diff --git a/bert_e/tests/test_bert_e.py b/bert_e/tests/test_bert_e.py
index a399a75d..fb42f93c 100644
--- a/bert_e/tests/test_bert_e.py
+++ b/bert_e/tests/test_bert_e.py
@@ -277,10 +277,17 @@ def test_feature_branch_names(self):
         with self.assertRaises(exns.BranchNameInvalid):
             self.feature_branch('feature/')
 
+        with self.assertRaises(exns.BranchNameInvalid):
+            self.feature_branch('epic')
+
+        with self.assertRaises(exns.BranchNameInvalid):
+            self.feature_branch('epic/')
+
         # valid names
         self.feature_branch('feature/TEST-0005')
         self.feature_branch('improvement/TEST-1234')
         self.feature_branch('bugfix/TEST-1234')
+        self.feature_branch('epic/TEST-1234')
 
         src = self.feature_branch('project/TEST-0005')
         self.assertEqual(src.jira_issue_key, 'TEST-0005')
diff --git a/bert_e/workflow/gitwaterflow/branches.py b/bert_e/workflow/gitwaterflow/branches.py
index fc3e1887..c896c472 100644
--- a/bert_e/workflow/gitwaterflow/branches.py
+++ b/bert_e/workflow/gitwaterflow/branches.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class ReleaseBranch(GWFBranch):
 
 class FeatureBranch(GWFBranch):
     all_prefixes = ('improvement', 'bugfix', 'feature', 'project',
-                    'documentation', 'design', 'dependabot')
+                    'documentation', 'design', 'dependabot', 'epic')
     jira_issue_pattern = '(?P<jira_project>[A-Z0-9_]+)-[0-9]+'
     prefixes = '(?P<prefix>(%s))' % '|'.join(all_prefixes)
     pattern = "^(?P<feature_branch>%s/(?P<label>(?P<jira_issue_key>%s)?" \
diff --git a/settings.sample.yml b/settings.sample.yml
index 82fd4c0d..41c586fa 100644
--- a/settings.sample.yml
+++ b/settings.sample.yml
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ prefixes:
   Story: feature
   Bug: bugfix
   Improvement: improvement
+  Epic: epic
 
 
 # bypass_prefixes [OPTIONAL]