diff --git a/merge-pr.sh b/merge-pr.sh
index c2a55936f..17d1d329b 100755
--- a/merge-pr.sh
+++ b/merge-pr.sh
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 set -e -o pipefail
 
-readonly PR=$1
+readonly PR="${1###}"
 
 # make sure to add newlines to the message, otherwise merge message
 # will not look well
diff --git a/test-pr.sh b/test-pr.sh
index d7e53adfb..58cf6f7b7 100755
--- a/test-pr.sh
+++ b/test-pr.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
 set -e -o pipefail
 
-readonly PR=$1
+readonly PR="${1###}"
 
 # make sure to add newlines to the message, otherwise merge message
 # will not look well