diff --git a/HOWTORELEASE.rst b/HOWTORELEASE.rst
index 1cbe279b3..0d63cdbd4 100644
--- a/HOWTORELEASE.rst
+++ b/HOWTORELEASE.rst
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
 How to release pytest
 --------------------------------------------
 
-Note: this assumes you have already registered on pypi.
+Note: this assumes you have already registered on PyPI and you have
+`invoke <https://pypi.org/project/invoke/>`_ installed.
 
 #. Check and finalize ``CHANGELOG.rst``.
 
-#. Write ``doc/en/announce/release-VERSION.txt`` and include
-   it in ``doc/en/announce/index.txt``. Run this command to list names of authors involved::
+#. Generate a new release announcement::
 
-        git log $(git describe --abbrev=0 --tags)..HEAD --format='%aN' | sort -u
+     invoke generate.announce VERSION
+
+Feel free to modify the generated files before committing.
 
 #. Regenerate the docs examples using tox::
 
-      tox -e regen
+     tox -e regen
 
 #. At this point, open a PR named ``release-X`` so others can help find regressions or provide suggestions.
 
diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index c57cbd911..51041f0c9 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ recursive-include extra *.py
 graft testing
 graft doc
 prune doc/en/_build
+graft tasks
 
 exclude _pytest/impl
 
diff --git a/tasks/__init__.py b/tasks/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9551ff059
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+"""
+Invoke tasks to help with pytest development and release process.
+"""
+
+import invoke
+
+from . import generate
+
+ns = invoke.Collection(generate)
diff --git a/tasks/generate.py b/tasks/generate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..082cbe8cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/generate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+from subprocess import check_output
+
+import invoke
+
+
+@invoke.task(help={
+    'version': 'version being released',
+})
+def announce(ctx, version):
+    """Generates a new release announcement entry in the docs."""
+    print("[generate.announce] Generating Announce")
+
+    # Get our list of authors
+    print("[generate.announce] Collecting author names")
+
+    stdout = check_output(["git", "describe", "--abbrev=0", '--tags'])
+    stdout = stdout.decode('utf-8')
+    last_version = stdout.strip()
+
+    stdout = check_output(["git", "log", "{}..HEAD".format(last_version), "--format=%aN"])
+    stdout = stdout.decode('utf-8')
+
+    contributors = set(stdout.splitlines())
+
+    template_name = 'release.minor.rst' if version.endswith('.0') else 'release.patch.rst'
+    template_text = Path(__file__).parent.joinpath(template_name).read_text(encoding='UTF-8')
+
+    contributors_text = '\n'.join('* {}'.format(name) for name in sorted(contributors)) + '\n'
+    text = template_text.format(version=version, contributors=contributors_text)
+
+    target = Path(__file__).joinpath('../../doc/en/announce/release-{}.rst'.format(version))
+    target.write_text(text, encoding='UTF-8')
+    print("[generate.announce] Generated {}".format(target.name))
+
+    # Update index with the new release entry
+    index_path = Path(__file__).joinpath('../../doc/en/announce/index.rst')
+    lines = index_path.read_text(encoding='UTF-8').splitlines()
+    indent = '   '
+    for index, line in enumerate(lines):
+        if line.startswith('{}release-'.format(indent)):
+            new_line = indent + target.stem
+            if line != new_line:
+                lines.insert(index, new_line)
+                index_path.write_text('\n'.join(lines) + '\n', encoding='UTF-8')
+                print("[generate.announce] Updated {}".format(index_path.name))
+            else:
+                print("[generate.announce] Skip {} (already contains release)".format(index_path.name))
+            break
+
+    print()
+    print('Please review the generated files and commit with:')
+    print('    git commit -a -m "Generate new release announcement for {}'.format(version))
+
+
+
diff --git a/tasks/release.minor.rst b/tasks/release.minor.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4bbce5a82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/release.minor.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+pytest-{version}
+=======================================
+
+The pytest team is proud to announce the {version} release!
+
+pytest is a mature Python testing tool with more than a 1600 tests
+against itself, passing on many different interpreters and platforms.
+
+This release contains a bugs fixes and improvements, so users are encouraged
+to take a look at the CHANGELOG:
+
+http://doc.pytest.org/en/latest/changelog.html
+
+For complete documentation, please visit:
+
+    http://docs.pytest.org
+
+As usual, you can upgrade from pypi via:
+
+    pip install -U pytest
+
+Thanks to all who contributed to this release, among them:
+
+{contributors}
+
+Happy testing,
+The Pytest Development Team
diff --git a/tasks/release.patch.rst b/tasks/release.patch.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..56764b913
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/release.patch.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+pytest-{version}
+=======================================
+
+pytest {version} has just been released to PyPI.
+
+This is a bug-fix release, being a drop-in replacement. To upgrade::
+
+  pip install --upgrade pytest
+  
+The full changelog is available at http://doc.pytest.org/en/latest/changelog.html.
+
+Thanks to all who contributed to this release, among them:
+
+{contributors}
+
+Happy testing,
+The pytest Development Team