diff --git a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/MavenRuntime.java b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/MavenRuntime.java
index 8023b4d..a49d68e 100644
--- a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/MavenRuntime.java
+++ b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/build/MavenRuntime.java
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class MavenRuntime {
 
 			File javaHome = getJavaHome();
 			mavenLogger.info(String.format("Java Home: %s", jdk));
-			mavenLogger.info(String.format("Executing mvn %s", arguments));
+			mavenLogger.info(String.format("Executing: mvn %s", arguments));
 
 			InvocationRequest request = new DefaultInvocationRequest();
 			request.setJavaHome(javaHome);
diff --git a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/infra/DependencyCommands.java b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/infra/DependencyCommands.java
index 14ebfeb..0422738 100644
--- a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/infra/DependencyCommands.java
+++ b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/infra/DependencyCommands.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public class DependencyCommands extends TimedCommand {
 	public void check(@CliOption(key = "", mandatory = true) TrainIteration iteration,
 			@CliOption(key = "all", mandatory = false) Boolean reportAll) throws IOException {
 
-		git.checkout(iteration.getTrain());
+		git.prepare(iteration);
 
 		checkBuildDependencies(iteration, reportAll != null ? reportAll : false);
 		checkModuleDependencies(iteration, reportAll != null ? reportAll : false);
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public class DependencyCommands extends TimedCommand {
 	@CliCommand(value = "dependency report")
 	public String report(@CliOption(key = "", mandatory = true) TrainIteration iteration) {
 
-		git.checkout(iteration.getTrain());
+		git.prepare(iteration);
 
 		List<Project> projects = Projects.all().stream()
 				.filter(it -> it != Projects.BOM && it != Projects.BUILD && it != Projects.COMMONS)
@@ -113,8 +113,6 @@ public class DependencyCommands extends TimedCommand {
 		ModuleIteration module = iteration.getModule(Projects.BUILD);
 		DependencyVersions dependencyVersions = loadDependencyUpgrades(module);
 
-		git.checkout(iteration.getTrain(), false);
-
 		DependencyVersions upgradesToApply = operations.getDependencyUpgradesToApply(module.getProject(),
 				dependencyVersions);
 
diff --git a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/infra/DependencyOperations.java b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/infra/DependencyOperations.java
index 0a7c916..2268149 100644
--- a/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/infra/DependencyOperations.java
+++ b/release-tools/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/release/infra/DependencyOperations.java
@@ -59,9 +59,11 @@ import org.springframework.data.release.model.TrainIteration;
 import org.springframework.data.release.utils.ExecutionUtils;
 import org.springframework.data.release.utils.Logger;
 import org.springframework.data.util.Streamable;
+import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus;
 import org.springframework.http.ResponseEntity;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
+import org.springframework.web.client.HttpClientErrorException;
 import org.springframework.web.client.RestOperations;
 
 import org.xmlbeam.ProjectionFactory;
@@ -424,8 +426,7 @@ public class DependencyOperations {
 	}
 
 	private static Optional<DependencyVersion> findLatestMinor(DependencyUpgradePolicy policy,
-			DependencyVersion currentVersion,
-			List<DependencyVersion> availableVersions) {
+			DependencyVersion currentVersion, List<DependencyVersion> availableVersions) {
 
 		return availableVersions.stream().filter(it -> {
 
@@ -498,14 +499,13 @@ public class DependencyOperations {
 		String baseUrl = String.format("https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/%s/%s/", dependency.getGroupId().replace('.', '/'),
 				dependency.getArtifactId());
 
-		ResponseEntity<byte[]> mavenMetadata = restOperations.getForEntity(baseUrl + "/maven-metadata.xml", byte[].class);
-		ResponseEntity<String> directoryListing = restOperations.getForEntity(baseUrl, String.class);
-
-		Map<String, LocalDateTime> creationDates = parseCreationDates(directoryListing.getBody());
-
-		XBStreamInput io = projectionFactory.io().stream(new ByteArrayInputStream(mavenMetadata.getBody()));
-
 		try {
+			ResponseEntity<byte[]> mavenMetadata = restOperations.getForEntity(baseUrl + "/maven-metadata.xml", byte[].class);
+			ResponseEntity<String> directoryListing = restOperations.getForEntity(baseUrl, String.class);
+
+			Map<String, LocalDateTime> creationDates = parseCreationDates(directoryListing.getBody());
+
+			XBStreamInput io = projectionFactory.io().stream(new ByteArrayInputStream(mavenMetadata.getBody()));
 
 			MavenMetadata metadata = io.read(MavenMetadata.class);
 
@@ -528,6 +528,13 @@ public class DependencyOperations {
 			}).collect(Collectors.toList());
 
 		} catch (Exception o_O) {
+
+			if (o_O instanceof HttpClientErrorException) {
+				if (((HttpClientErrorException) o_O).getStatusCode() == HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND) {
+					return Collections.emptyList();
+				}
+			}
+
 			throw new RuntimeException(String.format("Cannot determine available versions for %s", dependency), o_O);
 		}
 	}