diff --git a/release/release.conf.sample b/release/release.conf.sample
index 882f911b31fd..df42ca756bfa 100644
--- a/release/release.conf.sample
+++ b/release/release.conf.sample
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 CHROOTDIR="/scratch"
 
 ## Set the svn host.
-SVNROOT="svn://svn.FreeBSD.org"
+SVNROOT="svn://svn.FreeBSD.org/"
 
 ## Set the src/, ports/, and doc/ branches or tags.
 SRCBRANCH="base/head@rHEAD"
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ PORTBRANCH="ports/head@rHEAD"
 ## Run svn co --force for src checkout.
 #SRC_FORCE_CHECKOUT=yes
 
+## Sample configuration for using git instead of svn.
+#VCSCMD="/usr/local/bin/git clone --branch master"
+#SVNROOT=""
+#SRCBRANCH="https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd"
+#DOCBRANCH="https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-doc"
+#PORTBRANCH="https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-ports"
+
 ## Set to override the default target architecture.
 #TARGET="amd64"
 #TARGET_ARCH="amd64"
diff --git a/release/release.sh b/release/release.sh
index 79419c4feb5e..0a373cc0559a 100755
--- a/release/release.sh
+++ b/release/release.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #-
+# Copyright (c) 2013, 2014 The FreeBSD Foundation
 # Copyright (c) 2013 Glen Barber
 # Copyright (c) 2011 Nathan Whitehorn
 # All rights reserved.
 #
+# Portions of this software were developed by Glen Barber
+# under sponsorship from the FreeBSD Foundation.
+#
 # Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
 # modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
 # are met:
@@ -38,9 +42,12 @@ export PATH
 # The directory within which the release will be built.
 CHROOTDIR="/scratch"
 
+# The default version control system command to obtain the sources.
+VCSCMD="svn checkout"
+
 # The default svn checkout server, and svn branches for src/, doc/,
 # and ports/.
-SVNROOT="svn://svn.freebsd.org"
+SVNROOT="svn://svn.FreeBSD.org/"
 SRCBRANCH="base/head@rHEAD"
 DOCBRANCH="doc/head@rHEAD"
 PORTBRANCH="ports/head@rHEAD"
@@ -98,6 +105,11 @@ while getopts c: opt; do
 done
 shift $(($OPTIND - 1))
 
+# Prefix the branches with the SVNROOT for the full checkout URL.
+SRCBRANCH="${SVNROOT}${SRCBRANCH}"
+DOCBRANCH="${SVNROOT}${DOCBRANCH}"
+PORTBRANCH="${SVNROOT}${PORTBRANCH}"
+
 # If PORTS is set and NODOC is unset, force NODOC=yes because the ports tree
 # is required to build the documentation set.
 if [ "x${NOPORTS}" != "x" ] && [ "x${NODOC}" = "x" ]; then
@@ -155,12 +167,12 @@ set -e # Everything must succeed
 
 mkdir -p ${CHROOTDIR}/usr
 
-svn co ${FORCE_SRC_KEY} ${SVNROOT}/${SRCBRANCH} ${CHROOTDIR}/usr/src
+${VCSCMD} ${FORCE_SRC_KEY} ${SRCBRANCH} ${CHROOTDIR}/usr/src
 if [ "x${NODOC}" = "x" ]; then
-	svn co ${SVNROOT}/${DOCBRANCH} ${CHROOTDIR}/usr/doc
+	${VCSCMD} ${DOCBRANCH} ${CHROOTDIR}/usr/doc
 fi
 if [ "x${NOPORTS}" = "x" ]; then
-	svn co ${SVNROOT}/${PORTBRANCH} ${CHROOTDIR}/usr/ports
+	${VCSCMD} ${PORTBRANCH} ${CHROOTDIR}/usr/ports
 fi
 
 cd ${CHROOTDIR}/usr/src
diff --git a/share/man/man7/release.7 b/share/man/man7/release.7
index 481d4f9a2af4..00e6eb9f4e1b 100644
--- a/share/man/man7/release.7
+++ b/share/man/man7/release.7
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd December 2, 2013
+.Dd February 25, 2014
 .Dt RELEASE 7
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -245,6 +245,10 @@ Setting this also sets
 Set to a non-empty value to include the
 .Cm dvdrom
 target.
+.It Va VCSCMD
+The command run to obtain the source trees.
+Defaults to
+.Qq Cm svn checkout .
 .El
 .Sh MAKEFILE TARGETS
 The release makefile