diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 6207fb9ece8..0f752498845 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 require 'rake'
-require 'rubygems/package_task'
 require 'thor/group'
 begin
   require 'spree/testing_support/common_rake'
@@ -8,26 +7,19 @@ rescue LoadError
   exit
 end
 
-spec = eval(File.read('solidus.gemspec'))
-Gem::PackageTask.new(spec) do |pkg|
-  pkg.gem_spec = spec
-end
-
 task default: :test
 
 desc "Runs all tests in all Spree engines"
-task :test do
-  Rake::Task['test_app'].invoke
+task :test => :test_app do
   %w(api backend core frontend sample).each do |gem_name|
     Dir.chdir("#{File.dirname(__FILE__)}/#{gem_name}") do
-      system("rspec") or exit!(1)
+      sh 'rspec'
     end
   end
 end
 
 desc "Generates a dummy app for testing for every Spree engine"
 task :test_app do
-  require File.expand_path('../core/lib/generators/spree/install/install_generator', __FILE__)
   %w(api backend core frontend sample).each do |engine|
     ENV['LIB_NAME'] = File.join('spree', engine)
     ENV['DUMMY_PATH'] = File.expand_path("../#{engine}/spec/dummy", __FILE__)
@@ -37,68 +29,59 @@ end
 
 desc "clean the whole repository by removing all the generated files"
 task :clean do
-  puts "Deleting sandbox..."
-  FileUtils.rm_rf("sandbox")
-  puts "Deleting pkg directory.."
-  FileUtils.rm_rf("pkg")
+  rm_f  "Gemfile.lock"
+  rm_rf "sandbox"
+  rm_rf "pkg"
 
-  %w(api backend core frontend).each do |gem_name|
-    puts "Cleaning #{gem_name}:"
-    puts "  Deleting #{gem_name}/Gemfile"
-    FileUtils.rm_f("#{gem_name}/Gemfile")
-    puts "  Deleting #{gem_name}/pkg"
-    FileUtils.rm_rf("#{gem_name}/pkg")
-    puts "  Deleting #{gem_name}'s dummy application"
-    Dir.chdir("#{gem_name}/spec") do
-      FileUtils.rm_rf("dummy")
-    end
+  %w(api backend core frontend sample).each do |gem_name|
+    rm_f  "#{gem_name}/Gemfile.lock"
+    rm_rf "#{gem_name}/pkg"
+    rm_rf "#{gem_name}/spec/dummy"
   end
 end
 
 namespace :gem do
-  desc "run rake gem for all gems"
-  task :build do
-    %w(core api backend frontend sample ).each do |gem_name|
-      puts "########################### #{gem_name} #########################"
-      puts "Deleting #{gem_name}/pkg"
-      FileUtils.rm_rf("#{gem_name}/pkg")
-      cmd = "cd #{gem_name} && bundle exec rake gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
+  def version
+    File.read(File.expand_path("../SOLIDUS_VERSION", __FILE__)).strip
+  end
+
+  def for_each_gem
+    %w(core api backend frontend sample).each do |gem_name|
+      yield "pkg/solidus_#{gem_name}-#{version}.gem"
     end
-    puts "Deleting pkg directory"
-    FileUtils.rm_rf("pkg")
-    cmd = "bundle exec rake gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
+    yield "pkg/solidus-#{version}.gem"
   end
-end
 
-namespace :gem do
-  desc "run gem install for all gems"
-  task :install do
-    version = File.read(File.expand_path("../SOLIDUS_VERSION", __FILE__)).strip
+  desc "Build all solidus gems"
+  task :build do
+    pkgdir = File.expand_path("../pkg", __FILE__)
+    FileUtils.mkdir_p pkgdir
 
     %w(core api backend frontend sample).each do |gem_name|
-      puts "########################### #{gem_name} #########################"
-      puts "Deleting #{gem_name}/pkg"
-      FileUtils.rm_rf("#{gem_name}/pkg")
-      cmd = "cd #{gem_name} && bundle exec rake gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
-      cmd = "cd #{gem_name}/pkg && gem install solidus_#{gem_name}-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
+      Dir.chdir(gem_name) do
+        sh "gem build solidus_#{gem_name}.gemspec"
+        mv "solidus_#{gem_name}-#{version}.gem", pkgdir
+      end
     end
-    puts "Deleting pkg directory"
-    FileUtils.rm_rf("pkg")
-    cmd = "bundle exec rake gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
-    cmd = "gem install pkg/solidus-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
+
+    sh "gem build solidus.gemspec"
+    mv "solidus-#{version}.gem", pkgdir
   end
-end
 
-namespace :gem do
-  desc "Release all gems to gemcutter. Package spree components, then push spree"
-  task :release do
-    version = File.read(File.expand_path("../SOLIDUS_VERSION", __FILE__)).strip
+  desc "Install all solidus gems"
+  task :install => :build do
+    for_each_gem do |gem_path|
+      sh "gem install #{gem_path}"
+    end
+  end
 
-    %w(core api backend frontend sample).each do |gem_name|
-      puts "########################### #{gem_name} #########################"
-      cmd = "cd #{gem_name}/pkg && gem push solidus_#{gem_name}-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
+  desc "Release all gems to rubygems"
+  task :release => :build do
+    sh "git tag -a -m \"Version #{version}\" v#{version}"
+
+    for_each_gem do |gem_path|
+      sh "gem push '#{gem_path}'"
     end
-    cmd = "gem push pkg/solidus-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
   end
 end
 
diff --git a/api/Rakefile b/api/Rakefile
index 4113ae2cc01..e3c093bb1e1 100644
--- a/api/Rakefile
+++ b/api/Rakefile
@@ -1,26 +1,12 @@
 require 'rubygems'
 require 'rake'
 require 'rake/testtask'
-require 'rake/packagetask'
-require 'rubygems/package_task'
 require 'rspec/core/rake_task'
 require 'spree/testing_support/common_rake'
 require 'rails/all'
 
-Bundler::GemHelper.install_tasks
 RSpec::Core::RakeTask.new
 
-spec = eval(File.read('solidus_api.gemspec'))
-Gem::PackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
-  p.gem_spec = spec
-end
-
-desc "Release to gemcutter"
-task :release do
-  version = File.read(File.expand_path("../../SOLIDUS_VERSION", __FILE__)).strip
-  cmd = "cd pkg && gem push solidus_api-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
-end
-
 task :default => :spec
 
 desc "Generates a dummy app for testing"
diff --git a/backend/Rakefile b/backend/Rakefile
index a8e0a885ecc..3c93e091063 100644
--- a/backend/Rakefile
+++ b/backend/Rakefile
@@ -1,25 +1,11 @@
 require 'rubygems'
 require 'rake'
 require 'rake/testtask'
-require 'rake/packagetask'
-require 'rubygems/package_task'
 require 'rspec/core/rake_task'
 require 'spree/testing_support/common_rake'
 
-Bundler::GemHelper.install_tasks
 RSpec::Core::RakeTask.new
 
-spec = eval(File.read('solidus_backend.gemspec'))
-Gem::PackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
-  p.gem_spec = spec
-end
-
-desc "Release to gemcutter"
-task :release do
-  version = File.read(File.expand_path("../../SOLIDUS_VERSION", __FILE__)).strip
-  cmd = "cd pkg && gem push solidus_backend-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
-end
-
 task :default => :spec
 
 desc "Generates a dummy app for testing"
diff --git a/core/Rakefile b/core/Rakefile
index 93a012166c1..8cbaba0a507 100644
--- a/core/Rakefile
+++ b/core/Rakefile
@@ -1,26 +1,12 @@
 require 'rubygems'
 require 'rake'
 require 'rake/testtask'
-require 'rake/packagetask'
-require 'rubygems/package_task'
 require 'rspec/core/rake_task'
 require 'spree/testing_support/common_rake'
 load 'lib/tasks/exchanges.rake'
 
-Bundler::GemHelper.install_tasks
 RSpec::Core::RakeTask.new
 
-spec = eval(File.read('solidus_core.gemspec'))
-Gem::PackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
-  p.gem_spec = spec
-end
-
-desc "Release to gemcutter"
-task :release do
-  version = File.read(File.expand_path("../../SOLIDUS_VERSION", __FILE__)).strip
-  cmd = "cd pkg && gem push solidus_core-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
-end
-
 task :default => :spec
 
 desc "Generates a dummy app for testing"
diff --git a/frontend/Rakefile b/frontend/Rakefile
index 257bc77e81f..a0aa102367e 100644
--- a/frontend/Rakefile
+++ b/frontend/Rakefile
@@ -1,25 +1,11 @@
 require 'rubygems'
 require 'rake'
 require 'rake/testtask'
-require 'rake/packagetask'
-require 'rubygems/package_task'
 require 'rspec/core/rake_task'
 require 'spree/testing_support/common_rake'
 
-Bundler::GemHelper.install_tasks
 RSpec::Core::RakeTask.new
 
-spec = eval(File.read('solidus_frontend.gemspec'))
-Gem::PackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
-  p.gem_spec = spec
-end
-
-desc "Release to gemcutter"
-task :release do
-  version = File.read(File.expand_path("../../SOLIDUS_VERSION", __FILE__)).strip
-  cmd = "cd pkg && gem push solidus_frontend-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
-end
-
 task :default => :spec
 
 desc "Generates a dummy app for testing"
diff --git a/install.rb b/install.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index bf5e914c321..00000000000
--- a/install.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-require 'fileutils'
-
-version = ARGV.pop
-
-%w( core api backend frontend sample ).each do |framework|
-  puts "Installing #{framework}..."
-
-  Dir.chdir(framework) do
-    `gem build spree_#{framework}.gemspec`
-    `gem install spree_#{framework}-#{version}.gem --no-ri --no-rdoc`
-    FileUtils.remove "spree_#{framework}-#{version}.gem"
-  end
-
-end
-
-puts "Installing Spree..."
-  `gem build spree.gemspec`
-  `gem install spree-#{version}.gem --no-ri --no-rdoc `
-
-  FileUtils.remove "spree-#{version}.gem"
diff --git a/sample/Rakefile b/sample/Rakefile
index ba3d538817d..5bce1a08a8a 100644
--- a/sample/Rakefile
+++ b/sample/Rakefile
@@ -1,22 +1,8 @@
 require 'rake'
 require 'rake/testtask'
-require 'rake/packagetask'
-require 'rubygems/package_task'
 require 'rspec/core/rake_task'
 require 'spree/testing_support/common_rake'
 
-spec = eval(File.read('solidus_sample.gemspec'))
-
-Gem::PackageTask.new(spec) do |p|
-  p.gem_spec = spec
-end
-
-desc "Release to gemcutter"
-task :release do
-  version = File.read(File.expand_path("../../SOLIDUS_VERSION", __FILE__)).strip
-  cmd = "cd pkg && gem push solidus_sample-#{version}.gem"; puts cmd; system cmd
-end
-
 desc "Generates a dummy app for testing"
 task :test_app do
   ENV['LIB_NAME'] = 'spree/sample'