diff --git a/easybuild/tools/github.py b/easybuild/tools/github.py
index f3ff4629e5..71f4718e5c 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/github.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/github.py
@@ -123,15 +123,21 @@
 class Githubfs(object):
     """This class implements some higher level functionality on top of the Github api"""
 
-    def __init__(self, githubuser, reponame, branchname="master", username=None, password=None, token=None):
+    def __init__(self, githubuser, reponame, branchname=None, username=None, password=None, token=None):
         """Construct a new githubfs object
         :param githubuser: the github user's repo we want to use.
         :param reponame: The name of the repository we want to use.
-        :param branchname: Then name of the branch to use (defaults to master)
+        :param branchname: Then name of the branch to use (defaults to 'main' for easybuilders org, 'master' otherwise)
         :param username: (optional) your github username.
         :param password: (optional) your github password.
         :param token:    (optional) a github api token.
         """
+        if branchname is None:
+            if githubuser == GITHUB_EB_MAIN:
+                branchname = 'main'
+            else:
+                branchname = 'master'
+
         if token is None:
             token = fetch_github_token(username)
         self.log = fancylogger.getLogger(self.__class__.__name__, fname=False)
@@ -218,7 +224,7 @@ def read(self, path, api=True):
         """Read the contents of a file and return it
         Or, if api=False it will download the file and return the location of the downloaded file"""
         # we don't need use the api for this, but can also use raw.github.com
-        # https://raw.github.com/easybuilders/easybuild/master/README.rst
+        # https://raw.github.com/easybuilders/easybuild/main/README.rst
         if not api:
             outfile = tempfile.mkstemp()[1]
             url = '/'.join([GITHUB_RAW, self.githubuser, self.reponame, self.branchname, path])
@@ -301,7 +307,7 @@ def github_api_put_request(request_f, github_user=None, token=None, **kwargs):
     return (status, data)
 
 
-def fetch_latest_commit_sha(repo, account, branch='master', github_user=None, token=None):
+def fetch_latest_commit_sha(repo, account, branch=None, github_user=None, token=None):
     """
     Fetch latest SHA1 for a specified repository and branch.
     :param repo: GitHub repository
@@ -311,6 +317,14 @@ def fetch_latest_commit_sha(repo, account, branch='master', github_user=None, to
     :param token: GitHub token to use
     :return: latest SHA1
     """
+    if branch is None:
+        # use 'main' as default branch for 'easybuilders' organisation,
+        # otherwise use 'master'
+        if account == GITHUB_EB_MAIN:
+            branch = 'main'
+        else:
+            branch = 'master'
+
     status, data = github_api_get_request(lambda x: x.repos[account][repo].branches,
                                           github_user=github_user, token=token, per_page=GITHUB_MAX_PER_PAGE)
     if status != HTTP_STATUS_OK:
@@ -332,7 +346,7 @@ def fetch_latest_commit_sha(repo, account, branch='master', github_user=None, to
     return res
 
 
-def download_repo(repo=GITHUB_EASYCONFIGS_REPO, branch='master', account=GITHUB_EB_MAIN, path=None, github_user=None):
+def download_repo(repo=GITHUB_EASYCONFIGS_REPO, branch=None, account=GITHUB_EB_MAIN, path=None, github_user=None):
     """
     Download entire GitHub repo as a tar.gz archive, and extract it into specified path.
     :param repo: repo to download
@@ -341,6 +355,14 @@ def download_repo(repo=GITHUB_EASYCONFIGS_REPO, branch='master', account=GITHUB_
     :param path: path to extract to
     :param github_user: name of GitHub user to use
     """
+    if branch is None:
+        # use 'main' as default branch for 'easybuilders' organisation,
+        # otherwise use 'master'
+        if account == GITHUB_EB_MAIN:
+            branch = 'main'
+        else:
+            branch = 'master'
+
     # make sure path exists, create it if necessary
     if path is None:
         path = tempfile.mkdtemp()
@@ -1940,7 +1962,7 @@ def check_github():
     branch_name = 'test_branch_%s' % ''.join(random.choice(ascii_letters) for _ in range(5))
     try:
         git_repo = init_repo(git_working_dir, GITHUB_EASYCONFIGS_REPO, silent=not debug)
-        remote_name = setup_repo(git_repo, github_account, GITHUB_EASYCONFIGS_REPO, 'master',
+        remote_name = setup_repo(git_repo, github_account, GITHUB_EASYCONFIGS_REPO, 'main',
                                  silent=not debug, git_only=True)
         git_repo.create_head(branch_name)
         res = getattr(git_repo.remotes, remote_name).push(branch_name)
diff --git a/test/framework/filetools.py b/test/framework/filetools.py
index b195ae58a5..c948477aae 100644
--- a/test/framework/filetools.py
+++ b/test/framework/filetools.py
@@ -2394,7 +2394,7 @@ def test_get_source_tarball_from_git(self):
         git_config = {
             'repo_name': 'testrepository',
             'url': 'https://github.com/easybuilders',
-            'tag': 'master',
+            'tag': 'main',
         }
         target_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'target')
 
diff --git a/test/framework/github.py b/test/framework/github.py
index f83088c4b2..8a11ef4dc2 100644
--- a/test/framework/github.py
+++ b/test/framework/github.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 GITHUB_USER = "easybuilders"
 GITHUB_REPO = "testrepository"
 # branch to test
-GITHUB_BRANCH = 'master'
+GITHUB_BRANCH = 'main'
 
 
 class GithubTest(EnhancedTestCase):
@@ -71,12 +71,15 @@ class GithubTest(EnhancedTestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         """setup"""
         super(GithubTest, self).setUp()
+
         self.github_token = gh.fetch_github_token(GITHUB_TEST_ACCOUNT)
+
         if self.github_token is None:
-            self.ghfs = gh.Githubfs(GITHUB_USER, GITHUB_REPO, GITHUB_BRANCH, None, None, None)
+            username, token = None, None
         else:
-            self.ghfs = gh.Githubfs(GITHUB_USER, GITHUB_REPO, GITHUB_BRANCH, GITHUB_TEST_ACCOUNT,
-                                    None, self.github_token)
+            username, token = GITHUB_TEST_ACCOUNT, self.github_token
+
+        self.ghfs = gh.Githubfs(GITHUB_USER, GITHUB_REPO, GITHUB_BRANCH, username, None, token)
 
         self.skip_github_tests = self.github_token is None and os.getenv('FORCE_EB_GITHUB_TESTS') is None
 
@@ -452,7 +455,7 @@ def test_download_repo(self):
 
         # default: download tarball for master branch of easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs repo
         path = gh.download_repo(path=self.test_prefix, github_user=GITHUB_TEST_ACCOUNT)
-        repodir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'easybuilders', 'easybuild-easyconfigs-master')
+        repodir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'easybuilders', 'easybuild-easyconfigs-main')
         self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(path, repodir))
         self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(repodir))
         shafile = os.path.join(repodir, 'latest-sha')
@@ -634,7 +637,7 @@ def run_check(expected_result=False):
 
         pr_data = {
             'base': {
-                'ref': 'master',
+                'ref': 'main',
                 'repo': {
                     'name': 'easybuild-easyconfigs',
                     'owner': {'login': 'easybuilders'},
@@ -652,7 +655,7 @@ def run_check(expected_result=False):
         expected_stdout = "Checking eligibility of easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs PR #1234 for merging...\n"
 
         # target branch for PR must be develop
-        expected_warning = "* targets develop branch: FAILED; found 'master' => not eligible for merging!\n"
+        expected_warning = "* targets develop branch: FAILED; found 'main' => not eligible for merging!\n"
         run_check()
 
         pr_data['base']['ref'] = 'develop'
@@ -937,7 +940,7 @@ def test_push_branch_to_github(self):
 
         self.mock_stderr(True)
         self.mock_stdout(True)
-        gh.setup_repo(git_repo, GITHUB_USER, GITHUB_REPO, 'master')
+        gh.setup_repo(git_repo, GITHUB_USER, GITHUB_REPO, 'main')
         git_repo.create_head(branch, force=True)
         gh.push_branch_to_github(git_repo, GITHUB_USER, GITHUB_REPO, branch)
         stderr = self.get_stderr()
@@ -949,7 +952,7 @@ def test_push_branch_to_github(self):
 
         github_path = '%s/%s.git' % (GITHUB_USER, GITHUB_REPO)
         pattern = r'^' + '\n'.join([
-            r"== fetching branch 'master' from https://github.com/%s\.\.\." % github_path,
+            r"== fetching branch 'main' from https://github.com/%s\.\.\." % github_path,
             r"== pushing branch 'test123' to remote 'github_.*' \(git@github.com:%s\) \[DRY RUN\]" % github_path,
         ]) + r'$'
         regex = re.compile(pattern)
diff --git a/test/framework/options.py b/test/framework/options.py
index dedd242068..3a8539014c 100644
--- a/test/framework/options.py
+++ b/test/framework/options.py
@@ -4103,7 +4103,7 @@ def test_new_update_pr(self):
             '--pr-branch-name=branch_name_for_new_pr_test',
             '--pr-commit-msg="this is a commit message. really!"',
             '--pr-descr="moar letters foar teh lettre box"',
-            '--pr-target-branch=master',
+            '--pr-target-branch=main',
             '--github-org=%s' % GITHUB_TEST_ORG,
             '--pr-target-account=boegel',  # we need to be able to 'clone' from here (via https)
             '--pr-title=test-1-2-3',
@@ -4111,9 +4111,9 @@ def test_new_update_pr(self):
         txt, _ = self._run_mock_eb(args, do_build=True, raise_error=True, testing=False)
 
         regexs = [
-            r"^== fetching branch 'master' from https://github.com/boegel/easybuild-easyconfigs.git...",
+            r"^== fetching branch 'main' from https://github.com/boegel/easybuild-easyconfigs.git...",
             r"^Opening pull request \[DRY RUN\]",
-            r"^\* target: boegel/easybuild-easyconfigs:master",
+            r"^\* target: boegel/easybuild-easyconfigs:main",
             r"^\* from: %s/easybuild-easyconfigs:branch_name_for_new_pr_test" % GITHUB_TEST_ORG,
             r"\(created using `eb --new-pr`\)",  # description
             r"moar letters foar teh lettre box",  # also description (see --pr-descr)
diff --git a/test/framework/toy_build.py b/test/framework/toy_build.py
index 653238f4ee..9809e5b999 100644
--- a/test/framework/toy_build.py
+++ b/test/framework/toy_build.py
@@ -1341,7 +1341,7 @@ def test_toy_extension_sources_git_config(self):
             '           "git_config": {',
             '               "repo_name": "testrepository",',
             '               "url": "https://github.com/easybuilders",',
-            '               "tag": "master",',
+            '               "tag": "main",',
             '           },',
             '       },',
             '   }),',