diff --git a/repository/plugin.jelly b/repository/plugin.jelly
index 880625df..bd0cca64 100644
--- a/repository/plugin.jelly
+++ b/repository/plugin.jelly
@@ -69,13 +69,14 @@
          
       <!-- set permissions -->
       <echo>Setting permissions and group ownership in ${directory}'</echo>
-      <j:set var="command" value="cd ${directory}" />
-      <j:set var="command" value="${command};chmod -R g+w *" />
-      <j:set var="command" value="${command};chmod -R a+r *" />
-      <j:set var="command" value="${command};chgrp -R ${maven.repository.group} *" />
-      <j:set var="command" value="${command};rm ${groupId}.license" />
-      <j:set var="command" value="${command};ln -s ${fileName} ${groupId}.license" />
-      <repository:exec command="${command}" />
+      <repository:exec>
+        cd ${directory};
+        chmod -R g+w *;
+        chmod -R a+r *;
+        chgrp -R ${maven.repository.group} *;
+        rm ${groupId}.license;
+        ln -s ${fileName} ${groupId}.license;
+      </repository:exec>
     </define:tag>
 
     <!--
@@ -103,10 +104,12 @@
      
        <echo>Processing project ${group.text}</echo>
        <j:set var="directory" value="${maven.repo.central.directory}/${group.text}/licenses" />
-       <j:set var="command" value="mkdir -p ${directory}; chmod g+ws ${directory}; chgrp ${maven.repository.group} ${directory}" />
-       <echo>Checking directory '${directory}'</echo>
-       <repository:exec command="${command}"/>
-
+       <echo>Ensuring directory '${directory}' exists</echo>
+       <repository:exec>
+         mkdir -p ${directory};
+         chmod g+ws ${directory};
+         chgrp ${maven.repository.group} ${directory};
+       </repository:exec>
      </x:forEach>
   </goal>
 
@@ -164,9 +167,10 @@
        
        <j:if test="${file != '' and processing}">
          <repository:urlFileName url="${file}" var="fileName"/>
-         <j:set var="command" value="cd ${directory}"/>
-         <j:set var="command" value="${command};ln -s ${fileName} ${group}.license"/>
-         <repository:exec command="${command}" />
+         <repository:exec>
+           cd ${directory};
+           ln -s ${fileName} ${group}.license;
+         </repository:exec>
        </j:if>
      </x:forEach>
   </goal>
@@ -207,18 +211,19 @@
     <j:if test="${empty(groupId)}">
       <fail>groupId must be specified</fail>
     </j:if>
-    <j:set var="command" value="cd ${maven.repo.central.directory}"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};mkdir ${groupId}" />
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};chgrp ${maven.repository.group} ${groupId}"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};chmod g+s ${groupId}"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};mkdir ${groupId}/distributions"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};mkdir ${groupId}/jars"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};mkdir ${groupId}/licenses"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};mkdir ${groupId}/poms"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};chmod g+ws ${groupId}"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};chmod -R g+w ${groupId}"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};chmod -R a+r ${groupId}"/>
-    <repository:exec command="${command}" />
+    <repository:exec>
+      cd ${maven.repo.central.directory};
+      mkdir ${groupId};
+      chgrp ${maven.repository.group} ${groupId};
+      chmod g+s ${groupId};
+      mkdir ${groupId}/distributions;
+      mkdir ${groupId}/jars;
+      mkdir ${groupId}/licenses;
+      mkdir ${groupId}/poms;
+      chmod g+ws ${groupId};
+      chmod -R g+w ${groupId};
+      chmod -R a+r ${groupId};
+    </repository:exec>
   </goal>
 
   <!-- expects groupId to be set -->
@@ -227,9 +232,10 @@
     <j:if test="${empty(groupId)}">
       <fail>groupId must be specified</fail>
     </j:if>
-    <j:set var="command" value="cd ${maven.repo.central.directory}"/>
-    <j:set var="command" value="${command};rm -rf ${groupId}" />
-    <repository:exec command="${command}" />
+    <repository:exec>
+      cd ${maven.repo.central.directory};
+      rm -rf ${groupId};
+    </repository:exec>
   </goal>
   
   <!--