diff --git a/dev-support/create-release/do-release.sh b/dev-support/create-release/do-release.sh
index 7e5f18637c38..ebab9335cc27 100755
--- a/dev-support/create-release/do-release.sh
+++ b/dev-support/create-release/do-release.sh
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ if [ "$RUNNING_IN_DOCKER" = "1" ]; then
   if [ -d "output" ]; then
     cd output
   fi
-  GPG_ARGS=("${GPG_ARGS[@]}" --local-user "${GPG_KEY}")
   echo "GPG Version: $("${GPG}" "${GPG_ARGS[@]}" --version)"
   # Inside docker, need to import the GPG key stored in the current directory.
   if ! $GPG "${GPG_ARGS[@]}" --import "$SELF/gpg.key.public" ; then
@@ -85,7 +84,6 @@ if [ "$RUNNING_IN_DOCKER" = "1" ]; then
 else
   # Outside docker, need to ask for information about the release.
   get_release_info
-  GPG_ARGS=("${GPG_ARGS[@]}" --local-user "${GPG_KEY}")
 fi
 
 GPG_TTY="$(tty)"
diff --git a/dev-support/create-release/release-util.sh b/dev-support/create-release/release-util.sh
index b9b79ea91577..6bec354da985 100755
--- a/dev-support/create-release/release-util.sh
+++ b/dev-support/create-release/release-util.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ DRY_RUN=${DRY_RUN:-1} #default to dry run
 DEBUG=${DEBUG:-0}
 GPG=${GPG:-gpg}
 GPG_ARGS=(--no-autostart --batch)
+if [ -n "${GPG_KEY}" ]; then
+  GPG_ARGS=("${GPG_ARGS[@]}" --local-user "${GPG_KEY}")
+fi
 # Maven Profiles for publishing snapshots and release to Maven Central and Dist
 PUBLISH_PROFILES=("-P" "apache-release,release")
 
@@ -256,6 +259,7 @@ EOF
     echo "Exiting."
     exit 1
   fi
+  GPG_ARGS=("${GPG_ARGS[@]}" --local-user "${GPG_KEY}")
 
   if ! is_dry_run; then
     if [ -z "$ASF_PASSWORD" ]; then