diff --git a/indra/newview/viewer_manifest.py b/indra/newview/viewer_manifest.py
index b3e07abc07..56de37bc3b 100755
--- a/indra/newview/viewer_manifest.py
+++ b/indra/newview/viewer_manifest.py
@@ -251,8 +251,10 @@ class ViewerManifest(LLManifest,FSViewerManifest):
         #<FS:TS> Somehow, we started leaving the - separating the variant from the app name
         # on the beginning of the channel qualifier. This screws up later processing that
         # depends on the channel type. If it's there, we chop it off.
-        if channel_qualifier[0] == '-':
-            channel_qualifier = channel_qualifier[1:]
+        #<FS:TS> Well, not for 6.3.9...this is broken elsewhere and we're too rushed to fix
+        # it properly, so we kludge our way around it elsewhere.
+        #if channel_qualifier[0] == '-':
+        #    channel_qualifier = channel_qualifier[1:]
         if channel_qualifier.startswith('release'):
             channel_type='release'
         elif channel_qualifier.startswith('beta'):