diff --git a/maven-plugins/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/release/PrepareReleaseMojo.java b/maven-plugins/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/release/PrepareReleaseMojo.java
index 4c39005624..5526899a8f 100644
--- a/maven-plugins/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/release/PrepareReleaseMojo.java
+++ b/maven-plugins/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/release/PrepareReleaseMojo.java
@@ -338,6 +338,8 @@ public class PrepareReleaseMojo
         {
             ScmBean scm = getScm();
 
+            scm.setWorkingDirectory( basedir );
+
             if ( scm.getTag() == null )
             {
                 getLog().info( "What tag name should be used? [ " + tag + " ]" );
@@ -354,7 +356,7 @@ public class PrepareReleaseMojo
                 scm.setTag( tag );
             }
 
-            getScm().tag();
+            scm.tag();
         }
         catch ( Exception e )
         {
diff --git a/maven-plugins/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/scm/ScmBean.java b/maven-plugins/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/scm/ScmBean.java
index 0dc3e00a7b..85d95b1e6d 100644
--- a/maven-plugins/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/scm/ScmBean.java
+++ b/maven-plugins/maven-release-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/scm/ScmBean.java
@@ -175,7 +175,8 @@ public class ScmBean
 
         CheckInScmResult result = getScmManager().checkIn( repository,
                                                            new ScmFileSet( new File( workingDirectory ), includes, excludes ),
-                                                           tag, message );
+                                                           tag,
+                                                           message );
         checkResult( result );
     }
 
@@ -217,6 +218,8 @@ public class ScmBean
 
     public void setWorkingDirectory( String workingDirectory )
     {
+        FileUtils.mkdir( workingDirectory );
+
         this.workingDirectory = workingDirectory;
     }