diff --git a/.github/workflows/merge.yml b/.github/workflows/merge.yml
index 7f8c5eb8..523a656c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/merge.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/merge.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,14 @@ jobs:
         server-username: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
         server-password: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
 
+    - name: Cache local Maven repository
+        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        with:
+          path: ~/.m2/repository
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-maven-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            ${{ runner.os }}-maven-
+
     - name: Configure GPG Key
       run: |
         echo -n "$GPG_SIGNING_KEY" | base64 --decode | gpg --import
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pullrequest.yml b/.github/workflows/pullrequest.yml
index 8158ab2b..4c99b1bc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pullrequest.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pullrequest.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ jobs:
           java-version: '8'
           distribution: 'temurin'
           cache: maven
+
+      - name: Cache local Maven repository
+          uses: actions/cache@v2
+          with:
+            path: ~/.m2/repository
+            key: ${{ runner.os }}-maven-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
+            restore-keys: |
+              ${{ runner.os }}-maven-
+
       - name: Configure GPG Key
         run: |
           echo -n "$GPG_SIGNING_KEY" | base64 --decode | gpg --import
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 9fa286e7..28615aa2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 # This workflow will build a package using Gradle and then publish it to GitHub packages when a release is created
 # For more information see: https://github.com/actions/setup-java/blob/main/docs/advanced-usage.md#Publishing-using-gradle
 
+# maven deploy commands via via https://tech.clevertap.com/automate-releases-to-maven-central-via-github-actions/
+
 name: Release
 
 on:
@@ -26,16 +28,34 @@ jobs:
       with:
         java-version: '8'
         distribution: 'temurin'
-    - name: Build with Gradle
-      uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@0d13054264b0bb894ded474f08ebb30921341cee
-      with:
-        arguments: build
-    # The USERNAME and TOKEN need to correspond to the credentials environment variables used in
-    # the publishing section of your build.gradle
-    - name: Publish to Sonatype (Maven)
-      uses: gradle/gradle-build-action@0d13054264b0bb894ded474f08ebb30921341cee
-      with:
-        arguments: publish -PossrhUsername=${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }} -PossrhPassword=${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
+        cache: maven
+        server-id: ossrh
+        server-username: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
+        server-password: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
+
+    - name: Configure GPG Key
+      run: |
+        echo -n "$GPG_SIGNING_KEY" | base64 --decode | gpg --import
       env:
-        release: true
-        REPOSITORY_URL: https://s01.oss.sonatype.org/service/local/staging/deploy/maven2/
+        GPG_SIGNING_KEY: ${{ secrets.GPG_SIGNING_KEY }}
+
+    - name: Build with Maven
+      run: mvn --batch-mode --update-snapshots verify
+
+    - name: Upload coverage to Codecov
+      uses: codecov/codecov-action@v2
+      with:
+        directory: lib/build
+        flags: unittests # optional
+        name: coverage # optional
+        fail_ci_if_error: true # optional (default = false)
+        verbose: true # optional (default = false)
+    - name: Deploy
+      run: |
+        mvn -P gpg_verify \
+          --no-transfer-progress \
+          --batch-mode \
+          --file pom.xml -s release/m2-settings.xml verify deploy
+      env:
+        OSSRH_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
+        OSSRH_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
diff --git a/release/m2-settings.xml b/release/m2-settings.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9b7a585a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/m2-settings.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<settings>
+    <servers>
+        <server>
+            <id>ossrh</id>
+            <username>${env.OSSRH_USERNAME}</username>
+            <password>${env.OSSRH_PASSWORD}</password>
+        </server>
+    </servers>
+</settings>