diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index 9f157a60c88d46deea4a52f93b7cc443c209b066..d9d559ea8c77e7d7693d13122077f993bf872dfb 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -2,17 +2,25 @@ Upstream
 ========
 
 * update version in `configure.in`
+
 * update first line of `ChangeLog`
-* commit
+
+* commit:
+
+        git commit configure.in ChangeLog \
+            -m "Releasing backupninja $VERSION"
+
 * create the tarball:
 
-        git tag -s backupninja-$VERSION
+        git tag -s "backupninja-$VERSION" \
+            -m "Releasing backupninja $VERSION"
         ./autogen.sh
         ./configure
         make dist
 
 * compare the content of the generated tarball with the content of the
   previous one
+
 * `mv backupninja-$VERSION.tar.gz ../tarballs/`
 
 * cleanup: `make distclean`
@@ -24,7 +32,11 @@ Upstream
 
 * upload the generated tarball and detached signature to
   https://0xacab.org/riseuplabs/backupninja/
-* push master branch and tags
+
+* push master branch and tags:
+
+        git push origin master --follow-tags
+
 * announce on the backupninja mailing-list
 
 Debian
@@ -32,17 +44,16 @@ Debian
 
         ln -s backupninja-$VERSION.tar.gz backupninja_$VERSION.orig.tar.gz
         cd ../git
-        git checkout upstream
-        git merge backupninja-$VERSION
         git checkout debian
-        git-import-orig ../tarballs/backupninja-$VERSION.tar.gz
-        git-dch --auto
+        gbp import-orig --upstream-vcs-tag="backupninja-$VERSION" \
+            ../tarballs/backupninja-$VERSION.tar.gz
+        gbp dch --auto
         dch -e
         git commit debian/changelog -m "Releasing backupninja ($DEBIAN_VERSION) to Debian unstable"
         git tag -s -m "Releasing backupninja ($DEBIAN_VERSION) to Debian unstable" backupninja_debian/$DEBIAN_VERSION
-        git-buildpackage
+        gbp buildpackage
 
-* push the debian branch
+* push the `debian` branch
 * publish the source package somewhere
-* ask someone listed in the @Uploaders@ control field to review and upload
+* ask someone listed in the `Uploaders` control field to review and upload
 * push the tag, once uploaded to Debian