diff --git a/gradle/java-module.gradle b/gradle/java-module.gradle
index a44763c1a9..828d450a1e 100644
--- a/gradle/java-module.gradle
+++ b/gradle/java-module.gradle
@@ -67,9 +67,6 @@ configurations {
 	provided {
 		description = 'Non-exported compile-time dependencies.'
 	}
-	asciidoclet {
-		description = "Dependencies for Asciidoctor Javadoc taglet"
-	}
 }
 
 configurations.all*.exclude group: 'xml-apis', module: 'xml-apis'
@@ -349,6 +346,119 @@ test {
 	}
 }
 
+
+// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+// Artifacts (jar, sources, javadoc)
+
+ext {
+	java9ModuleNameBase = project.name.startsWith( 'hibernate-' ) ? name.drop( 'hibernate-'.length() ): name
+	java9ModuleName = "org.hibernate.orm.$project.java9ModuleNameBase"
+}
+
+
+// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+// Jar
+
+jar {
+	manifest {
+		attributes(
+				// Basic JAR manifest attributes
+				'Specification-Title': project.name,
+				'Specification-Version': project.version,
+				'Specification-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
+				'Implementation-Title': project.name,
+				'Implementation-Version': project.version,
+				'Implementation-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
+				'Implementation-Vendor-Id': 'org.hibernate',
+				'Implementation-Url': 'http://hibernate.org/orm',
+
+				// Java 9 module name
+				'Automatic-Module-Name': project.java9ModuleName,
+
+				// Hibernate-specific JAR manifest attributes
+				'Hibernate-VersionFamily': project.ormVersion.family,
+				'Hibernate-JpaVersion': project.jpaVersion.name,
+
+				// BND Plugin instructions (for OSGi):
+				'Bundle-Name': project.name,
+				'Bundle-SymbolicName': project.java9ModuleName,
+				'Bundle-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
+				'Bundle-DocURL': "http://www.hibernate.org/orm/${project.ormVersion.family}",
+				// This is overridden in some sub-projects
+				'Import-Package': [
+						// Temporarily support JTA 1.1 -- Karaf and other frameworks still
+						// use it.  Without this, the plugin generates [1.2,2).
+						'javax.transaction;version="[1.1,2)"',
+						// Also import every package referenced in the code
+						// (note that '*' is resolved at build time to a list of packages)
+						'*'
+				].join( ',' ),
+				'-exportcontents': "*;version=${project.version}"
+		)
+	}
+}
+
+
+// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+// sources
+
+task sourcesJar(type: Jar) {
+	from project.sourceSets.main.allSource
+	manifest {
+		attributes(
+				// Basic JAR manifest attributes
+				'Specification-Title': project.name,
+				'Specification-Version': project.version,
+				'Specification-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
+				'Implementation-Title': project.name,
+				'Implementation-Version': project.version,
+				'Implementation-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
+				'Implementation-Vendor-Id': 'org.hibernate',
+				'Implementation-Url': 'http://hibernate.org/orm',
+
+				// Hibernate-specific JAR manifest attributes
+				'Hibernate-VersionFamily': project.ormVersion.family,
+				'Hibernate-JpaVersion': project.jpaVersion.name
+		)
+	}
+	archiveClassifier.set( 'sources' )
+}
+
+
+// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+// Javadoc
+
+apply from: rootProject.file( 'gradle/javadoc.gradle' )
+
+javadoc {
+	doFirst {
+		// ordering problems if we try to do this during config phase :(
+		classpath += project.sourceSets.main.output.classesDirs + project.sourceSets.main.compileClasspath + project.configurations.provided
+	}
+}
+
+task javadocJar(type: Jar) {
+	from project.tasks.javadoc.outputs
+	manifest {
+		attributes(
+				// Basic JAR manifest attributes
+				'Specification-Title': project.name,
+				'Specification-Version': project.version,
+				'Specification-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
+				'Implementation-Title': project.name,
+				'Implementation-Version': project.version,
+				'Implementation-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
+				'Implementation-Vendor-Id': 'org.hibernate',
+				'Implementation-Url': 'http://hibernate.org/orm',
+
+				// Hibernate-specific JAR manifest attributes
+				'Hibernate-VersionFamily': project.ormVersion.family,
+				'Hibernate-JpaVersion': project.jpaVersion.name
+		)
+	}
+	archiveClassifier.set( 'javadoc' )
+}
+
 // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 // IDE
 
diff --git a/gradle/published-java-module.gradle b/gradle/published-java-module.gradle
index 40cf836347..c2d9cf9cb6 100644
--- a/gradle/published-java-module.gradle
+++ b/gradle/published-java-module.gradle
@@ -9,111 +9,6 @@ apply from: rootProject.file( 'gradle/java-module.gradle' )
 apply from: rootProject.file( 'gradle/publishing-pom.gradle' )
 
 
-// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-// Published artifacts (main, sources, javadoc)
-
-ext {
-	java9ModuleNameBase = project.name.startsWith( 'hibernate-' ) ? name.drop( 'hibernate-'.length() ): name
-	java9ModuleName = "org.hibernate.orm.$project.java9ModuleNameBase"
-}
-
-jar {
-	manifest {
-		attributes(
-				// Basic JAR manifest attributes
-				'Specification-Title': project.name,
-				'Specification-Version': project.version,
-				'Specification-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
-				'Implementation-Title': project.name,
-				'Implementation-Version': project.version,
-				'Implementation-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
-				'Implementation-Vendor-Id': 'org.hibernate',
-				'Implementation-Url': 'http://hibernate.org/orm',
-
-				// Java 9 module name
-				'Automatic-Module-Name': project.java9ModuleName,
-
-				// Hibernate-specific JAR manifest attributes
-				'Hibernate-VersionFamily': project.ormVersion.family,
-				'Hibernate-JpaVersion': project.jpaVersion.name,
-
-				// BND Plugin instructions (for OSGi):
-				'Bundle-Name': project.name,
-				'Bundle-SymbolicName': project.java9ModuleName,
-				'Bundle-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
-				'Bundle-DocURL': "http://www.hibernate.org/orm/${project.ormVersion.family}",
-				// This is overridden in some sub-projects
-				'Import-Package': [
-						// Temporarily support JTA 1.1 -- Karaf and other frameworks still
-						// use it.  Without this, the plugin generates [1.2,2).
-						'javax.transaction;version="[1.1,2)"',
-						// Also import every package referenced in the code
-						// (note that '*' is resolved at build time to a list of packages)
-						'*'
-				].join( ',' ),
-				'-exportcontents': "*;version=${project.version}"
-		)
-	}
-}
-
-
-task sourcesJar(type: Jar) {
-	from project.sourceSets.main.allSource
-	manifest {
-		attributes(
-				// Basic JAR manifest attributes
-				'Specification-Title': project.name,
-				'Specification-Version': project.version,
-				'Specification-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
-				'Implementation-Title': project.name,
-				'Implementation-Version': project.version,
-				'Implementation-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
-				'Implementation-Vendor-Id': 'org.hibernate',
-				'Implementation-Url': 'http://hibernate.org/orm',
-
-				// Hibernate-specific JAR manifest attributes
-				'Hibernate-VersionFamily': project.ormVersion.family,
-				'Hibernate-JpaVersion': project.jpaVersion.name
-		)
-	}
-	archiveClassifier.set( 'sources' )
-}
-
-task javadocJar(type: Jar) {
-	from project.tasks.javadoc.outputs
-	manifest {
-		attributes(
-				// Basic JAR manifest attributes
-				'Specification-Title': project.name,
-				'Specification-Version': project.version,
-				'Specification-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
-				'Implementation-Title': project.name,
-				'Implementation-Version': project.version,
-				'Implementation-Vendor': 'Hibernate.org',
-				'Implementation-Vendor-Id': 'org.hibernate',
-				'Implementation-Url': 'http://hibernate.org/orm',
-
-				// Hibernate-specific JAR manifest attributes
-				'Hibernate-VersionFamily': project.ormVersion.family,
-				'Hibernate-JpaVersion': project.jpaVersion.name
-		)
-	}
-	archiveClassifier.set( 'javadoc' )
-}
-
-// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-// Javadoc
-
-apply from: rootProject.file( 'gradle/javadoc.gradle' )
-
-javadoc {
-	doFirst {
-		// ordering problems if we try to do this during config phase :(
-		classpath += project.sourceSets.main.output.classesDirs + project.sourceSets.main.compileClasspath + project.configurations.provided
-	}
-}
-
-
 
 // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 // Publishing
@@ -129,15 +24,7 @@ publishing {
 		publishedArtifacts {
 			from components.java
 		}
-	}
-}
 
-
-// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-// Relocation for the published artifacts based on the old groupId
-
-publishing {
-	publications {
 		relocationArtifacts( MavenPublication ) {
 			pom {
 				name = project.name + ' - relocation'
@@ -195,6 +82,15 @@ publishing {
 }
 
 
+// ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+// Relocation for the published artifacts based on the old groupId
+
+publishing {
+	publications {
+	}
+}
+
+
 // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 // Release / publishing tasks
 
diff --git a/release/release.gradle b/release/release.gradle
index db1484b53d..02ef8e7fba 100644
--- a/release/release.gradle
+++ b/release/release.gradle
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ task uploadDocumentation(type:Exec) {
     }
 }
 
-
 /**
  * Configuration of the distribution plugin, used to build release bundle as both ZIP and TGZ
  */
@@ -117,11 +116,8 @@ distributions {
             from rootProject.file( 'hibernate_logo.gif' )
 
             into('lib/required') {
-                from parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.provided.files { dep -> dep.name == 'jta' }
-                from parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.runtime
-                from parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.archives.allArtifacts.files.filter{ file -> !file.name.endsWith('-sources.jar') }
-                // for now,
-                from parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.provided.files { dep -> dep.name == 'javassist' }
+                from ( parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.default +
+                        parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.default.allArtifacts.files )
             }
 
             // todo (6.0) - add back
@@ -141,31 +137,28 @@ distributions {
 //            }
 
             into( 'lib/jpa-metamodel-generator' ) {
-                from parent.project( 'hibernate-jpamodelgen' ).configurations.archives.allArtifacts.files.filter{ file -> !file.name.endsWith('-sources.jar') }
+                from ( parent.project( 'hibernate-jpamodelgen' ).configurations.default +
+                        parent.project( 'hibernate-jpamodelgen' ).configurations.default.allArtifacts.files )
             }
 
             into( 'lib/envers' ) {
                 from(
-                        ( parent.project( 'hibernate-envers' ).configurations.archives.allArtifacts.files.filter{ file -> !file.name.endsWith('-sources.jar') }
-                                + parent.project( 'hibernate-envers' ).configurations.runtime )
-                                - parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.runtime
-                                - parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.archives.allArtifacts.files
+                        ( parent.project( 'hibernate-envers' ).configurations.default.allArtifacts.files +
+                                parent.project( 'hibernate-envers' ).configurations.default ) -
+                                ( parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.default.allArtifacts.files +
+                                        parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.default )
                 )
             }
 
 
-            // todo : this closure is problematic as it does not write into the hibernate-release-$project.version directory
-            // due to http://issues.gradle.org/browse/GRADLE-1450
             [ 'hibernate-agroal', 'hibernate-c3p0', 'hibernate-hikaricp', 'hibernate-jcache', 'hibernate-proxool', 'hibernate-vibur' ].each { feature ->
                 final String shortName = feature.substring( 'hibernate-'.length() )
-// WORKAROUND http://issues.gradle.org/browse/GRADLE-1450
-//                into('lib/optional/' + shortName) {
                 owner.into('lib/optional/' + shortName) {
-                    from (
-                            ( parent.project( feature ).configurations.archives.allArtifacts.files.filter{ file -> !file.name.endsWith('-sources.jar') }
-                                    + parent.project( feature ).configurations.runtime )
-                                    - parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.runtime
-                                    - parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.archives.allArtifacts.files
+                    from(
+                            ( parent.project( feature ).configurations.default.files +
+                                    parent.project( feature ).configurations.default.allArtifacts.files ) -
+                                    ( parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.default.files +
+                                            parent.project( 'hibernate-core' ).configurations.default.allArtifacts.files )
                     )
                 }
             }
@@ -206,10 +199,11 @@ distributions {
     }
 }
 
-// this is the common task between distTar and distZip
-assembleDist.dependsOn assembleDocumentation
 distTar.compression = Compression.GZIP
 
+distTar.dependsOn assembleDocumentation
+distZip.dependsOn assembleDocumentation
+
 /**
  * "virtual" task for building both types of dist bundles
  */
@@ -318,7 +312,7 @@ task gitTasksAfterRelease {
         executeGitCommand( 'add', '.' )
         executeGitCommand( 'commit', '-m', "Post-steps for release : `${project.ormVersion.fullName}`" )
 
-        if ( project.releaseTag != '' ) {
+        if ( project.createTag ) {
             logger.lifecycle("Tagging release : `${project.releaseTag}`...")
             executeGitCommand( 'tag', project.releaseTag )
         }
@@ -509,26 +503,58 @@ class ReleaseNote {
 
 
 gradle.getTaskGraph().whenReady {tg->
+
     if ( tg.hasTask( project.tasks.releaseChecks ) ) {
-        // make sure we have everything we need
-        if ( ! ( project.hasProperty( 'releaseVersion' ) && project.hasProperty( 'developmentVersion' ) ) ) {
-            throw new GradleException(
-                    "`release`-related tasks require the following properties: 'releaseVersion', 'developmentVersion'"
-            )
+        String releaseVersionLocal
+        String developmentVersionLocal
+
+        def console = tg.hasTask( project.tasks.ciReleaseChecks )
+                ? null
+                : System.console()
+
+        if (project.hasProperty('releaseVersion')) {
+            releaseVersionLocal = project.property('releaseVersion')
         }
+        else {
+            if (console) {
+                // prompt for `releaseVersion`
+                releaseVersionLocal = console.readLine('> Enter the release version: ')
+            }
+            else {
+                throw new GradleException(
+                        "`release`-related tasks require the following properties: 'releaseVersion', 'developmentVersion'"
+                )
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (project.hasProperty('developmentVersion')) {
+            developmentVersionLocal = project.property('developmentVersion')
+        }
+        else {
+            if (console) {
+                // prompt for `developmentVersion`
+                developmentVersionLocal = console.readLine('> Enter the next development version: ')
+            }
+            else {
+                throw new GradleException(
+                        "`release`-related tasks require the following properties: 'releaseVersion', 'developmentVersion'"
+                )
+            }
+        }
+
+        assert releaseVersionLocal != null && developmentVersionLocal != null;
 
         // set up information for the release-related tasks
         project.ext {
-            releaseVersion = project.property( 'releaseVersion' )
-            developmentVersion = project.property( 'developmentVersion' )
-            createTag = ! project.hasProperty( 'noTag' )
-            releaseTag = determineReleaseTag( project )
+            releaseVersion = releaseVersionLocal;
+            developmentVersion = developmentVersionLocal;
+            createTag = !project.hasProperty('noTag')
+            releaseTag = project.createTag ? determineReleaseTag(releaseVersionLocal) : ''
         }
 
-
-        logger.lifecycle( "Checking that the working tree is clean..." )
-        String uncommittedFiles = executeGitCommand( 'status', '--porcelain' )
-        if ( !uncommittedFiles.isEmpty() ) {
+        logger.lifecycle("Checking that the working tree is clean...")
+        String uncommittedFiles = executeGitCommand('status', '--porcelain')
+        if (!uncommittedFiles.isEmpty()) {
             throw new GradleException(
                     "Cannot release because there are uncommitted or untracked files in the working tree.\n" +
                             "Commit or stash your changes first.\n" +
@@ -536,50 +562,52 @@ gradle.getTaskGraph().whenReady {tg->
                             uncommittedFiles
             );
         }
-    }
 
-    if ( tg.hasTask( project.tasks.ciReleaseChecks ) ) {
-        // make sure we have everything we need
-        if ( ! project.hasProperty( 'gitBranch' ) || ! project.hasProperty( 'gitRemote' ) ) {
-            throw new GradleException(
-                    "`ciRelease`-related tasks require the following properties: 'releaseVersion', 'developmentVersion', 'gitRemote', 'gitBranch'."
-            )
-        }
+        if (tg.hasTask(project.tasks.ciReleaseChecks)) {
+            String gitBranchLocal
+            String gitRemoteLocal
 
-        // set up information for the release-related tasks
-        project.ext {
-            gitBranch = project.property( 'gitBranch' )
+            if (project.hasProperty('gitBranch')) {
+                gitBranchLocal = project.property('gitBranch')
+            }
+            else {
+                gitBranchLocal = executeGitCommand( 'branch', '--show-current' )
+            }
 
-            gitRemote = project.hasProperty( 'gitRemote' )
-                    ? project.property( 'gitRemote' )
-                    : 'origin'
-        }
+            if (project.hasProperty('gitRemote')) {
+                gitRemoteLocal = project.property('gitRemote')
+            }
+            else {
+                final String remotes = executeGitCommand( 'remote', 'show' )
+                final List<String> tokens = remotes.tokenize()
+                if ( tokens.size() != 1 ) {
+                    throw new GradleException( "Could not determine `gitRemote` property for `ciRelease` tasks." )
+                }
+                gitRemoteLocal = tokens.get( 0 )
+            }
 
-        logger.lifecycle( "Switching to branch '${project.gitBranch}'..." )
-        executeGitCommand( 'checkout', project.gitBranch )
+            project.ext {
+                gitBranch = gitBranchLocal
+                gitRemote = gitRemoteLocal
+            }
 
-        logger.lifecycle( "Checking that all commits are pushed..." )
-        String diffWithUpstream = executeGitCommand( 'diff', '@{u}' )
-        if ( !diffWithUpstream.isEmpty() ) {
-            throw new GradleException(
-                    "Cannot release because there are commits on the branch-to-release that haven't been pushed yet.\n" +
-                            "Push your commits to the branch-to-release first."
-            );
+            logger.lifecycle("Switching to branch '${project.gitBranch}'...")
+            executeGitCommand('checkout', project.gitBranch)
+
+            logger.lifecycle("Checking that all commits are pushed...")
+            String diffWithUpstream = executeGitCommand('diff', '@{u}')
+            if (!diffWithUpstream.isEmpty()) {
+                throw new GradleException(
+                        "Cannot perform `ciRelease` tasks because there are un-pushed local commits .\n" +
+                                "Push your commits first."
+                );
+            }
         }
     }
 }
 
-static String determineReleaseTag(Project project) {
-    if ( ! project.hasProperty( 'noTag' ) ) {
-        return "";
-    }
-
-    final String tag = project.ormVersion.fullName
-
-    if ( tag.endsWith( ".Final" ) ) {
-        return tag.replace( ".Final", "" )
-    }
-
-    return tag;
-
+static String determineReleaseTag(String releaseVersion) {
+    return releaseVersion.endsWith( '.Final' )
+            ? releaseVersion.replace( ".Final", "" )
+            : releaseVersion;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tooling/hibernate-gradle-plugin/hibernate-gradle-plugin.gradle b/tooling/hibernate-gradle-plugin/hibernate-gradle-plugin.gradle
index 62a62f021e..37acaefaf2 100644
--- a/tooling/hibernate-gradle-plugin/hibernate-gradle-plugin.gradle
+++ b/tooling/hibernate-gradle-plugin/hibernate-gradle-plugin.gradle
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ tasks.test {
 	}
 }
 
+task release {
+	dependsOn tasks.publishPlugins
+}
+
 gradle.taskGraph.whenReady { tg ->
 	if ( tg.hasTask( project.tasks.publishPlugins ) ) {
 		if ( credentials.hibernatePluginPortalUsername == null ) {