diff --git a/dspace/src/main/assembly/release.xml b/dspace/src/main/assembly/release.xml
index edf395982b..00509d4577 100644
--- a/dspace/src/main/assembly/release.xml
+++ b/dspace/src/main/assembly/release.xml
@@ -46,6 +46,19 @@
          <!-- Ensure line endings in all files are Unix (LF) line endings-->
          <lineEnding>unix</lineEnding>
       </fileSet>
+      <!-- Ensure the presence of "empty" directories for build steps
+           that need them. -->
+      <fileSet>
+         <directory>..</directory>
+         <useDefaultExcludes>false</useDefaultExcludes>
+         <includes>
+            <include>dspace/modules/**/.gitignore</include>
+         </includes>
+         <excludes>
+            <exclude>**/target/**</exclude>
+         </excludes>
+         <lineEnding>unix</lineEnding>
+      </fileSet>
    </fileSets>
 
 </assembly>
diff --git a/dspace/src/main/assembly/src-release.xml b/dspace/src/main/assembly/src-release.xml
index f99cf960dc..f33923b16b 100644
--- a/dspace/src/main/assembly/src-release.xml
+++ b/dspace/src/main/assembly/src-release.xml
@@ -33,10 +33,35 @@
          <excludes>
             <exclude>**/target/**</exclude>
             <exclude>.*</exclude>
+            <exclude>**/*.zip</exclude>
          </excludes>
          <!-- Ensure line endings in all files are Unix (LF) line endings-->
          <lineEnding>unix</lineEnding>
       </fileSet>
+      <!-- Do not destroy ZIP archives by changing "line" endings! -->
+      <fileSet>
+         <directory>..</directory>
+         <useDefaultExcludes>true</useDefaultExcludes>
+         <includes>
+            <include>**/*.zip</include>
+         </includes>
+         <excludes>
+            <exclude>**/target/**</exclude>
+         </excludes>
+      </fileSet>
+      <!-- Ensure the presence of "empty" directories for build steps
+           that need them. -->
+      <fileSet>
+         <directory>..</directory>
+         <useDefaultExcludes>false</useDefaultExcludes>
+         <includes>
+            <include>dspace/modules/**/.gitignore</include>
+         </includes>
+         <excludes>
+            <exclude>**/target/**</exclude>
+         </excludes>
+         <lineEnding>unix</lineEnding>
+      </fileSet>
    </fileSets>
 
-</assembly>
\ No newline at end of file
+</assembly>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 46a73fee35..954b3c535d 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
              </plugin>
              <plugin>
                 <artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>2.4.1</version>
+                <version>2.5.4</version>
              </plugin>
              <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>