diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8f4edf4f..bb59f193 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 .DS_Store
 /TEST-*.xml
 /deps
+/.rebar
 *.swp
 *.beam
 *.dump
diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 89c8078c..1cd02e6e 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
-Version 2.8.1 released XXXX-XX-XX
+Version 2.9.0 released 2014-06-24
 
 * Increased timeout in test suite for FreeBSD
   https://github.com/mochi/mochiweb/pull/121
+* Updated rebar to v2.5.0 and fixed associated build issues
+  https://github.com/mochi/mochiweb/issues/131
 
 Version 2.8.0 released 2014-01-01
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b94be4b2..6ee073dc 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ REBAR=./rebar
 .PHONY: all edoc test clean build_plt dialyzer app
 
 all:
-	@$(REBAR) get-deps compile
+	@$(REBAR) -r get-deps compile
 
 edoc:
 	@$(REBAR) doc
@@ -19,12 +19,5 @@ test:
 clean:
 	@$(REBAR) clean
 
-build_plt:
-	@$(REBAR) build-plt
-
-dialyzer:
-	@$(REBAR) dialyze
-
 app:
-	@$(REBAR) create template=mochiwebapp dest=$(DEST) appid=$(PROJECT)
-
+	@$(REBAR) -r create template=mochiwebapp dest=$(DEST) appid=$(PROJECT)
diff --git a/rebar b/rebar
index 8082f142..0d1980bf 100755
Binary files a/rebar and b/rebar differ
diff --git a/scripts/new_mochiweb.erl b/scripts/new_mochiweb.erl
deleted file mode 100755
index f49ed398..00000000
--- a/scripts/new_mochiweb.erl
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env escript
-%% -*- mode: erlang -*-
--export([main/1]).
-
-%% External API
-
-main(_) ->
-    usage().
-
-%% Internal API
-
-usage() ->
-    io:format(
-        "new_mochiweb.erl has been replaced by a rebar template!\n"
-        "\n"
-        "To create a new mochiweb using project:\n"
-        "   make app PROJECT=project_name\n"
-        "\n"
-        "To create a new mochiweb using project in a specific directory:\n"
-        "   make app PROJECT=project_name PREFIX=$HOME/projects/\n"
-        "\n"
-    ),
-    halt(1).
diff --git a/src/mochiweb.app.src b/src/mochiweb.app.src
index b3b3d838..7c98141c 100644
--- a/src/mochiweb.app.src
+++ b/src/mochiweb.app.src
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 %% This is generated from src/mochiweb.app.src
 {application, mochiweb,
  [{description, "MochiMedia Web Server"},
-  {vsn, "2.8.1"},
+  {vsn, "2.9.0"},
   {modules, []},
   {registered, []},
   {env, []},
diff --git a/support/templates/mochiwebapp_skel/src/mochiapp_web.erl b/support/templates/mochiwebapp_skel/src/mochiapp_web.erl
index 89762653..5fe455aa 100644
--- a/support/templates/mochiwebapp_skel/src/mochiapp_web.erl
+++ b/support/templates/mochiwebapp_skel/src/mochiapp_web.erl
@@ -44,9 +44,8 @@ loop(Req, DocRoot) ->
                       {type, Type}, {what, What},
                       {trace, erlang:get_stacktrace()}],
             error_logger:error_report(Report),
-            %% NOTE: mustache templates need \\ because they are not awesome.
             Req:respond({500, [{"Content-Type", "text/plain"}],
-                         "request failed, sorry\\n"})
+                         "request failed, sorry\n"})
     end.
 
 %% Internal API
diff --git a/support/templates/mochiwebapp_skel/start-dev.sh b/support/templates/mochiwebapp_skel/start-dev.sh
index fb7c45e3..65c16923 100755
--- a/support/templates/mochiwebapp_skel/start-dev.sh
+++ b/support/templates/mochiwebapp_skel/start-dev.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# NOTE: mustache templates need \\ because they are not awesome.
-exec erl -pa ebin edit deps/*/ebin -boot start_sasl \\
-    -sname {{appid}}_dev \\
-    -s {{appid}} \\
+exec erl \
+    -pa ebin deps/*/ebin \
+    -boot start_sasl \
+    -sname {{appid}}_dev \
+    -s {{appid}} \
     -s reloader