diff --git a/cuddle.yaml b/cuddle.yaml
index 7bfac21..e8a5f8e 100644
--- a/cuddle.yaml
+++ b/cuddle.yaml
@@ -20,3 +20,5 @@ scripts:
     type: shell
   push_release:
     type: shell
+  deploy:
+    type: shell
diff --git a/scripts/deploy.sh b/scripts/deploy.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2d338e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/deploy.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+export $(cat .env | xargs)
+
+cuddle_cli x start_deployment
+cuddle_cli x render_templates
+cuddle_cli x build_release
+cuddle_cli x push_release
+cuddle_cli x deploy_release
diff --git a/scripts/deploy_release.sh b/scripts/deploy_release.sh
index 250eac4..50bedc2 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy_release.sh
+++ b/scripts/deploy_release.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ set -e
 echo "deploying image"
 deploymentrepo="$TMP/deployments"
 
-cd $deploymentrepo
+cd "$deploymentrepo"
 
-git add . && git commit -m "Added release $SERVICE: ${COMMIT_SHA:0:10}" && git pull && git push
+[[ -z $(git status -s) ]] && (echo 'git repository is clean'; exit 0)
+
+git add . && git commit --allow-empty -m "Added release $SERVICE: ${COMMIT_SHA:0:10}" && git pull && git push