diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 18c4df75b..eb7a6ac65 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -130,24 +130,27 @@ IF (OSG_MAINTAINER)
         SET(RELEASE_NAME OpenSceneGraph-${OPENSCENEGRAPH_VERSION}-rc${OPENSCENEGRAPH_RELEASE_CANDIDATE})
     ENDIF()
 
+    SET(RELEASE_MESSAGE "Release ${RELEASE_NAME}")
+    SET(BRANCH_MESSAGE "Branch ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH}")
+
 
     ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(tag-test
-        COMMAND echo ${GITCOMMAND} tag -a ${RELEASE_NAME} -m \\\"Release ${RELEASE_NAME}\\\"
+        COMMAND echo ${GITCOMMAND} tag -a ${RELEASE_NAME} -m ${RELEASE_MESSAGE}
         COMMAND echo ${GITCOMMAND} push origin ${RELEASE_NAME}
     )
 
     ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(tag-run
-        COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} tag -a ${RELEASE_NAME} -m \\\"Release ${RELEASE_NAME}\\\"
+        COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} tag -a ${RELEASE_NAME} -m ${RELEASE_MESSAGE}
         COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} push origin ${RELEASE_NAME}
     )
 
     ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(branch-test
-        COMMAND echo ${GITCOMMAND} branch ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH} -m \\\"Branch ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH}\\\"
+        COMMAND echo ${GITCOMMAND} branch ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH} -m ${BRANCH_MESSAGE}
         COMMAND echo ${GITCOMMAND} push origin ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH}
     )
 
     ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET(branch-run
-        COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} branch ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH} -m \\\"Branch ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH}\\\"
+        COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} branch ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH} -m ${BRANCH_MESSAGE}
         COMMAND ${GITCOMMAND} push origin ${OPENSCENEGRAPH_BRANCH}
     )