diff --git a/.npmignore b/.npmignore
index c6429e75c..1d3e4b403 100644
--- a/.npmignore
+++ b/.npmignore
@@ -9,10 +9,12 @@ CONTRIBUTING.md
 appveyor.yml
 babel.config.js
 dist/test
+dist/typings
 header.png
 npm-debug.log*
 npm-shrinkwrap.json
 package-lock.json
+scripts
 src
 test_apps
 tsconfig.json
diff --git a/.npmrc b/.npmrc
index ad50df662..e031d3432 100644
--- a/.npmrc
+++ b/.npmrc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 engine-strict = true
 package-lock = false
 save-exact = true
+scripts-prepend-node-path = true
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 63f1fc3ad..bd496c30a 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ os:
   - linux
   - osx
 node_js:
-  - "8.11.3"
   - "8"
   - "10"
 before_install:
@@ -11,10 +10,13 @@ before_install:
   - export PATH="$HOME/.yarn/bin:$HOME/.config/yarn/global/node_modules/.bin:$PATH"
 cache:
   yarn: true
+env:
+  - EMBARK_NO_PREPARE=true
 install:
   - yarn install
   - cd embark-ui && yarn install && cd ..
-  - git status && test -z "$(git status --porcelain)"
+  - npm run check-working-tree
 script:
   - npm run build:node
   - npm test
+  - npm run check-working-tree
diff --git a/.yarnrc b/.yarnrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..277017f65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.yarnrc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+--install.check-files true
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index d6ed05391..9157e49a3 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 environment:
   matrix:
-    - nodejs_version: "8.11.3"
     - nodejs_version: "8"
     - nodejs_version: "10"
+  EMBARK_NO_PREPARE: true
 cache:
  - "%LOCALAPPDATA%\\Yarn"
 install:
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@ install:
   - cmd /c start /wait msiexec.exe /i yarn-1.12.3.msi /quiet /qn /norestart
   - rm yarn-1.12.3.msi
   - node --version
+  - npm --version
   - yarn --version
   - yarn install
   - cd embark-ui && yarn install && cd ..
-  - git status && node -e "process.exit(require('child_process').execSync('git status --porcelain').toString().trim()===''?0:1)"
+  - npm run check-working-tree
 test_script:
   - npm run build:node
   - npm test
+  - npm run check-working-tree
 build: off
diff --git a/embark-ui/.npmrc b/embark-ui/.npmrc
index ad50df662..e031d3432 100644
--- a/embark-ui/.npmrc
+++ b/embark-ui/.npmrc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 engine-strict = true
 package-lock = false
 save-exact = true
+scripts-prepend-node-path = true
diff --git a/embark-ui/.yarnrc b/embark-ui/.yarnrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..277017f65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/embark-ui/.yarnrc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+--install.check-files true
diff --git a/embark-ui/package.json b/embark-ui/package.json
index 78bd054ae..03b174331 100644
--- a/embark-ui/package.json
+++ b/embark-ui/package.json
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@
     "redux": "4.0.1",
     "redux-saga": "0.16.2",
     "resolve": "1.8.1",
+    "rimraf": "2.6.2",
     "sass-loader": "7.1.0",
     "simple-line-icons": "2.4.1",
     "style-loader": "0.23.0",
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "build": "node scripts/build.js",
+    "clean": "rimraf build",
     "lint": "eslint src/",
     "start": "node scripts/start.js",
     "test": "node scripts/test.js"
diff --git a/embark-ui/yarn.lock b/embark-ui/yarn.lock
index e2c981032..1c779f019 100644
--- a/embark-ui/yarn.lock
+++ b/embark-ui/yarn.lock
@@ -9364,7 +9364,7 @@ rgba-regex@^1.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/rgba-regex/-/rgba-regex-1.0.0.tgz#43374e2e2ca0968b0ef1523460b7d730ff22eeb3"
   integrity sha1-QzdOLiyglosO8VI0YLfXMP8i7rM=
 
-rimraf@2, rimraf@^2.2.8, rimraf@^2.5.4, rimraf@^2.6.1, rimraf@^2.6.2, rimraf@~2.6.2:
+rimraf@2, rimraf@2.6.2, rimraf@^2.2.8, rimraf@^2.5.4, rimraf@^2.6.1, rimraf@^2.6.2, rimraf@~2.6.2:
   version "2.6.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/rimraf/-/rimraf-2.6.2.tgz#2ed8150d24a16ea8651e6d6ef0f47c4158ce7a36"
   integrity sha512-lreewLK/BlghmxtfH36YYVg1i8IAce4TI7oao75I1g245+6BctqTVQiBP3YUJ9C6DQOXJmkYR9X9fCLtCOJc5w==
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e398e7464..96bf8f4be 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -32,28 +32,33 @@
     "build": "npm-run-all build:*",
     "build:node": "npm run babel:node",
     "build:ui": "cd embark-ui && npm run build",
-    "clean": "rimraf dist embark-*.tgz package embark-ui/build",
+    "check-no-prepare": "node scripts/check-no-prepare.js",
+    "check-working-tree": "node scripts/check-working-tree.js",
+    "clean": "npm-run-all clean:*",
+    "clean:core": "rimraf dist embark-*.tgz package",
+    "clean:ui": "cd embark-ui && npm run clean",
     "eslint": "eslint",
-    "install:core": "yarn install",
+    "install:core": "cross-env EMBARK_NO_PREPARE=t yarn install",
     "install:ui": "cd embark-ui && yarn install",
     "install_all": "npm-run-all install:*",
     "lint": "npm-run-all lint:*",
     "lint:js": "npm-run-all lint:js:*",
-    "lint:js:core": "eslint babel.config.js bin/embark src/bin/ src/lib/",
+    "lint:js:core": "eslint babel.config.js bin/embark scripts/ src/bin/ src/lib/",
     "lint:js:ui": "cd embark-ui && npm run lint",
     "lint:ts": "tslint -c tslint.json 'src/**/*.ts'",
-    "prepublishOnly": "npm-run-all clean build test",
-    "test": "npm-run-all lint test:*",
-    "test:core": "mocha dist/test/ --exit --no-timeouts --require source-map-support/register",
-    "test:test_app": "cross-env DAPP=\"test_app\" npm run test_dapp",
-    "test:contracts_app": "cross-env DAPP=\"contracts_app\" npm run test_dapp",
-    "test_dapp": "cross-env-shell \"cd test_apps/$DAPP && npm install && npm test\"",
-    "release": "./scripts/release",
+    "prepare": "npm run --silent check-no-prepare && npm-run-all install_all clean build || exit 0",
+    "prepublishOnly": "npm-run-all test check-working-tree",
+    "release": "node scripts/release.js",
     "start": "run-p start:*",
     "start:embark": "run-p start:embark:*",
     "start:embark:babel": "npm run babel:watch",
     "start:embark:type-check": "npm run type-check:watch",
     "start:ui": "cd embark-ui && npm run start",
+    "test": "npm-run-all lint test:*",
+    "test:core": "mocha dist/test/ --exit --no-timeouts --require source-map-support/register",
+    "test:test_app": "cross-env DAPP=test_app npm run test_dapp",
+    "test:contracts_app": "cross-env DAPP=contracts_app npm run test_dapp",
+    "test_dapp": "cross-env-shell \"cd test_apps/$DAPP && npm install && npm test\"",
     "tsc": "tsc",
     "tslint": "tslint",
     "type-check": "tsc",
diff --git a/scripts/check-no-prepare.js b/scripts/check-no-prepare.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3774f9f7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-no-prepare.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+/* global process */
+
+process.exit(process.env.EMBARK_NO_PREPARE ? 1 : 0);
diff --git a/scripts/check-working-tree.js b/scripts/check-working-tree.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a23fe4453
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-working-tree.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/* global process require */
+
+const {execSync} = require('child_process');
+
+try {
+  execSync('git status', {stdio: 'inherit'});
+  process.exit(
+    execSync('git status --porcelain').toString().trim() === '' ? 0 : 1
+  );
+} catch (e) {
+  process.exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/scripts/release b/scripts/release
deleted file mode 100755
index b46109c4d..000000000
--- a/scripts/release
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,90 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env node
-
-const execSync = require('child_process').execSync;
-const minimist = require('minimist');
-const standardVersion = require('standard-version');
-const chalk = require('chalk');
-const args = minimist(process.argv.slice(2));
-
-const DEFAULT_UPSTREAM_REPO_ORIGIN = 'origin';
-const DEFAULT_UPSTREAM_REPO_BRANCH = 'master';
-const origin = args['repo-origin'] || DEFAULT_UPSTREAM_REPO_ORIGIN;
-const branch = args['repo-branch'] || DEFAULT_UPSTREAM_REPO_BRANCH;
-const distTag = args['npm-dist-tag'];
-
-console.log(chalk.blue('ℹ'), `Fetching from origin '${origin}' to read upstream version...`);
-try {
-  console.log(execSync(`git fetch ${origin}`).toString());
-} catch (e) {
-  console.log(chalk.red('✘'), 'Couldn\'t fetch latest commits. Please check the error above.');
-  return;
-}
-
-const localRef = execSync(`git rev-parse ${branch}`).toString();
-const originRef = execSync(`git rev-parse ${origin}/${branch}`).toString();
-
-if (localRef !== originRef) {
-  console.log(chalk.red('✘'), `Local branch '${branch}' is not up to date with '${origin}/${branch}'. Please update your local branch first.`);
-  return;
-}
-
-console.log(chalk.green('✔'), 'Release branch is up to date with remote branch.');
-
-console.log(chalk.blue('ℹ'), 'Reinstalling node_modules just to make sure that everything is up to date...');
-
-try {
-  console.log(execSync('npm run install_all').toString());
-  console.log(chalk.green('✔'), 'Depencencies installed.');
-} catch (e) {
-  console.log(chalk.red('✘'), 'A problem occured. Please check the error above');
-  return;
-}
-
-standardVersion({
-  dryRun: args['dry-run'],
-  prerelease: args.prerelease,
-  sign: args.sign,
-  releaseAs: args['release-as']
-}).then(() => {
-  if (!args['dry-run']) {
-    console.log(chalk.blue('ℹ'), `Pushing release commit to origin '${origin}' on branch '${branch}'...`);
-    try {
-      const output = execSync(`git push ${origin} ${branch} --follow-tags`).toString();
-      console.log(chalk.green(output));
-      console.log(chalk.green('✔'), 'Successfully pushed release commit');
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.log(chalk.red('✘'), 'Couldn\'t push release commit. Please check the error above.');
-      return { error: true };
-    }
-  } else {
-    console.log(chalk.blue('ℹ'), 'This is a dry run. Nothing\'s being pushed.');
-  }
-}).then(error => {
-  if (error) {
-    return error;
-  }
-  console.log(chalk.blue('ℹ'), 'Publishing new Embark version on npm...');
-
-  let npmPublishCommand = distTag ? `npm publish --tag ${distTag}` : 'npm publish';
-
-  npmPublishCommand += args['dry-run'] ? ' --dry-run' : '';
-
-  try {
-    const output = execSync(npmPublishCommand).toString();
-    console.log(chalk.green(output));
-    if (args['dry-run']) {
-      console.log(chalk.blue('ℹ'), 'This was a dry run: Successfuly published latest version.');
-    } else {
-      console.log(chalk.green('✔'), 'Successfully published latest version.');
-    }
-  } catch (e) {
-    console.log(chalk.red('✘'), 'Couldn\'t publish version on npm. Please check the error above.');
-    return { error: true };
-  }
-}).then(error => {
-  if (error) {
-    console.log(chalk.red('✘'), 'Stopping right here. Make sure to clean up commits and tags if needed.');
-  } else {
-    console.log(chalk.green('✔'), 'Woohoo! Done.');
-  }
-});
diff --git a/scripts/release.js b/scripts/release.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b6d32cd63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/release.js
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+/* global process require */
+
+const chalk = require('chalk');
+const {execSync} = require('child_process');
+const minimist = require('minimist');
+const {prompt} = require('promptly');
+const standardVersion = require('standard-version');
+
+const args = minimist(process.argv.slice(2));
+
+const DEFAULT_UPSTREAM_REPO_BRANCH = 'master';
+const DEFAULT_UPSTREAM_REPO_ORIGIN = 'origin';
+const branch = args['repo-branch'] || DEFAULT_UPSTREAM_REPO_BRANCH;
+const origin = args['repo-origin'] || DEFAULT_UPSTREAM_REPO_ORIGIN;
+
+const distTag = args['npm-dist-tag'];
+const dryRun = args['dry-run'];
+const prerelease = args.prerelease;
+const releaseAs = args['release-as'];
+const sign = args.sign;
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-confusing-arrow
+const dryRunMaybe = () => dryRun ? leftPad1(chalk.yellow('(DRY RUN)')) : '';
+const execSyncInherit = (cmd) => execSync(cmd, {stdio: 'inherit'});
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-confusing-arrow
+const leftPad1 = (str) => ' ' + str;
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-confusing-arrow
+const leftPad1Maybe = (str) => str ? leftPad1(str) : str;
+const log = (mark, str) => console.log(mark, str.filter(s => !!s).join(' '));
+const logError = (...str) => log(chalk.red('✘'), str);
+const logInfo = (...str) => log(chalk.blue('ℹ'), str);
+const logSuccess = (...str) => log(chalk.green('✔'), str);
+const logWarning = (...str) => log(chalk.yellow('‼︎'), str);
+
+const yesNoValidator = (input) => {
+  const _input = input && input[0].toLowerCase();
+  if (!['y', 'n'].includes(_input)) {
+    throw new Error(chalk.red('✘') + leftPad1(`Please answer [y]es or [n]o.`));
+  }
+  return _input;
+};
+
+const promptOpts = {default: 'blank', validator: yesNoValidator};
+
+const proceedAnywayPrompt = async () => {
+  let answer = await prompt(
+    `${chalk.yellow('⁉︎')} Proceed anyway? [y/n]`,
+    promptOpts
+  );
+  if (answer === 'n') {
+    logWarning(`Stopping right here.`);
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+};
+
+const dryRunPrompt = async () => {
+  let answer = await prompt(
+    `${chalk.blue('⁇')} This is ${chalk.yellow('NOT')} a --dry-run.` +
+      leftPad1(`Did you complete a successful --dry-run first? [y/n]`),
+    promptOpts
+  );
+  if (answer === 'n') await proceedAnywayPrompt();
+};
+
+(async () => {
+  try {
+    if (!dryRun) await dryRunPrompt();
+
+    logInfo(`Determining the current branch...`);
+
+    let currentBranch;
+    try {
+      currentBranch = execSync(`git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD`)
+        .toString()
+        .trim();
+    } catch (e) {
+      logError(`Couldn't determine the branch. Please check the error above.`);
+      throw new Error();
+    }
+
+    if (currentBranch !== branch) {
+      logError(
+        `Current branch '${currentBranch}' is not the same as release branch`,
+        `'${branch}'. Please checkout the release branch before rerunning this`,
+        `script or rerun with '--repo-branch ${currentBranch}'.`
+      );
+      throw new Error();
+    }
+
+    logSuccess(`Current branch and release branch are the same.`);
+    logInfo(`Checking the working tree...`);
+
+    try {
+      execSyncInherit(`npm run --silent check-working-tree`);
+      logSuccess(`Working tree is clean.`);
+    } catch (e) {
+      logError(
+        `Working tree is dirty or has untracked files. Please make necessary`,
+        `changes or commits before rerunning this script.`
+      );
+      throw new Error();
+    }
+
+    logInfo(
+      `Fetching from origin '${origin}' to compare local and remote branches...`
+    );
+
+    try {
+      execSyncInherit(`git fetch ${origin}`);
+    } catch (e) {
+      logError(`Couldn't fetch latest commits. Please check the error above.`);
+      throw new Error();
+    }
+
+    let localRef, originRef;
+    try {
+      localRef = execSync(`git rev-parse ${branch}`).toString();
+      originRef = execSync(`git rev-parse ${origin}/${branch}`).toString();
+    } catch (e) {
+      logError(`A problem occured. Please check the error above.`);
+      throw new Error();
+    }
+
+    if (localRef !== originRef) {
+      logError(
+        `Local branch '${branch}' is not in sync with '${origin}/${branch}'.`,
+        `Please sync branches before rerunning this script.`
+      );
+      throw new Error();
+    }
+
+    logSuccess(`Local branch is in sync with remote branch.`);
+    logInfo(`Running Standard Version${dryRunMaybe()}...`);
+
+    await standardVersion({
+      dryRun,
+      prerelease,
+      releaseAs,
+      sign
+    });
+
+    logInfo(`Publishing new Embark version on npm${dryRunMaybe()}...`);
+
+    const npmPublishCommand = [
+      `npm publish`,
+      leftPad1Maybe(`${distTag ? `--tag ${distTag}` : ''}`),
+      leftPad1Maybe(`${dryRun ? '--dry-run' : ''}`)
+    ].join('');
+
+    try {
+      execSyncInherit(npmPublishCommand);
+      logSuccess(`Successfully published latest version${dryRunMaybe()}.`);
+    } catch (e) {
+      logError(
+        `Couldn't publish version on npm${dryRunMaybe()}.`,
+        `Please check the error above.`
+      );
+      throw new Error();
+    }
+
+    logInfo(
+      `Pushing release commit and tag to origin '${origin}' on branch`,
+      `'${branch}'${dryRunMaybe()}...`
+    );
+
+    const gitPushCommand = [
+      `git push --follow-tags ${origin} ${branch}`,
+      leftPad1Maybe(`${dryRun ? '--dry-run' : ''}`)
+    ].join('');
+
+    try {
+      execSyncInherit(gitPushCommand);
+      logSuccess(`Successfully pushed${dryRunMaybe()}.`);
+    } catch (e) {
+      logError(
+        `Couldn't push${dryRunMaybe()}. Please check the error above.`
+      );
+      throw new Error();
+    }
+
+    logSuccess(`Woohoo! Done${dryRunMaybe()}.`);
+  } catch (e) {
+    logError(
+      `Stopping right here${dryRunMaybe()}.`,
+      dryRun ? '' : `Make sure to clean up commits and tags as necessary.`
+    );
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+})();