diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 8ebb9846..4ae1b5cc 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
 			<plugin>
 				<groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
 				<artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-				<version>1.6.2</version>
+				<version>1.6.8</version>
 				<extensions>true</extensions>
 				<configuration>
 					<serverId>ossrh</serverId>
@@ -202,6 +202,21 @@
 					</execution>
 				</executions>
 			</plugin>
+
+			<plugin>
+				<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+				<artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
+				<version>1.6</version>
+				<executions>
+					<execution>
+						<id>sign-artifacts</id>
+						<phase>verify</phase>
+						<goals>
+							<goal>sign</goal>
+						</goals>
+					</execution>
+				</executions>
+			</plugin>
 		</plugins>
 	</build>
 
@@ -232,29 +247,4 @@
 			<scope>test</scope>
 		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
-
-	<!-- only sign the artifact when releasing (i.e. "mvn release:perform") -->
-	<profiles>
-		<profile>
-			<id>release</id>
-			<build>
-				<plugins>
-					<plugin>
-						<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-						<artifactId>maven-gpg-plugin</artifactId>
-						<version>1.1</version>
-						<executions>
-							<execution>
-								<id>sign-artifacts</id>
-								<phase>verify</phase>
-								<goals>
-									<goal>sign</goal>
-								</goals>
-							</execution>
-						</executions>
-					</plugin>
-				</plugins>
-			</build>
-		</profile>
-	</profiles>
 </project>