diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index f19565cdcb2..9a5a6c5b096 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ For all the commands going forward:
    ```
 7. Create ZIP, DEB, RPM packages, .NET and C++ client, sign them and create checksums:
    ```
-   ./gradlew prepareRelease
+   ./gradlew -PprepareRelease prepareRelease
    ```
 8. Copy all packages along with checksums and signatures to the development distribution directory:
    ```
diff --git a/modules/platforms/build.gradle b/modules/platforms/build.gradle
index 0b770fe1366..6149bc805f5 100644
--- a/modules/platforms/build.gradle
+++ b/modules/platforms/build.gradle
@@ -73,11 +73,11 @@ task createChecksums(type: Checksum) {
     dependsOn zipCppClient, zipNuGet
 
     inputFiles.from zipCppClient.outputs.files, zipNuGet.outputs.files
-    outputDirectory = file("$buildDir/distributions")
     checksumAlgorithm = Checksum.Algorithm.SHA512
 }
 
-signing {
+// Explicitly create task so that the resulting artifact is not added to the configuration
+tasks.register('signArtifacts', Sign) {
     sign zipNuGet
     sign zipCppClient
 }
@@ -89,8 +89,13 @@ configurations {
     }
 }
 
-artifacts {
-    platformsRelease(file("$buildDir/distributions")) {
-        builtBy createChecksums, signZipNuGet, signZipCppClient
+if (project.hasProperty('prepareRelease')) {
+    artifacts {
+        platformsRelease(file("$buildDir/distributions")) {
+            builtBy signArtifacts
+        }
+        platformsRelease(file("$buildDir/checksums")) {
+            builtBy createChecksums
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/packaging/build.gradle b/packaging/build.gradle
index b04c64e1754..b56678963d6 100644
--- a/packaging/build.gradle
+++ b/packaging/build.gradle
@@ -31,19 +31,17 @@ configurations {
     cliArtifacts
     cliZip
     dbZip
-    cliRelease
-    dbRelease
-    platformsRelease
+    release
 }
 
 dependencies {
-    dbArtifacts(project(':ignite-runner'))
-    cliArtifacts(project(':ignite-cli'))
-    cliZip(project(path: ':packaging-cli', configuration: 'cliZip'))
-    dbZip(project(path: ':packaging-db', configuration: 'dbZip'))
-    cliRelease(project(path: ':packaging-cli', configuration: 'cliRelease'))
-    dbRelease(project(path: ':packaging-db', configuration: 'dbRelease'))
-    platformsRelease(project(path: ':platforms', configuration: 'platformsRelease'))
+    dbArtifacts project(':ignite-runner')
+    cliArtifacts project(':ignite-cli')
+    cliZip project(path: ':packaging-cli', configuration: 'cliZip')
+    dbZip project(path: ':packaging-db', configuration: 'dbZip')
+    release project(path: ':packaging-cli', configuration: 'cliRelease')
+    release project(path: ':packaging-db', configuration: 'dbRelease')
+    release project(path: ':platforms', configuration: 'platformsRelease')
 }
 
 // Task that generates start script for cli
@@ -68,10 +66,10 @@ def tokens = [
 ]
 
 task replaceVars(type: Copy) {
-    from("$rootDir/packaging/common")
-    from("$rootDir/packaging/docker/docker-entrypoint.sh")
+    from "$rootDir/packaging/common"
+    from "$rootDir/packaging/docker/docker-entrypoint.sh"
     filter(ReplaceTokens, tokens: tokens)
-    into("$buildDir/docker")
+    into "$buildDir/docker"
 }
 
 docker {
@@ -81,7 +79,7 @@ docker {
     copySpec.into 'dist', {
         into('') {
             fileMode 0755
-            from("$buildDir/docker/docker-entrypoint.sh")
+            from "$buildDir/docker/docker-entrypoint.sh"
         }
         into('db') {
             into('') {
@@ -91,32 +89,32 @@ docker {
                         includeEmptyDirs = true
                     }
                 }
-                from("$rootDir/LICENSE")
-                from("$rootDir/NOTICE")
-                from("$rootDir/assembly/README.md")
+                from "$rootDir/LICENSE"
+                from "$rootDir/NOTICE"
+                from "$rootDir/assembly/README.md"
             }
             into('etc') {
-                from('config/ignite-config.conf')
-                from('docker/ignite.java.util.logging.properties')
+                from 'config/ignite-config.conf'
+                from 'docker/ignite.java.util.logging.properties'
             }
             into('lib') {
-                from(configurations.dbArtifacts)
-                from("$buildDir/docker/$tokens.BOOTSTRAP_FILE_NAME")
-                from("$buildDir/docker/$tokens.SETUP_JAVA_FILE_NAME")
+                from configurations.dbArtifacts
+                from "$buildDir/docker/$tokens.BOOTSTRAP_FILE_NAME"
+                from "$buildDir/docker/$tokens.SETUP_JAVA_FILE_NAME"
             }
         }
         into('cli') {
             into('') {
-                from("$rootDir/LICENSE")
-                from("$rootDir/NOTICE")
-                from("$rootDir/assembly/README.md")
+                from "$rootDir/LICENSE"
+                from "$rootDir/NOTICE"
+                from "$rootDir/assembly/README.md"
             }
             into('bin') {
                 fileMode 0755
-                from(cliStartScript)
+                from cliStartScript
             }
             into('lib') {
-                from(configurations.cliArtifacts)
+                from configurations.cliArtifacts
             }
         }
     }
@@ -150,7 +148,6 @@ task createChecksums(type: Checksum) {
     dependsOn allDistZip, allSrcZip
 
     inputFiles.from allDistZip.outputs.files, allSrcZip.outputs.files
-    outputDirectory = file("$buildDir/distributions")
     checksumAlgorithm = Checksum.Algorithm.SHA512
 }
 
@@ -161,16 +158,16 @@ task signAllSrcZip(type: Sign) {
     sign allSrcZip.outputs.files.singleFile
 }
 
-signing {
+// Explicitly create task so that the resulting artifact is not added to the configuration
+tasks.register('signAllDistZip', Sign) {
     sign allDistZip
 }
 
-task prepareRelease(type: Copy) {
-    from configurations.cliRelease
-    from configurations.dbRelease
-    from configurations.platformsRelease
+tasks.register('prepareRelease', Copy) {
+    from configurations.release
     dependsOn createChecksums, signAllSrcZip, signAllDistZip
     from file("$buildDir/distributions")
+    from file("$buildDir/checksums")
     include '*.zip', '*.asc', '*.sha512'
     include '*.rpm', '*.deb', '*.changes'
     into file("$buildDir/release")
diff --git a/packaging/cli/build.gradle b/packaging/cli/build.gradle
index ed9fd8061c3..e3d4c4c7bdd 100644
--- a/packaging/cli/build.gradle
+++ b/packaging/cli/build.gradle
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ task createChecksums(type: Checksum) {
     dependsOn distZip
 
     inputFiles.from distZip.outputs.files
-    outputDirectory = file("$buildDir/distributions")
     checksumAlgorithm = Checksum.Algorithm.SHA512
 }
 
@@ -64,12 +63,11 @@ def zipTokens = tokens + [
 ]
 
 task replaceScriptVarsZip(type: Copy) {
-    from("start.sh")
+    from 'start.sh'
     filter(ReplaceTokens, tokens: zipTokens)
-    fileMode 0755
-    into("$buildDir/zip")
+    into "$buildDir/zip"
     rename {
-        "ignite3"
+        'ignite3'
     }
 }
 
@@ -90,9 +88,6 @@ task windowsCliStartScript(type: Copy) {
     into "$buildDir/windows"
 }
 
-distTar.dependsOn replaceScriptVarsZip, windowsCliStartScript
-distZip.dependsOn replaceScriptVarsZip, windowsCliStartScript
-
 distributions {
     main {
         distributionBaseName = 'ignite3-cli'
@@ -105,9 +100,9 @@ distributions {
             into('bin') {
                 duplicatesStrategy= DuplicatesStrategy.EXCLUDE
                 from configurations.cliScripts
-                from "$buildDir/zip/ignite3"
-                from "$buildDir/windows"
-                fileMode = 0755
+                from replaceScriptVarsZip
+                from windowsCliStartScript
+                fileMode 0755
             }
             into('lib') {
                 from configurations.cliArtifacts
@@ -129,7 +124,8 @@ artifacts {
     cliZip(distZip)
 }
 
-signing {
+// Explicitly create task so that the resulting artifact is not added to the configuration
+tasks.register('signCliZip', Sign) {
     sign configurations.cliZip
 }
 
@@ -141,26 +137,14 @@ def linuxTokens = tokens + [
 ]
 
 task replaceScriptVarsLinux(type: Copy) {
-    from("start.sh")
+    from 'start.sh'
+    from 'postInstall.sh'
     filter(ReplaceTokens, tokens: linuxTokens)
-    fileMode 0755
-    into("$buildDir/linux")
-    rename {
-        "ignite3"
-    }
+    into "$buildDir/linux"
 }
 
-task replacePostInstallScriptVars(type: Copy) {
-    from("postInstall.sh")
-    filter(ReplaceTokens, tokens: linuxTokens)
-    into("${buildDir}")
-}
-
-buildRpm.dependsOn replaceScriptVarsLinux, replacePostInstallScriptVars
-buildDeb.dependsOn replaceScriptVarsLinux, replacePostInstallScriptVars
-
-
 buildDeb {
+    dependsOn replaceScriptVarsLinux
     signingKeyId = project.findProperty("signing.keyId")
     signingKeyPassphrase = project.findProperty("signing.password")
     signingKeyRingFile = project.hasProperty("signing.secretKeyRingFile") ? file(project.property("signing.secretKeyRingFile")) : null
@@ -172,6 +156,8 @@ buildDeb {
 }
 
 buildRpm {
+    dependsOn replaceScriptVarsLinux
+
     into("/etc/bash_completion.d/") {
         from configurations.cliScripts
         fileMode 0755
@@ -188,8 +174,11 @@ ospackage {
     user 'root'
 
     into(linuxTokens.INSTALL_DIR) {
-        from("$buildDir/linux/ignite3")
-        fileMode = 0755
+        from "$buildDir/linux/ignite3"
+        fileMode 0755
+        rename {
+            'ignite3'
+        }
     }
 
     into(linuxTokens.LIB_DIR) {
@@ -197,7 +186,7 @@ ospackage {
         from "$rootDir/packaging/common/setup-java.sh"
     }
 
-    postInstall file("${buildDir}/postInstall.sh")
+    postInstall file("$buildDir/linux/postInstall.sh")
 }
 
 configurations {
@@ -207,8 +196,13 @@ configurations {
     }
 }
 
-artifacts {
-    cliRelease(file("$buildDir/distributions")) {
-        builtBy createChecksums, signCliZip, buildDeb, buildRpm
+if (project.hasProperty('prepareRelease')) {
+    artifacts {
+        cliRelease(file("$buildDir/distributions")) {
+            builtBy signCliZip, buildDeb, buildRpm
+        }
+        cliRelease(file("$buildDir/checksums")) {
+            builtBy createChecksums
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/packaging/db/build.gradle b/packaging/db/build.gradle
index e342c9dd111..1b118354b28 100644
--- a/packaging/db/build.gradle
+++ b/packaging/db/build.gradle
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ def zipStartScriptTokens = tokens + [
 ]
 
 task replaceZipScriptVars(type: Copy) {
-    from("$rootDir/packaging/common")
-    from("$rootDir/packaging/zip")
-    from("$rootDir/packaging/db/ignite.java.util.logging.properties")
+    from "$rootDir/packaging/common"
+    from "$rootDir/packaging/zip"
+    from "$rootDir/packaging/db/ignite.java.util.logging.properties"
 
     filter(ReplaceTokens, tokens: zipStartScriptTokens)
 
-    into("$buildDir/zip/")
+    into "$buildDir/zip/"
 }
 
 distributions {
@@ -79,35 +79,35 @@ distributions {
                 }
             }
             into('') {
-                from("$rootDir/LICENSE")
-                from("$rootDir/NOTICE")
-                from("$rootDir/assembly/README.md")
+                from "$rootDir/LICENSE"
+                from "$rootDir/NOTICE"
+                from "$rootDir/assembly/README.md"
             }
             into('etc') {
-                from("$buildDir/zip/${zipStartScriptTokens.VARS_FILE_NAME}")
-                from("$rootDir/packaging/config/ignite-config.conf")
-                from("$buildDir/zip/ignite.java.util.logging.properties")
+                from "$buildDir/zip/${zipStartScriptTokens.VARS_FILE_NAME}"
+                from "$rootDir/packaging/config/ignite-config.conf"
+                from "$buildDir/zip/ignite.java.util.logging.properties"
             }
             into('bin') {
                 fileMode 0755
-                from("$buildDir/zip/ignite3db")
+                from "$buildDir/zip/ignite3db"
             }
             into('lib') {
                 from configurations.dbArtifacts
-                from("$buildDir/zip/${zipStartScriptTokens.BOOTSTRAP_FILE_NAME}")
-                from("$buildDir/zip/${zipStartScriptTokens.SETUP_JAVA_FILE_NAME}")
+                from "$buildDir/zip/${zipStartScriptTokens.BOOTSTRAP_FILE_NAME}"
+                from "$buildDir/zip/${zipStartScriptTokens.SETUP_JAVA_FILE_NAME}"
             }
         }
     }
 }
 
 distZip.dependsOn replaceZipScriptVars
+distTar.dependsOn replaceZipScriptVars
 
 task createChecksums(type: Checksum) {
     dependsOn distZip
 
     inputFiles.from distZip.outputs.files
-    outputDirectory = file("$buildDir/distributions")
     checksumAlgorithm = Checksum.Algorithm.SHA512
 }
 
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ artifacts {
     dbZip(distZip)
 }
 
-signing {
+// Explicitly create task so that the resulting artifact is not added to the configuration
+tasks.register('signDbZip', Sign) {
     sign configurations.dbZip
 }
 
@@ -144,23 +145,23 @@ def packageTokens = tokens + [
 
 
 task replacePackageScriptVars(type: Copy) {
-    from("${rootDir}/packaging/linux")
-    from("${rootDir}/packaging/db/ignite.java.util.logging.properties")
-    from("$rootDir/packaging/common")
+    from "$rootDir/packaging/linux"
+    from "$rootDir/packaging/db/ignite.java.util.logging.properties"
+    from "$rootDir/packaging/common"
     filter(ReplaceTokens, tokens: packageTokens)
-    into("${buildDir}/linux")
+    into "$buildDir/linux"
 }
 
 buildRpm {
     dependsOn replacePackageScriptVars
     configurationFile = "/etc/ignite3/vars.env"
 
-    installUtils file("${buildDir}/linux/service/vars.env")
-    installUtils file("${buildDir}/linux/common.sh")
-    preInstall file("${buildDir}/linux/preInstall.sh")
-    postInstall file("${buildDir}/linux/postInstall.sh")
-    preUninstall file("${buildDir}/linux/rpm/preUninstall.sh")
-    postUninstall file("${buildDir}/linux/rpm/postUninstall.sh")
+    installUtils file("$buildDir/linux/service/vars.env")
+    installUtils file("$buildDir/linux/common.sh")
+    preInstall file("$buildDir/linux/preInstall.sh")
+    postInstall file("$buildDir/linux/postInstall.sh")
+    preUninstall file("$buildDir/linux/rpm/preUninstall.sh")
+    postUninstall file("$buildDir/linux/rpm/postUninstall.sh")
 }
 
 buildDeb {
@@ -170,12 +171,12 @@ buildDeb {
     dependsOn replacePackageScriptVars
     configurationFile = "/etc/ignite3/vars.env"
 
-    installUtils file("${buildDir}/linux/service/vars.env")
-    installUtils file("${buildDir}/linux/common.sh")
-    preInstall file("${buildDir}/linux/preInstall.sh")
-    postInstall file("${buildDir}/linux/postInstall.sh")
-    preUninstall file("${buildDir}/linux/deb/preUninstall.sh")
-    postUninstall file("${buildDir}/linux/deb/postUninstall.sh")
+    installUtils file("$buildDir/linux/service/vars.env")
+    installUtils file("$buildDir/linux/common.sh")
+    preInstall file("$buildDir/linux/preInstall.sh")
+    postInstall file("$buildDir/linux/postInstall.sh")
+    preUninstall file("$buildDir/linux/deb/preUninstall.sh")
+    postUninstall file("$buildDir/linux/deb/postUninstall.sh")
 }
 
 ospackage {
@@ -188,28 +189,28 @@ ospackage {
     os LINUX
 
     into(packageTokens.INSTALL_DIR) {
-        into("") {
-            from "${buildDir}/linux/service/ignite3db.service"
-            from "${buildDir}/linux/service/ignite3db.conf"
-            from("${buildDir}/linux/start.sh") {
+        into('') {
+            from "$buildDir/linux/service/ignite3db.service"
+            from "$buildDir/linux/service/ignite3db.conf"
+            from("$buildDir/linux/start.sh") {
                 fileMode 0755
             }
         }
 
-        into("lib") {
+        into('lib') {
             from configurations.dbArtifacts
-            from("$buildDir/linux/${zipStartScriptTokens.BOOTSTRAP_FILE_NAME}")
-            from("$buildDir/linux/${zipStartScriptTokens.SETUP_JAVA_FILE_NAME}")
+            from "$buildDir/linux/${zipStartScriptTokens.BOOTSTRAP_FILE_NAME}"
+            from "$buildDir/linux/${zipStartScriptTokens.SETUP_JAVA_FILE_NAME}"
         }
 
-        into("etc") {
+        into('etc') {
             fileType CONFIG
-            from "${buildDir}/linux/service/vars.env"
-            from "${buildDir}/linux/ignite.java.util.logging.properties"
-            from "${rootDir}/packaging/config/ignite-config.conf"
+            from "$buildDir/linux/service/vars.env"
+            from "$buildDir/linux/ignite.java.util.logging.properties"
+            from "$rootDir/packaging/config/ignite-config.conf"
         }
 
-        into("etc") {
+        into('etc') {
             from sourceSets.main.resources
         }
     }
@@ -224,8 +225,13 @@ configurations {
     }
 }
 
-artifacts {
-    dbRelease(file("$buildDir/distributions")) {
-        builtBy createChecksums, signDbZip, buildDeb, buildRpm
+if (project.hasProperty('prepareRelease')) {
+    artifacts {
+        dbRelease(file("$buildDir/distributions")) {
+            builtBy signDbZip, buildDeb, buildRpm
+        }
+        dbRelease(file("$buildDir/checksums")) {
+            builtBy createChecksums
+        }
     }
 }