diff --git a/release/src/main/org/apache/maven/release/VersionTransformer.java b/release/src/main/org/apache/maven/release/VersionTransformer.java
index e021c26d..8a26e0ba 100644
--- a/release/src/main/org/apache/maven/release/VersionTransformer.java
+++ b/release/src/main/org/apache/maven/release/VersionTransformer.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ import java.util.Iterator;
  *
  * @author <a href="mailto:brett@apache.org">Brett Porter</a>
  *
- * @version $Id: VersionTransformer.java,v 1.1 2004/02/25 22:34:46 brett Exp $
+ * @version $Id: VersionTransformer.java,v 1.2 2004/02/26 13:48:25 brett Exp $
  */
 public class VersionTransformer
     extends AbstractPomTransformer
@@ -97,20 +97,44 @@ public class VersionTransformer
     public void transformNode( Node node )
         throws Exception
     {
-        Node currentVersion = node.selectSingleNode( "currentVersion" );
-        currentVersion.setText( version );
+        Element project = ( Element ) node;
 
-        Node version = node.selectSingleNode( "versions/version[tag='" + tag + "']" );
+        Node currentVersion = node.selectSingleNode( "currentVersion" );
+        if ( currentVersion != null )
+        {
+            currentVersion.setText( version );
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            project.addElement( "currentVersion" ).addText( version );
+        }
+
+        Element version = ( Element ) node.selectSingleNode( "versions/version[tag='" + tag + "']" );
         if ( version != null )
         {
             // tag exists - overwrite
-            version.selectSingleNode( "id" ).setText( this.version );
-            version.selectSingleNode( "name" ).setText( this.version );
+            Node id = version.selectSingleNode( "id" );
+            if ( id != null )
+            {
+                id.setText( this.version );
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                version.addElement( "id" ).addText( this.version );
+            }
+            Node name = version.selectSingleNode( "name" );
+            if ( name != null )
+            {
+                name.setText( this.version );
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                version.addElement( "name" ).addText( this.version );
+            }
         }
         else
         {
             // tag doesn't exist - add
-            Element project = ( Element ) node;
             Element versions = ( Element ) project.selectSingleNode( "versions" );
             if ( versions == null )
             {
@@ -132,8 +156,13 @@ public class VersionTransformer
     public boolean transformRequired()
     {
         Node node = ( Node ) getSelectedNodes().get( 0 );
+        if ( node == null )
+        {
+            return true;
+        }
+
         Node currentVersion = node.selectSingleNode( "currentVersion" );
-        if ( !currentVersion.getText().equals( version ))
+        if ( currentVersion == null || !currentVersion.getText().equals( version ))
         {
             return true;
         }
@@ -143,3 +172,4 @@ public class VersionTransformer
         return ( v == null );
     }
 }
+