diff --git a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/BuildSystem.java b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/BuildSystem.java
index 54ad6a5..94c0c23 100644
--- a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/BuildSystem.java
+++ b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/BuildSystem.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.release.model.Module;
 import org.springframework.data.release.model.ModuleIteration;
 import org.springframework.data.release.model.Phase;
 import org.springframework.data.release.model.Project;
+import org.springframework.data.release.model.ProjectAware;
 import org.springframework.plugin.core.Plugin;
 
 /**
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ interface BuildSystem extends Plugin<Project> {
 	 * @param iteration must not be {@literal null}.
 	 * @param updateInformation must not be {@literal null}.
 	 */
-	ModuleIteration updateProjectDescriptors(ModuleIteration iteration, UpdateInformation updateInformation);
+	<M extends ProjectAware> M updateProjectDescriptors(M iteration, UpdateInformation updateInformation);
 
 	/**
 	 * Prepares the project descriptor of the {@link ModuleIteration} for the given release {@link Phase}.
@@ -61,9 +62,9 @@ interface BuildSystem extends Plugin<Project> {
 	 * @param module must not be {@literal null}.
 	 * @return
 	 */
-	Module triggerDistributionBuild(Module module);
+	<M extends ProjectAware> M triggerDistributionBuild(M module);
 
-	ModuleIteration triggerBuild(ModuleIteration module);
+	<M extends ProjectAware> M triggerBuild(M module);
 
 	/**
 	 * Triggers the pre-release checks for the given {@link ModuleIteration}.
@@ -71,5 +72,5 @@ interface BuildSystem extends Plugin<Project> {
 	 * @param module must not be {@literal null}.
 	 * @return
 	 */
-	ModuleIteration triggerPreReleaseCheck(ModuleIteration module);
+	<M extends ProjectAware> M triggerPreReleaseCheck(M module);
 }
diff --git a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/MavenBuildSystem.java b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/MavenBuildSystem.java
index 380c905..c4f305f 100644
--- a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/MavenBuildSystem.java
+++ b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/MavenBuildSystem.java
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ import org.springframework.data.release.deployment.DeploymentProperties;
 import org.springframework.data.release.deployment.DeploymentProperties.Gpg;
 import org.springframework.data.release.io.Workspace;
 import org.springframework.data.release.model.ArtifactVersion;
-import org.springframework.data.release.model.Module;
 import org.springframework.data.release.model.ModuleIteration;
 import org.springframework.data.release.model.Phase;
 import org.springframework.data.release.model.Project;
+import org.springframework.data.release.model.ProjectAware;
 import org.springframework.data.release.model.TrainIteration;
 import org.springframework.data.release.utils.Logger;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class MavenBuildSystem implements BuildSystem {
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.release.build.BuildSystem#updateProjectDescriptors(org.springframework.data.release.model.ModuleIteration, org.springframework.data.release.model.TrainIteration, org.springframework.data.release.model.Phase)
 	 */
 	@Override
-	public ModuleIteration updateProjectDescriptors(ModuleIteration module, UpdateInformation information) {
+	public <M extends ProjectAware> M updateProjectDescriptors(M module, UpdateInformation information) {
 
 		PomUpdater updater = new PomUpdater(logger, information, module.getProject());
 
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class MavenBuildSystem implements BuildSystem {
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.release.build.BuildSystem#triggerDistributionBuild(org.springframework.data.release.model.Module)
 	 */
 	@Override
-	public Module triggerDistributionBuild(Module module) {
+	public <M extends ProjectAware> M triggerDistributionBuild(M module) {
 
 		Project project = module.getProject();
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ class MavenBuildSystem implements BuildSystem {
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.release.build.BuildSystem#triggerBuild(org.springframework.data.release.model.ModuleIteration)
 	 */
 	@Override
-	public ModuleIteration triggerBuild(ModuleIteration module) {
+	public <M extends ProjectAware> M triggerBuild(M module) {
 
 		CommandLine arguments = CommandLine.of(Goal.CLEAN, Goal.INSTALL)//
 				.conditionalAnd(SKIP_TESTS, () -> module.getProject().skipTests());
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ class MavenBuildSystem implements BuildSystem {
 	 * (non-Javadoc)
 	 * @see org.springframework.data.release.build.BuildSystem#triggerPreReleaseCheck(org.springframework.data.release.model.ModuleIteration)
 	 */
-	public ModuleIteration triggerPreReleaseCheck(ModuleIteration module) {
+	public <M extends ProjectAware> M triggerPreReleaseCheck(M module) {
 
 		mvn.execute(module.getProject(), CommandLine.of(Goal.CLEAN, Goal.VALIDATE, profile("pre-release")));
 
diff --git a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/model/ProjectAware.java b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/model/ProjectAware.java
index 0d8bf3f..558d745 100644
--- a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/model/ProjectAware.java
+++ b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/model/ProjectAware.java
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 package org.springframework.data.release.model;
 
 /**
+ * An object that is aware of a {@link Project}. Typically implemented by {@link Module} or {@link ModuleIteration}.
+ *
  * @author Mark Paluch
  */
 public interface ProjectAware {
diff --git a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/model/VersionAware.java b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/model/VersionAware.java
index 100c6dc..e126cb5 100644
--- a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/model/VersionAware.java
+++ b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/model/VersionAware.java
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@
 package org.springframework.data.release.model;
 
 /**
+ * An object that is aware of a {@link Version}. Typically implemented by {@link Module} or {@link ModuleIteration}.
+ *
  * @author Oliver Gierke
+ * @author Mark Paluch
  */
 public interface VersionAware {