diff --git a/scripts/milestone-release.sh b/scripts/milestone-release.sh
index a2975d9603c..395fab12ac9 100755
--- a/scripts/milestone-release.sh
+++ b/scripts/milestone-release.sh
@@ -54,9 +54,12 @@ if ! command -v xmllint &> /dev/null; then
     exit 1;
 fi
 
+echo "Running git pull to make sure we are up to date"
+git pull
+
 # check that we are on main or develop
-if  ! git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## main...origin/main"; then
-  if  ! git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## develop...origin/develop"; then
+if  ! [[ $(git status --porcelain -u no  --branch) == "## main...origin/main" ]]; then
+  if  ! [[ $(git status --porcelain -u no  --branch) == "## develop...origin/develop" ]]; then
     echo""
     echo "You need to be on main or develop!";
     echo "";
@@ -65,10 +68,10 @@ if  ! git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## main...origin/main"; then
 fi
 
 ORIGINAL_BRANCH=""
-if  git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## main...origin/main"; then
+if  ! [[ $(git status --porcelain -u no  --branch) == "## main...origin/main" ]]; then
   ORIGINAL_BRANCH="main";
 fi
-if  git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## develop...origin/develop"; then
+if  ! [[ $(git status --porcelain -u no  --branch) == "## develop...origin/develop" ]]; then
   ORIGINAL_BRANCH="develop";
 fi
 
@@ -76,7 +79,7 @@ echo "Running git pull to make sure we are up to date"
 git checkout develop
 git pull
 
-if  ! git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## develop...origin/develop"; then
+if  ! [[ $(git status --porcelain -u no  --branch) == "## develop...origin/develop" ]]; then
   echo""
   echo "There is something wrong with your git. It seems you are not up to date with develop. Run git status";
   echo "";
@@ -86,7 +89,7 @@ fi
 git checkout main
 git pull
 
-if  ! git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## main...origin/main"; then
+if  ! [[ $(git status --porcelain -u no  --branch) == "## main...origin/main" ]]; then
   echo""
   echo "There is something wrong with your git. It seems you are not up to date with main. Run git status";
   echo "";
@@ -113,6 +116,8 @@ fi
 
 
 echo "Running maven clean and install -DskipTests";
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean;
 mvn install -DskipTests;
 
@@ -172,20 +177,32 @@ echo "(if you are on linux or windows, remember to use CTRL+SHIFT+C to copy)."
 echo "Log in, then choose 'Build with Parameters' and type in ${MVN_VERSION_RELEASE}"
 read -n 1 -srp "Press any key to continue (ctrl+c to cancel)"; printf "\n\n";
 
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 
 git checkout develop
 mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+
 git checkout main
 mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+
 
 echo "Build javadocs"
 read -n 1 -srp "Press any key to continue (ctrl+c to cancel)"; printf "\n\n";
 
 git checkout "${MVN_VERSION_RELEASE}"
 mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+
+# temporarily disable exiting on error
+set +e
 mvn clean
-mvn compile -Pquick -Dmaven.compiler.failOnError=false
+mvn compile -DskipTests
+mvn package -Passembly -DskipTests
+set -e
+
 mvn package -Passembly -DskipTests
 
 git checkout main
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index aab0163fb98..9f40a4f733e 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -66,8 +66,11 @@ if ! command -v xmllint &> /dev/null; then
     exit 1;
 fi
 
+echo "Running git pull to make sure we are up to date"
+git pull
+
 # check that we are on main
-if  ! git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## main...origin/main"; then
+if  ! [[ $(git status --porcelain -u no  --branch) == "## main...origin/main" ]]; then
   echo""
   echo "You need to be on main!";
   echo "git checkout main";
@@ -75,6 +78,8 @@ if  ! git status --porcelain --branch | grep -q "## main...origin/main"; then
   exit 1;
 fi
 
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean;
 
 echo "Running git pull to make sure we are up to date"
@@ -102,12 +107,17 @@ if ! git push --dry-run > /dev/null 2>&1; then
     exit 1;
 fi
 
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean;
 git checkout develop;
-mvn clean;
 git pull;
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean;
 git checkout main;
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean;
 
 
@@ -138,6 +148,8 @@ echo "MVN_VERSION_DEVELOP=\"${MVN_VERSION_DEVELOP}\"" > temp/constants.txt
 cd ..
 
 echo "Running maven clean and install -DskipTests";
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean;
 mvn install -DskipTests;
 
@@ -183,6 +195,8 @@ echo "Log in, then choose 'Build with Parameters' and type in ${MVN_VERSION_RELE
 read -n 1 -srp "Press any key to continue (ctrl+c to cancel)"; printf "\n\n";
 
 # Cleanup
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean
 
 # Set a new SNAPSHOT version
@@ -230,12 +244,15 @@ gh pr create -B develop --title "sync develop branch after release ${MVN_VERSION
 echo "It's ok to merge this PR later, so wait for the Jenkins tests to finish."
 read -n 1 -srp "Press any key to continue (ctrl+c to cancel)"; printf "\n\n";
 
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 
 git checkout develop
 mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 git checkout main
 mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
+mvn clean -Dmaven.clean.failOnError=false
 
 echo "Build javadocs"
 read -n 1 -srp "Press any key to continue (ctrl+c to cancel)"; printf "\n\n";
diff --git a/scripts/templates/patch-release-notes.md b/scripts/templates/patch-release-notes.md
index 0ca246c0fff..828c0056478 100644
--- a/scripts/templates/patch-release-notes.md
+++ b/scripts/templates/patch-release-notes.md
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ RDF4J ${MVN_VERSION_RELEASE} is a patch release that fixes ${NUMBER_OF_CLOSED_IS
 
 For a complete overview, see [all issues fixed in ${MVN_VERSION_RELEASE}](https://github.com/eclipse/rdf4j/milestone/${GITHUB_MILESTONE}?closed=1).
 
-## Acknowledgements
+### Acknowledgements
 
 This release was made possible by contributions from ???