diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6c2baa2c3..7da086048 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ pkg
 test_project
 .rake_tasks
 tmp/aruba
+*.gem
+.bundle
diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 0342c2464..a8d2a4184 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -1,98 +1,11 @@
-require 'rubygems'
-require 'rake'
+require 'bundler/gem_helper'
 require 'cucumber/rake/task'
-require 'date'
 
-TEST_PROJECT = 'test_project'
-SUSPENDERS_GEM_VERSION = '0.3.1'
+Bundler::GemHelper.install_tasks
 
-#############################################################################
-#
-# Testing functions
-#
-#############################################################################
+TEST_PROJECT = 'test_project'
 
 Cucumber::Rake::Task.new
 
 desc 'Run the test suite'
 task :default => ['cucumber']
-
-#############################################################################
-#
-# Helper functions
-#
-#############################################################################
-
-def name
-  @name ||= Dir['*.gemspec'].first.split('.').first
-end
-
-def version
-  SUSPENDERS_GEM_VERSION
-end
-
-def date
-  Date.today.to_s
-end
-
-def gemspec_file
-  "#{name}.gemspec"
-end
-
-def gem_file
-  "#{name}-#{version}.gem"
-end
-
-def replace_header(head, header_name)
-  head.sub!(/(\.#{header_name}\s*= ').*'/) { "#{$1}#{send(header_name)}'"}
-end
-
-#############################################################################
-#
-# Packaging tasks
-#
-#############################################################################
-
-task :release => :build do
-  unless `git branch` =~ /^\* master$/
-    puts "You must be on the master branch to release!"
-    exit!
-  end
-  sh "git commit --allow-empty -a -m 'Release #{version}'"
-  sh "git tag v#{version}"
-  sh "git push origin master"
-  sh "git push --tags"
-  sh "gem push pkg/#{name}-#{version}.gem"
-end
-
-task :build => :gemspec do
-  sh "mkdir -p pkg"
-  sh "gem build #{gemspec_file}"
-  sh "mv #{gem_file} pkg"
-end
-
-task :gemspec do
-  # read spec file and split out manifest section
-  spec = File.read(gemspec_file)
-  head, manifest, tail = spec.split("  # = MANIFEST =\n")
-
-  # replace name version and date
-  replace_header(head, :name)
-  replace_header(head, :version)
-  replace_header(head, :date)
-
-  # determine file list from git ls-files
-  files = `git ls-files`.
-    split("\n").
-    sort.
-    reject { |file| file =~ /^\./ }.
-    reject { |file| file =~ /^(rdoc|pkg)/ }.
-    map { |file| "    #{file}" }.
-    join("\n")
-
-  # piece file back together and write
-  manifest = "  s.files = %w[\n#{files}\n  ]\n"
-  spec = [head, manifest, tail].join("  # = MANIFEST =\n")
-  File.open(gemspec_file, 'w') { |io| io.write(spec) }
-  puts "Updated #{gemspec_file}"
-end
diff --git a/lib/suspenders/version.rb b/lib/suspenders/version.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..18c5be7d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/suspenders/version.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module Suspenders
+  VERSION = '0.3.1'
+end
diff --git a/suspenders.gemspec b/suspenders.gemspec
index 4d8938ca5..5f3d3820c 100644
--- a/suspenders.gemspec
+++ b/suspenders.gemspec
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
-Gem::Specification.new do |s|
-  s.specification_version = 2 if s.respond_to? :specification_version=
-  s.required_rubygems_version = Gem::Requirement.new(">= 0") if s.respond_to? :required_rubygems_version=
-  s.rubygems_version = '1.3.5'
+# -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
+$:.push File.expand_path("../lib", __FILE__)
+require "suspenders/version"
 
-  s.name    = 'suspenders'
-  s.version = '0.3.1'
-  s.date    = '2011-10-28'
+Gem::Specification.new do |s|
+  s.name     = 'suspenders'
+  s.version  = Suspenders::VERSION
+  s.date     = Date.today.strftime('%Y-%m-%d')
+  s.authors  = ["thoughtbot"]
+  s.email    = 'support@thoughtbot.com'
+  s.homepage = 'http://github.com/thoughtbot/suspenders'
 
   s.summary     = "Generate a Rails app using thoughtbot's best practices."
   s.description = <<-HERE
@@ -14,51 +17,19 @@ thoughtbot to get a jump start on a working app. Use Suspenders if you're in a
 rush to build something amazing; don't use it if you like missing deadlines.
   HERE
 
-  s.authors  = ["thoughtbot"]
-  s.email    = 'support@thoughtbot.com'
-  s.homepage = 'http://github.com/thoughtbot/suspenders'
-
-  s.executables = ["suspenders"]
-  s.default_executable = 'suspenders'
+  s.files = `git ls-files`.split("\n").
+    reject { |file| file =~ /^\./ }.
+    reject { |file| file =~ /^(rdoc|pkg)/ }
+  s.test_files    = `git ls-files -- {test,spec,features}/*`.split("\n")
+  s.executables   = `git ls-files -- bin/*`.split("\n").map{ |f| File.basename(f) }
+  s.require_paths = ["lib"]
 
   s.rdoc_options = ["--charset=UTF-8"]
   s.extra_rdoc_files = %w[README.md LICENSE]
 
   s.add_dependency('rails', '3.1.1')
   s.add_dependency('bundler', '>= 1.0.7')
+
   s.add_development_dependency('cucumber', '~> 1.1.0')
   s.add_development_dependency('aruba', '~> 0.4.6')
-
-  # = MANIFEST =
-  s.files = %w[
-    CONTRIBUTING.md
-    Gemfile
-    Gemfile.lock
-    LICENSE
-    README.md
-    Rakefile
-    bin/suspenders
-    features/rake_clean.feature
-    features/step_definitions/shell.rb
-    lib/suspenders/actions.rb
-    lib/suspenders/app_builder.rb
-    lib/suspenders/generators/app_generator.rb
-    suspenders.gemspec
-    templates/Gemfile_additions
-    templates/Procfile
-    templates/README_FOR_SUSPENDERS
-    templates/_flashes.html.erb
-    templates/_javascript.html.erb
-    templates/errors.rb
-    templates/factory_girl_steps.rb
-    templates/import_scss_styles
-    templates/javascripts/prefilled_input.js
-    templates/postgresql_database.yml.erb
-    templates/suspenders_gitignore
-    templates/suspenders_layout.html.erb.erb
-    templates/time_formats.rb
-  ]
-  # = MANIFEST =
-
-  s.test_files = s.files.select {|path| path =~ /^features/ }
 end