build master by default
diff --git a/scripts/single-node-pod.sh b/scripts/single-node-pod.sh
index ec8bb4e..f1d368e 100755
--- a/scripts/single-node-pod.sh
+++ b/scripts/single-node-pod.sh
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@
 # Parse options
 RUN_TEST=0
 EXAMPLESERVICE=0
-BUILD_BRANCH=""
+BUILD_BRANCH="master"
 INVENTORY="inventory/single-localhost"
 
 while getopts "b:ehi:t" opt; do
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@
       ;;
     h ) echo "Usage:"
       echo "    $0                install OpenStack and prep XOS and ONOS VMs [default]"
-      echo "    $0 -b <branch>    build XOS containers based on GitHub <branch> instead of pulling them from Docker Hub"
+      echo "    $0 -b <branch>    build XOS containers based on GitHub <branch>"
       echo "    $0 -e             add exampleservice to XOS"
       echo "    $0 -h             display this help message"
       echo "    $0 -i <inv_file>  specify an inventory file (default is inventory/single-localhost)"
@@ -240,10 +240,7 @@
 
 if [[ $RUN_TEST -eq 1 ]]
 then
-  if [[ -n $BUILD_BRANCH || $EXAMPLESERVICE -eq 1 ]]
-  then
-    build_xos_docker_images
-  fi
+  build_xos_docker_images
   setup_xos
   setup_test_client
   run_e2e_test