diff --git a/lib/grunt/utils.js b/lib/grunt/utils.js
index 7b772c34f520..24788bff8260 100644
--- a/lib/grunt/utils.js
+++ b/lib/grunt/utils.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ var fs = require('fs');
 var shell = require('shelljs');
 var grunt = require('grunt');
 var spawn = require('child_process').spawn;
+var semver = require('semver');
 var version;
 var CSP_CSS_HEADER = '/* Include this file in your html if you are using the CSP mode. */\n\n';
 
@@ -32,31 +33,82 @@ module.exports = {
 
   getVersion: function(){
     if (version) return version;
-
     var package = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('package.json', 'UTF-8'));
-    var match = package.version.match(/^([^\-]*)(?:\-(.+))?$/);
-    var semver = match[1].split('.');
+    try {
+
+      var gitTag = getTagOfCurrentCommit();
+      var semVerVersion, codeName, fullVersion;
+      if (gitTag) {
+        // tagged release
+        fullVersion = semVerVersion = semver.valid(gitTag);
+        codeName = getTaggedReleaseCodeName(gitTag);
+      } else {
+        // snapshot release
+        semVerVersion = getSnapshotVersion();
+        fullVersion = semVerVersion + '-' + getSnapshotSuffix();
+        codeName = 'snapshot'
+      }
+
+      var versionParts = semVerVersion.match(/(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+)/);
+
+      version = {
+        full: fullVersion,
+        major: versionParts[1],
+        minor: versionParts[2],
+        dot: versionParts[3],
+        codename: codeName,
+        cdn: package.cdnVersion
+      };
 
-    var fullVersion = match[1];
+      return version;
 
-    if (match[2]) {
-      fullVersion += '-';
-      fullVersion += (match[2] == 'snapshot') ? getSnapshotSuffix() : match[2];
+    } catch (e) {
+      grunt.fail.warn(e);
     }
 
-    version = {
-      full: fullVersion,
-      major: semver[0],
-      minor: semver[1],
-      dot: semver[2].replace(/rc\d+/, ''),
-      codename: package.codename,
-      cdn: package.cdnVersion
-    };
+    function getTagOfCurrentCommit() {
+      var gitTagResult = shell.exec('git describe --exact-match', {silent:true});
+      var gitTagOutput = gitTagResult.output.trim();
+      var branchVersionPattern = new RegExp(package.branchVersion.replace('.', '\\.').replace('*', '\\d+'));
+      if (gitTagResult.code === 0 && gitTagOutput.match(branchVersionPattern)) {
+        return gitTagOutput;
+      } else {
+        return null;
+      }
+    }
 
-    return version;
+    function getTaggedReleaseCodeName(tagName) {
+      var tagMessage = shell.exec('git cat-file -p '+ tagName +' | grep "codename"', {silent:true}).output;
+      var codeName = tagMessage && tagMessage.match(/codename\((.*)\)/)[1];
+      if (!codeName) {
+        throw new Error("Could not extract release code name. The message of tag "+tagName+
+          " must match '*codename(some release name)*'");
+      }
+      return codeName;
+    }
+
+    function getSnapshotVersion() {
+      var oldTags = shell.exec('git tag -l v'+package.branchVersion, {silent:true}).output.trim().split('\n');
+      // ignore non semver versions.
+      oldTags = oldTags.filter(function(version) {
+        return version && semver.valid(version);
+      });
+      if (oldTags.length) {
+        oldTags.sort(semver.compare);
+        semVerVersion = oldTags[oldTags.length-1];
+        if (semVerVersion.indexOf('-') !== -1) {
+          semVerVersion = semver.inc(semVerVersion, 'prerelease');
+        } else {
+          semVerVersion = semver.inc(semVerVersion, 'patch');
+        }
+      } else {
+        semVerVersion = semver.valid(package.branchVersion.replace(/\*/g, '0'));
+      }
+      return semVerVersion;
+    }
 
     function getSnapshotSuffix() {
-      var jenkinsBuild = process.env.BUILD_NUMBER || 'local';
+      var jenkinsBuild = process.env.TRAVIS_BUILD_NUMBER || process.env.BUILD_NUMBER || 'local';
       var hash = shell.exec('git rev-parse --short HEAD', {silent: true}).output.replace('\n', '');
       return 'build.'+jenkinsBuild+'+sha.'+hash;
     }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 56eb00a478b8..e7283aa8708f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "angularjs",
-  "version": "1.2.12-snapshot",
+  "branchVersion": "1.2.*",
   "cdnVersion": "1.2.11",
-  "codename": "cauliflower-eradication",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
     "url": "https://github.com/angular/angular.js.git"
diff --git a/scripts/angular.js/finalize-version.sh b/scripts/angular.js/finalize-version.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index e885fd1465e6..000000000000
--- a/scripts/angular.js/finalize-version.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-echo "############################################"
-echo "##  Remove "-snapshot" from version ########"
-echo "############################################"
-
-ARG_DEFS=()
-
-function run {
-  cd ../..
-
-  replaceJsonProp "package.json" "version" "(.*)-snapshot" "\2"
-  VERSION=$(readJsonProp "package.json" "version")
-
-  git add package.json
-  git commit -m "chore(release): cut v$VERSION release"
-  git tag -m "v$VERSION" v$VERSION
-}
-
-source $(dirname $0)/../utils.inc
diff --git a/scripts/angular.js/initialize-new-version.sh b/scripts/angular.js/initialize-new-version.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 9d0605554f8c..000000000000
--- a/scripts/angular.js/initialize-new-version.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-echo "############################################"
-echo "##  Increment version, add "-snapshot" and set version name ##"
-echo "############################################"
-
-ARG_DEFS=(
-  "--next-version-type=(patch|minor|major)"
-  "--next-version-name=(.+)"
-)
-
-function run {
-  cd ../..
-
-  grunt bump:$NEXT_VERSION_TYPE
-  NEXT_VERSION=$(readJsonProp "package.json" "version")
-  replaceJsonProp "package.json" "version" "(.*)" "\2-snapshot"
-  replaceJsonProp "package.json" "codename" ".*" "$NEXT_VERSION_NAME"
-
-  git add package.json
-  git commit -m "chore(release): start v$NEXT_VERSION ($NEXT_VERSION)"
-}
-
-source $(dirname $0)/../utils.inc
diff --git a/scripts/angular.js/publish.sh b/scripts/angular.js/publish.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 8de5b11b27f5..000000000000
--- a/scripts/angular.js/publish.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-# Script for updating angular.js repo from current local build.
-
-echo "#################################"
-echo "##     Update angular.js      ###"
-echo "#################################"
-
-ARG_DEFS=(
-  "--action=(prepare|publish)"
- "--next-version-type=(patch|minor|major)"
- "--next-version-name=(.+)"
- "[--no-test=(true|false)]"
-)
-
-function init {
-  cd ../..
-}
-
-function prepare() {
-  ./scripts/angular.js/finalize-version.sh
-
-  # Build
-  if [[ $NO_TEST == "true" ]]; then
-    npm install --color false
-    grunt ci-checks package --no-color
-  else
-    ./jenkins_build.sh
-  fi
-
-  ./scripts/angular.js/initialize-new-version.sh --next-version-type=$NEXT_VERSION_TYPE --next-version-name=$NEXT_VERSION_NAME
-}
-
-function publish() {
-  BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
-  # push the commits to github
-  git push origin $BRANCH
-  # push the release tag
-  git push origin v`cat build/version.txt`
-}
-
-source $(dirname $0)/../utils.inc
diff --git a/scripts/angular.js/tag-release.sh b/scripts/angular.js/tag-release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..fbb6e2defb07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/angular.js/tag-release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Tags a release
+# so that travis can do the actual release.
+
+echo "#################################"
+echo "## Tag angular.js for a release #"
+echo "#################################"
+
+ARG_DEFS=(
+  "--action=(prepare|publish)"
+  "--commit-sha=(.*)"
+  # the version number of the release.
+  # e.g. 1.2.12 or 1.2.12-rc.1
+  "--version-number=([0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(-[a-z]+\.[0-9]+)?)"
+  "--version-name=(.+)"
+)
+
+function checkVersionNumber() {
+  BRANCH_PATTERN=$(readJsonProp "package.json" "branchVersion")
+  if [[ $VERSION_NUMBER != $BRANCH_PATTERN ]]; then
+    echo "version-number needs to match $BRANCH_PATTERN on this branch"
+    usage
+  fi
+}
+
+function init {
+  cd ../..
+  checkVersionNumber
+  TAG_NAME="v$VERSION_NUMBER"
+}
+
+function prepare() {
+  git tag "$TAG_NAME" -m "chore(release): $TAG_NAME codename($VERSION_NAME)" "$COMMIT_SHA"
+}
+
+function publish() {
+  # push the tag to github
+  git push origin $TAG_NAME
+}
+
+source $(dirname $0)/../utils.inc
diff --git a/scripts/jenkins/release.sh b/scripts/jenkins/release.sh
index 744a1a288bf5..8c1e46bc09b0 100755
--- a/scripts/jenkins/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/jenkins/release.sh
@@ -1,38 +1,63 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# tags the current commit as a release and publishes all artifacts to
+# the different repositories.
+# Note: This will also works if the commit is in the past!
+
 echo "#################################"
-echo "#### Cut release ################"
+echo "#### cut release     ############"
 echo "#################################"
 
 ARG_DEFS=(
-  "--next-version-type=(patch|minor|major)"
-  "--next-version-name=(.+)"
   # require the git dryrun flag so the script can't be run without
   # thinking about this!
   "--git-push-dryrun=(true|false)"
-  "[--no-test=(true|false)]"
+  # The sha to release. Needs to be the same as HEAD.
+  # given as parameter to double check.
+  "--commit-sha=(.*)"
+  # the version number of the release.
+  # e.g. 1.2.12 or 1.2.12-rc.1
+  "--version-number=([0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(-[a-z]+\.[0-9]+)?)"
+  # the codename of the release
+  "--version-name=(.+)"
 )
 
 function init {
-  NG_ARGS=("$@")
+  if [[ $(git rev-parse --short HEAD) != $COMMIT_SHA ]]; then
+    echo "HEAD is not at $COMMIT_SHA"
+    usage
+  fi
+
   if [[ ! $VERBOSE ]]; then
     VERBOSE=false
   fi
-  if [[ ! $NO_TEST ]]; then
-    NO_TEST=false
-  fi
   VERBOSE_ARG="--verbose=$VERBOSE"
-  NO_TEST_ARG="--no_test=$NO_TEST"
+}
+
+function build {
+  cd ../..
+
+  npm install --color false
+  grunt ci-checks package --no-color
+
+  cd $SCRIPT_DIR
 }
 
 function phase {
   ACTION_ARG="--action=$1"
-  ../angular.js/publish.sh $ACTION_ARG $VERBOSE_ARG $NO_TEST_ARG \
-      --next-version-type=$NEXT_VERSION_TYPE --next-version-name=$NEXT_VERSION_NAME
+  ../angular.js/tag-release.sh $ACTION_ARG $VERBOSE_ARG\
+    --version-number=$VERSION_NUMBER --version-name=$VERSION_NAME\
+    --commit-sha=$COMMIT_SHA
+
+  if [[ $1 == "prepare" ]]; then
+    # The build requires the tag to be set already!
+    build
+  fi
+
   ../code.angularjs.org/publish.sh $ACTION_ARG $VERBOSE_ARG
   ../bower/publish.sh $ACTION_ARG $VERBOSE_ARG
-  ../angular-seed/publish.sh $ACTION_ARG $VERBOSE_ARG $NO_TEST_ARG
-  ../angular-phonecat/publish.sh $ACTION_ARG $VERBOSE_ARG $NO_TEST_ARG
+  ../angular-seed/publish.sh $ACTION_ARG $VERBOSE_ARG --no-test=true
+  ../angular-phonecat/publish.sh $ACTION_ARG $VERBOSE_ARG --no-test=true
 }
 
 function run {