diff --git a/release/release.gradle b/release/release.gradle
index b0bf36ed6c..3b702cc259 100644
--- a/release/release.gradle
+++ b/release/release.gradle
@@ -257,22 +257,13 @@ task updateChangeLogFile {
     group = "Release"
     description = "Updates the changelog.txt file and push the changes to github"
     doFirst{
+        logger.lifecycle( "Appending version '${project.releaseVersion}' to changelog..." )
         ChangeLogFile.update( ormVersion.fullName );
 
-        executeGitCommand(
-                "git add .",
-                "An error occurred during the execution of git add for the changelog.txt and the release version changes."
-        )
-
-        executeGitCommand(
-                "git commit -m \"${project.ormVersion.fullName}\"",
-                "An error occurred during the execution of git commit for the changelog.txt and the release version changes."
-        )
-
-        executeGitCommand(
-                "git push ${gitRemote}",
-                "An error occurred during the execution git push for the changelog.txt and the release version changes."
-        )
+        logger.lifecycle( "Adding commit to update version to '${project.releaseVersion}'..." )
+        executeGitCommand( 'add', '.' )
+        executeGitCommand( 'commit', '-m', project.ormVersion.fullName )
+        executeGitCommand( 'push', gitRemote )
     }
 }
 
@@ -291,31 +282,15 @@ task ciRelease() {
             if ( tag.endsWith( ".Final" ) ) {
                 tag = tag.replace( ".Final", "" )
             }
-            executeGitCommand(
-                    "git tag ${tag}",
-                    "An error occurred during the execution of git tag"
-            )
-            executeGitCommand(
-                    "git push ${gitRemote} ${tag}",
-                    "An error occurred during the execution of git push od the tag"
-            )
+            logger.lifecycle( "Tagging '${tag}'..." )
+            executeGitCommand( 'tag', tag )
+            executeGitCommand( 'push', gitRemote, tag )
 
-            // the hibernate version is changed to the development one and the changes are pushed to github
-            project.ormVersionFile.text = "hibernateVersion=${project.property( 'developmentVersion' )}"
-            executeGitCommand(
-                    "git add .",
-                    "An error occurred during the execution of git add for the development version change."
-            )
-
-            executeGitCommand(
-                    "git commit -m \"${project.property( 'developmentVersion' )}\"",
-                    "An error occurred during the execution of git commit for the development version change."
-            )
-
-            executeGitCommand(
-                    "git push ${gitRemote}",
-                    "An error occurred during the execution git push for the development version change."
-            )
+            logger.lifecycle( "Adding commit to update version to '${project.developmentVersion}'..." )
+            project.ormVersionFile.text = "hibernateVersion=${project.developmentVersion}"
+            executeGitCommand( 'add', '.')
+            executeGitCommand( 'commit', '-m', project.developmentVersion )
+            executeGitCommand( 'push', gitRemote )
         }
     }
 }
@@ -323,13 +298,15 @@ task ciRelease() {
 ciRelease.dependsOn updateChangeLogFile, release
 release.mustRunAfter updateChangeLogFile
 
-static void executeGitCommand(String command, String errorMessage){
+static void executeGitCommand(Object ... subcommand){
+    List<Object> command = ['git']
+    Collections.addAll( command, subcommand )
     def proc = command.execute()
     def code = proc.waitFor()
     def stdout = inputStreamToString( proc.getInputStream() )
     def stderr = inputStreamToString( proc.getErrorStream() )
     if ( code != 0 ) {
-        throw new GradleException( errorMessage + "\n\nstdout:\n" + stdout + "\n\nstderr:\n" + stderr )
+        throw new GradleException( "An error occurred while executing " + command + "\n\nstdout:\n" + stdout + "\n\nstderr:\n" + stderr )
     }
 }