diff --git a/docs/build.js b/docs/build.js
index 09fd145dfd..cab592dab9 100644
--- a/docs/build.js
+++ b/docs/build.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import routes from './src/Routes';
 import Root from './src/Root';
 import fsp from 'fs-promise';
 import { copy } from '../tools/fs-utils';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec } from '../tools/exec';
 
 const repoRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../');
 const docsBuilt = path.join(repoRoot, 'docs-built');
diff --git a/tools/amd/build.js b/tools/amd/build.js
index 94919f78e6..e2e601e462 100644
--- a/tools/amd/build.js
+++ b/tools/amd/build.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import _ from 'lodash';
 import path from 'path';
 import fsp from 'fs-promise';
 import { copy } from '../fs-utils';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec } from '../exec';
 
 const repoRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../');
 const amd = path.join(repoRoot, 'amd');
diff --git a/tools/build.js b/tools/build.js
index 8a66546ddc..aa0d5c85e6 100644
--- a/tools/build.js
+++ b/tools/build.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import lib from './lib/build';
 import docs from '../docs/build';
 import dist from './dist/build';
 import { copy } from './fs-utils';
+import { setExecOptions } from './exec';
 
 import yargs from 'yargs';
 
@@ -19,8 +20,15 @@ const argv = yargs
     demand: false,
     default: false
   })
+  .option('verbose', {
+    demand: false,
+    default: false,
+    describe: 'Increased debug output'
+  })
   .argv;
 
+setExecOptions(argv);
+
 export default function Build(noExitOnFailure) {
   if (argv.docsOnly) {
     return docs();
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/constants.js b/tools/constants.js
similarity index 90%
rename from tools/release-scripts/constants.js
rename to tools/constants.js
index 24f94934ef..4a5338874e 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/constants.js
+++ b/tools/constants.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import path from 'path';
 
-const repoRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../');
+const repoRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../');
 
 const bowerRepo = 'git@github.com:react-bootstrap/react-bootstrap-bower.git';
 const docsRepo = 'git@github.com:react-bootstrap/react-bootstrap.github.io.git';
diff --git a/tools/dist/build.js b/tools/dist/build.js
index 9ad329f37f..6615f2e2dd 100644
--- a/tools/dist/build.js
+++ b/tools/dist/build.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import path from 'path';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec } from '../exec';
 
 const repoRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../');
 const dist = path.join(repoRoot, 'dist');
diff --git a/tools/exec.js b/tools/exec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d27e7d8544
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/exec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import 'colors';
+import _ from 'lodash';
+import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+
+let executionOptions = {
+  dryRun: false,
+  verbose: false
+};
+
+function logWithPrefix(prefix, message) {
+  let formattedMessage = message.trim().split('\n')
+    .reduce((acc, line) => `${acc}${ acc !== '' ? '\n' : '' }${prefix} ${line}`, '');
+
+  console.log(formattedMessage);
+}
+
+function execWrapper(command, options = {}) {
+  let proc = exec(command, options);
+  let title = options.title || command;
+  let log = message => logWithPrefix(`[${title}]`.grey, message);
+
+  if (executionOptions.verbose) {
+    let output = (data, type) => {
+      logWithPrefix(`[${title}] ${type}:`.grey, data.toString());
+    };
+    proc = proc.progress(({stdout, stderr}) => {
+      stdout.on('data', data => output(data, 'stdout'));
+      stderr.on('data', data => output(data, 'stderr'));
+    })
+    .then(result => {
+      log('Complete'.cyan);
+      return result;
+    })
+    .catch(err => {
+      log(`ERROR: ${err.toString()}`.red);
+      throw err;
+    });
+  }
+
+  return proc;
+}
+
+function safeExec(command, options = {}) {
+  let title = options.title || command;
+
+  if (executionOptions.dryRun) {
+    logWithPrefix(`[${title}]`.grey, 'DRY RUN'.magenta);
+    return Promise.resolve();
+  }
+
+  return execWrapper(command, options);
+}
+
+function setExecOptions(options) {
+  executionOptions = _.extend({}, executionOptions, options);
+}
+
+export default {
+  exec: execWrapper,
+  safeExec,
+  setExecOptions
+};
diff --git a/tools/lib/build.js b/tools/lib/build.js
index 3451f8e105..a3037a69e1 100644
--- a/tools/lib/build.js
+++ b/tools/lib/build.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import 'colors';
 import path from 'path';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec } from '../exec';
 
 const repoRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../');
 const lib = path.join(repoRoot, 'lib');
diff --git a/tools/release-docs b/tools/release-docs
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/tools/release-docs-scripts/release-docs.js b/tools/release-docs-scripts/release-docs.js
index e5fe3cc71a..c9920bd471 100644
--- a/tools/release-docs-scripts/release-docs.js
+++ b/tools/release-docs-scripts/release-docs.js
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 /* eslint no-process-exit: 0 */
 
 import 'colors';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import yargs from 'yargs';
+import { exec, safeExec, setExecOptions } from '../exec';
 
 import preConditions from '../release-scripts/pre-conditions';
 import versionBump from '../release-scripts/version-bump';
@@ -9,7 +10,24 @@ import repoRelease from '../release-scripts/repo-release';
 import tag from '../release-scripts/tag';
 import { lint } from '../release-scripts/test';
 
-import { repoRoot, docsRoot, docsRepo, tmpDocsRepo } from '../release-scripts/constants';
+import { repoRoot, docsRoot, docsRepo, tmpDocsRepo } from '../constants';
+
+const yargsConf = yargs
+  .usage('Usage: $0 [-n|--dry-run] [--verbose]')
+  .option('dry-run', {
+    alias: 'n',
+    demand: false,
+    default: false,
+    describe: 'Execute command in dry run mode. Will not commit, tag, push, or publish anything. Userful for testing.'
+  })
+  .option('verbose', {
+    demand: false,
+    default: false,
+    describe: 'Increased debug output'
+  });
+
+const argv = yargsConf.argv;
+setExecOptions(argv);
 
 let version;
 
@@ -22,7 +40,7 @@ preConditions()
   .then(versionBump(repoRoot, versionBumpOptions))
   .then(v => { version = v; })
   .then(() => {
-    return exec('npm run docs-build')
+    return exec(`npm run docs-build${ argv.verbose ? ' -- --verbose' : '' }`)
       .catch(err => {
         console.log('Docs-build failed, reverting version bump'.red);
         return exec('git reset HEAD .')
@@ -33,7 +51,7 @@ preConditions()
           });
       });
   })
-  .then(() => exec(`git commit -m "Release v${version}"`))
+  .then(() => safeExec(`git commit -m "Release v${version}"`))
   .then(() => Promise.all([
     tag(version),
     repoRelease(docsRepo, docsRoot, tmpDocsRepo, version)
@@ -41,7 +59,11 @@ preConditions()
   .then(() => console.log('Version '.cyan + `v${version}`.green + ' released!'.cyan))
   .catch(err => {
     if (!err.__handled) {
-      console.error(err.message.red);
+      if (argv.verbose) {
+        console.error(err.stack.red);
+      } else {
+        console.error(err.toString().red);
+      }
     }
 
     process.exit(1);
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/changelog.js b/tools/release-scripts/changelog.js
index d1bac60d8b..e49c4c9c3d 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/changelog.js
+++ b/tools/release-scripts/changelog.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import 'colors';
 import path from 'path';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec, safeExec } from '../exec';
 
 export default (repoRoot, version) => {
   return exec(`node_modules/.bin/changelog -t v${version}`)
-    .then(() => exec(`git add ${path.join(repoRoot, 'CHANGELOG.md')}`))
+    .then(() => safeExec(`git add ${path.join(repoRoot, 'CHANGELOG.md')}`))
     .then(() => console.log('Generated Changelog'.cyan));
 };
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/pre-conditions.js b/tools/release-scripts/pre-conditions.js
index 67a2410ac5..ef90f14054 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/pre-conditions.js
+++ b/tools/release-scripts/pre-conditions.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import 'colors';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec } from '../exec';
 
 function ensureClean() {
   return exec('git diff-index --name-only HEAD --')
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/release.js b/tools/release-scripts/release.js
index e0af96db59..2937eb7c97 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/release.js
+++ b/tools/release-scripts/release.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* eslint no-process-exit: 0 */
 import yargs from 'yargs';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec, safeExec, setExecOptions } from '../exec';
 
 import preConditions from './pre-conditions';
 import versionBump from './version-bump';
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ import tagAndPublish from './tag-and-publish';
 import test from './test';
 import build from '../build';
 
-import { repoRoot, bowerRepo, bowerRoot, tmpBowerRepo, docsRoot, docsRepo, tmpDocsRepo } from './constants';
+import { repoRoot, bowerRepo, bowerRoot, tmpBowerRepo, docsRoot, docsRepo, tmpDocsRepo } from '../constants';
 
 const yargsConf = yargs
   .usage('Usage: $0 <version> [--preid <identifier>]')
   .example('$0 minor --preid beta', 'Release with minor version bump with pre-release tag')
   .example('$0 major', 'Release with major version bump')
+  .example('$0 major --dry-run', 'Release dry run with patch version bump')
   .example('$0 --preid beta', 'Release same version with pre-release bump')
   .command('patch', 'Release patch')
   .command('minor', 'Release minor')
@@ -25,9 +26,21 @@ const yargsConf = yargs
     demand: false,
     describe: 'pre-release identifier',
     type: 'string'
+  })
+  .option('dry-run', {
+    alias: 'n',
+    demand: false,
+    default: false,
+    describe: 'Execute command in dry run mode. Will not commit, tag, push, or publish anything. Userful for testing.'
+  })
+  .option('verbose', {
+    demand: false,
+    default: false,
+    describe: 'Increased debug output'
   });
 
 const argv = yargsConf.argv;
+setExecOptions(argv);
 
 let version;
 
@@ -61,7 +74,7 @@ preConditions()
           });
       });
   })
-  .then(() => exec(`git commit -m "Release v${version}"`))
+  .then(() => safeExec(`git commit -m "Release v${version}"`))
   .then(() => Promise.all([
     tagAndPublish(version),
     repoRelease(bowerRepo, bowerRoot, tmpBowerRepo, version),
@@ -70,7 +83,11 @@ preConditions()
   .then(() => console.log('Version '.cyan + `v${version}`.green + ' released!'.cyan))
   .catch(err => {
     if (!err.__handled) {
-      console.error(err.message.red);
+      if (argv.verbose) {
+        console.error(err.stack.red);
+      } else {
+        console.error(err.toString().red);
+      }
     }
 
     process.exit(1);
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/repo-release.js b/tools/release-scripts/repo-release.js
index d8347bd6ec..a5f8142aca 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/repo-release.js
+++ b/tools/release-scripts/repo-release.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import 'colors';
 import path from 'path';
 import fsp from 'fs-promise';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec, safeExec } from '../exec';
 import { copy } from '../fs-utils';
 
 const repoRoot = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../');
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ export default (repo, srcFolder, tmpFolder, version) => {
     })
     .then(() => copy(srcFolder, tmpFolder))
     .then(() => copy(license, tmpFolder))
-    .then(() => exec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git add -A .`))
-    .then(() => exec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git commmit -m "Release v${version}"`))
-    .then(() => exec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git tag -a --message=v${version} v${version}`))
-    .then(() => exec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git push`))
-    .then(() => exec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git push --tags`))
-    .then(() => exec(`rimraf ${tmpFolder}`))
+    .then(() => safeExec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git add -A .`))
+    .then(() => safeExec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git commmit -m "Release v${version}"`))
+    .then(() => safeExec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git tag -a --message=v${version} v${version}`))
+    .then(() => safeExec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git push`))
+    .then(() => safeExec(`cd ${tmpFolder} && git push --tags`))
+    .then(() => safeExec(`rimraf ${tmpFolder}`))
     .then(() => console.log('Released: '.cyan + repo.green));
 };
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/tag-and-publish.js b/tools/release-scripts/tag-and-publish.js
index adbd5e14b3..e8eae61416 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/tag-and-publish.js
+++ b/tools/release-scripts/tag-and-publish.js
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { safeExec } from '../exec';
 import tag from './tag';
 
 export default (version) => {
   console.log('Releasing: '.cyan + 'npm module'.green);
 
-  return tag()
-    .then(() => exec('npm publish'))
+  return tag(version)
+    .then(() => safeExec('npm publish'))
     .then(() => console.log('Released: '.cyan + 'npm module'.green));
 };
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/tag.js b/tools/release-scripts/tag.js
index 40c58cfc30..d372b4fa38 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/tag.js
+++ b/tools/release-scripts/tag.js
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { safeExec } from '../exec';
 
 export default (version) => {
   console.log('Tagging: '.cyan + `v${version}`.green);
 
-  return exec(`git tag -a --message=v${version} v${version}`)
-    .then(() => exec(`git push`))
-    .then(() => exec(`git push --tags`))
+  return safeExec(`git tag -a --message=v${version} v${version}`)
+    .then(() => safeExec(`git push`))
+    .then(() => safeExec(`git push --tags`))
     .then(() => console.log('Tagged: '.cyan + `v${version}`.green));
 };
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/test.js b/tools/release-scripts/test.js
index d681b4bfa8..99b031fb97 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/test.js
+++ b/tools/release-scripts/test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import 'colors';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { exec } from '../exec';
 
 function test() {
   console.log('Running: '.cyan + 'tests'.green);
diff --git a/tools/release-scripts/version-bump.js b/tools/release-scripts/version-bump.js
index c3dffd594e..495e3131ab 100644
--- a/tools/release-scripts/version-bump.js
+++ b/tools/release-scripts/version-bump.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import 'colors';
 import path from 'path';
 import fsp from 'fs-promise';
 import semver from 'semver';
-import { exec } from 'child-process-promise';
+import { safeExec } from '../exec';
 
 export default function(repoRoot, { preid, type }) {
   const packagePath = path.join(repoRoot, 'package.json');
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export default function(repoRoot, { preid, type }) {
       json.version = version;
 
       return fsp.writeFile(packagePath, JSON.stringify(json, null, 2))
-        .then(() => exec(`git add ${packagePath}`))
+        .then(() => safeExec(`git add ${packagePath}`))
         .then(() => json.version);
     });
 }