diff --git a/lib/release/create.rb b/lib/release/create.rb
index 3925cd8..e816bc8 100644
--- a/lib/release/create.rb
+++ b/lib/release/create.rb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ module Release
       validate_version_format version
 
       validate_current_branch_master
-      git_pull current_branch
+      git_fetch_and_merge current_branch
 
       validate_version_is_new version
 
diff --git a/lib/release/finish.rb b/lib/release/finish.rb
index 0f0eedc..f6f9f6a 100644
--- a/lib/release/finish.rb
+++ b/lib/release/finish.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module Release
 
       validate_current_branch_is_release
 
-      git_pull release_branch
+      git_fetch_and_merge release_branch
 
       update_package_json version_from_release_branch(release_branch)
 
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ module Release
       git_push release_branch
       git_push_tags
 
-      git_checkout "master"
+      git_checkout 'master'
+      git_fetch_and_merge current_branch
 
       git_local_branch_delete release_branch
 
diff --git a/lib/release/join.rb b/lib/release/join.rb
index 499338f..482c438 100644
--- a/lib/release/join.rb
+++ b/lib/release/join.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ module Release
       subcommand, version = *argv
 
       validate_current_branch_master
-      git_pull current_branch
+      git_fetch_and_merge current_branch
 
       git_checkout_track release_branch_from_version(version)
     end
diff --git a/lib/release/leave.rb b/lib/release/leave.rb
index cdbd94f..7cda329 100644
--- a/lib/release/leave.rb
+++ b/lib/release/leave.rb
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ module Release
     def execute
       validate_current_branch_is_release
 
-      git_checkout "master"
-      
+      git_checkout 'master'
+      git_fetch_and_merge current_branch
+
       git_local_branch_trash current_branch
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/release/list.rb b/lib/release/list.rb
index 0f2740e..2b72678 100644
--- a/lib/release/list.rb
+++ b/lib/release/list.rb
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ module Release
 
     def execute
       validate_current_branch_master
-      git_pull current_branch
-      
+      git_fetch_and_merge current_branch
+
       puts
       puts show_existing_tags
       puts
diff --git a/lib/release/start.rb b/lib/release/start.rb
index 33ec926..468d3d2 100644
--- a/lib/release/start.rb
+++ b/lib/release/start.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ module Release
       validate_version_format version
 
       validate_current_branch_master
-      git_pull current_branch
+      git_fetch_and_merge current_branch
 
       validate_version_exists version
 
diff --git a/lib/release/trash.rb b/lib/release/trash.rb
index 70a9433..aca5c20 100644
--- a/lib/release/trash.rb
+++ b/lib/release/trash.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ module Release
       validate_current_branch_is_release
 
       git_checkout 'master'
+      git_fetch_and_merge current_branch
 
       git_local_branch_trash release_branch
 
diff --git a/lib/shared/runnable.rb b/lib/shared/runnable.rb
index d75f84e..c14326a 100644
--- a/lib/shared/runnable.rb
+++ b/lib/shared/runnable.rb
@@ -48,6 +48,19 @@ module Shared
       run_cmd "git checkout #{branch}"
     end
 
+    def git_fetch
+      run_cmd "git fetch origin && git fetch origin --tags"
+    end
+
+    def git_remote_merge ( branch )
+      run_cmd "git merge origin/#{branch}"
+    end
+
+    def git_fetch_and_merge (branch)
+      git_fetch
+      git_remote_merge branch
+    end
+
     def git_remote_branch_delete ( branch )
       run_cmd "git push origin :#{branch}"
     end