org/elasticsearch/protocol/xpack/watcher
 
+///////
+Permanently unreleased branches (master, n.X)
+///////
+ifeval::["{source_branch}"=="master"]
+:permanently-unreleased-branch:
+endif::[]
+ifeval::["{source_branch}"=="{major-version}"]
+:permanently-unreleased-branch:
+endif::[]
+
 ///////
 Shared attribute values are pulled from elastic/docs
 ///////
diff --git a/docs/reference/index.asciidoc b/docs/reference/index.asciidoc
index 6dc0c88a10b..6ecb6a7b856 100644
--- a/docs/reference/index.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/reference/index.asciidoc
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ include::ingest.asciidoc[]
 
 include::ilm/index.asciidoc[]
 
-ifeval::["{release-state}"=="unreleased"]
+ifdef::permanently-unreleased-branch[]
 
 include::autoscaling/index.asciidoc[]