diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 595f97b8..0d0830e7 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 	<groupId>sc.fiji</groupId>
 	<artifactId>TrakEM2_</artifactId>
-	<version>1.3.9-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>1.3.9</version>
 
 	<name>TrakEM2</name>
 	<description>TrakEM2 plugin for ImageJ.</description>
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
 	<scm>
 		<connection>scm:git:https://github.com/trakem2/TrakEM2</connection>
 		<developerConnection>scm:git:git@github.com:trakem2/TrakEM2</developerConnection>
-		<tag>HEAD</tag>
+		<tag>TrakEM2_-1.3.9</tag>
 		<url>https://github.com/trakem2/TrakEM2</url>
 	</scm>
 	<issueManagement>
diff --git a/release.properties b/release.properties
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2e4440ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release.properties
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#release configuration
+#Wed Jan 17 10:04:51 CST 2024
+scm.commentPrefix=[maven-release-plugin] 
+exec.pomFileName=pom.xml
+project.scm.sc.fiji\:TrakEM2_.tag=HEAD
+pushChanges=false
+releaseStrategyId=default
+project.scm.sc.fiji\:TrakEM2_.developerConnection=scm\:git\:git@github.com\:trakem2/TrakEM2
+projectVersionPolicyConfig=<projectVersionPolicyConfig>${projectVersionPolicyConfig}</projectVersionPolicyConfig>\n
+scm.tag=TrakEM2_-1.3.9
+remoteTagging=true
+project.scm.sc.fiji\:TrakEM2_.url=https\://github.com/trakem2/TrakEM2
+exec.additionalArguments=-Dgpg.skip\=true 
+scm.branchCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare branch @{releaseLabel}
+project.rel.sc.fiji\:TrakEM2_=1.3.9
+projectVersionPolicyId=default
+scm.url=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/trakem2/TrakEM2
+scm.tagNameFormat=@{project.artifactId}-@{project.version}
+pinExternals=false
+preparationGoals=clean verify
+project.dev.sc.fiji\:TrakEM2_=1.3.10-SNAPSHOT
+scm.releaseCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare release @{releaseLabel}
+exec.snapshotReleasePluginAllowed=false
+exec.activateProfiles=deploy-to-scijava
+scm.developmentCommitComment=@{prefix} prepare for next development iteration
+project.scm.sc.fiji\:TrakEM2_.connection=scm\:git\:https\://github.com/trakem2/TrakEM2
+scm.rollbackCommitComment=@{prefix} rollback the release of @{releaseLabel}
+completedPhase=end-release