diff --git a/scm/plugin.jelly b/scm/plugin.jelly
index 53007e02..9be43833 100644
--- a/scm/plugin.jelly
+++ b/scm/plugin.jelly
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
 
     <ant:echo>Tagging ${scmConnection} with ${maven.scm.tag}</ant:echo>
 
-    <scm:tag url="${scmConnection}" workingDirectory="${basedir}" tag="${maven.scm.tag}" tagBase="${maven.scm.svn.tag.base}" username="${maven.scm.username}" password="${maven.scm.password}" />
+    <scm:tag url="${scmConnection}" workingDirectory="${basedir}" excludes="project.xml.backup,xdocs/changes.xml.backup" tag="${maven.scm.tag}" tagBase="${maven.scm.svn.tag.base}" username="${maven.scm.username}" password="${maven.scm.password}" />
   </goal>
 
   <goal name="scm:checkin" prereqs="scm:find-connection" description="Checkin a set of files in the current directory of SCM" >
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@
     <scm:checkin url="${scmConnection}" workingDirectory="${basedir}" includes="project.xml,xdocs/changes.xml" message="[maven-scm-plugin] prepare release ${version_name}" username="${maven.scm.username}" password="${maven.scm.password}" />
 
     <ant:echo>Tagging source tree</ant:echo>
-    <scm:tag url="${scmConnection}" workingDirectory="${basedir}" tag="${tag_name}" tagBase="${maven.scm.svn.tag.base}" username="${maven.scm.username}" password="${maven.scm.password}" />
+    <scm:tag url="${scmConnection}" workingDirectory="${basedir}" excludes="project.xml.backup,xdocs/changes.xml.backup" tag="${tag_name}" tagBase="${maven.scm.svn.tag.base}" username="${maven.scm.username}" password="${maven.scm.password}" />
   </goal>
 
   <goal name="scm:create-patch" description="Create a patch file for changes single last SCM update" prereqs="scm:find-connection">
diff --git a/scm/src/main/org/apache/maven/plugins/scm/ScmBean.java b/scm/src/main/org/apache/maven/plugins/scm/ScmBean.java
index f4ae3c4c..01599cbc 100644
--- a/scm/src/main/org/apache/maven/plugins/scm/ScmBean.java
+++ b/scm/src/main/org/apache/maven/plugins/scm/ScmBean.java
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ public class ScmBean
 
     private String tagBase;
 
+    private String excludes;
+
     protected Embedder getEmbedder()
         throws Exception
     {
@@ -192,9 +194,10 @@ public class ScmBean
 
         ScmRepository repository = getScmRepository( scmManager );
 
-        // TODO: want includes/excludes?
+        // TODO: want includes?
         TagScmResult result = scmManager.getProviderByRepository( repository )
-            .tag( repository, new ScmFileSet( new File( workingDirectory ) ), tag );
+            .tag( repository, new ScmFileSet( new File( workingDirectory ),
+                                              null, getExcludes() ), tag );
 
         checkResult( result );
     }
@@ -264,4 +267,14 @@ public class ScmBean
         this.password = password;
     }
 
+    public String getExcludes()
+    {
+        return excludes;
+    }
+
+    public void setExcludes( String excludes )
+    {
+        this.excludes = excludes;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/scm/xdocs/changes.xml b/scm/xdocs/changes.xml
index 964655d0..65912e1f 100644
--- a/scm/xdocs/changes.xml
+++ b/scm/xdocs/changes.xml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
   </properties>
   <body>
     <release version="1.6-SNAPSHOT" date="in SVN">
+      <action dev="ltheussl" type="fix" issue="MPSCM-67" due-to="Dennis Lundberg">scm:prepare-release fails because project.xml has been locally modified.</action>
       <action dev="ltheussl" type="fix" issue="MPSCM-65" due-to="Phil Steitz">When pom.repository.connection ends with '/' checkout fails.</action>
       <action dev="ltheussl" type="fix" issue="MPSCM-57">Re-add changes.xml file to display announcements.</action>
       <action dev="aheritier" type="update" issue="MPSCM-66">Update to released version of maven-scm.</action>
