diff --git a/Documentation/RelNotes-1.7.2.txt b/Documentation/RelNotes-1.7.2.txt
index f24b3876af..15cf01178c 100644
--- a/Documentation/RelNotes-1.7.2.txt
+++ b/Documentation/RelNotes-1.7.2.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-Git v1.7.2 Release Notes (draft)
-================================
+Git v1.7.2 Release Notes
+========================
 
 Updates since v1.7.1
 --------------------
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ Updates since v1.7.1
 
  * The test harness has been updated to produce TAP-friendly output.
 
+ * Many documentation improvement patches are also included.
+
 
 Fixes since v1.7.1
 ------------------
@@ -147,9 +149,3 @@ release, unless otherwise noted.
 
  * "git read-tree -m A B" used to switch to branch B while retaining
    local changes added an incorrect cache-tree information (b1f47514).
-
---
-exec >/var/tmp/1
-O=v1.7.2-rc2-17-gc9a9766
-echo O=$(git describe HEAD)
-git shortlog --no-merges HEAD ^maint ^$O
diff --git a/Documentation/git.txt b/Documentation/git.txt
index 12066ab3fc..27ece58857 100644
--- a/Documentation/git.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git.txt
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ unreleased) version of git, that is available from 'master'
 branch of the `git.git` repository.
 Documentation for older releases are available here:
 
+* link:v1.7.2/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.2]
+
+* release notes for
+  link:RelNotes-1.7.2.txt[1.7.2].
+
 * link:v1.7.1.1/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.1.1]
 
 * release notes for
diff --git a/GIT-VERSION-GEN b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
index e45513dee9..e88f50cafb 100755
--- a/GIT-VERSION-GEN
+++ b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 GVF=GIT-VERSION-FILE
-DEF_VER=v1.7.1.GIT
+DEF_VER=v1.7.2
 
 LF='
 '
diff --git a/t/README b/t/README
index a590142438..0d1183c3e6 100644
--- a/t/README
+++ b/t/README
@@ -259,11 +259,11 @@ Do:
 	test ...
 
    That way all of the commands in your tests will succeed or fail. If
-   you must ignore the return value of something (e.g. the return
-   value of export is unportable) it's best to indicate so explicitly
-   with a semicolon:
+   you must ignore the return value of something (e.g., the return
+   after unsetting a variable that was already unset is unportable) it's
+   best to indicate so explicitly with a semicolon:
 
-	export HLAGH;
+	unset HLAGH;
 	git merge hla &&
 	git push gh &&
 	test ...
diff --git a/t/t2017-checkout-orphan.sh b/t/t2017-checkout-orphan.sh
index be88d4b5ee..2d2f63f22e 100755
--- a/t/t2017-checkout-orphan.sh
+++ b/t/t2017-checkout-orphan.sh
@@ -68,41 +68,34 @@ test_expect_success '--orphan makes reflog by default' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	git config --unset core.logAllRefUpdates &&
 	git checkout --orphan delta &&
-	! test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/delta &&
-	test_must_fail PAGER= git reflog show delta &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify delta@{0} &&
 	git commit -m Delta &&
-	test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/delta &&
-	PAGER= git reflog show delta
+	git rev-parse --verify delta@{0}
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--orphan does not make reflog when core.logAllRefUpdates = false' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	git config core.logAllRefUpdates false &&
 	git checkout --orphan epsilon &&
-	! test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/epsilon &&
-	test_must_fail PAGER= git reflog show epsilon &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify epsilon@{0} &&
 	git commit -m Epsilon &&
-	! test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/epsilon &&
-	test_must_fail PAGER= git reflog show epsilon
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify epsilon@{0}
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--orphan with -l makes reflog when core.logAllRefUpdates = false' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	git checkout -l --orphan zeta &&
-	test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/zeta &&
-	test_must_fail PAGER= git reflog show zeta &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify zeta@{0} &&
 	git commit -m Zeta &&
-	PAGER= git reflog show zeta
+	git rev-parse --verify zeta@{0}
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'giving up --orphan not committed when -l and core.logAllRefUpdates = false deletes reflog' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	git checkout -l --orphan eta &&
-	test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/eta &&
-	test_must_fail PAGER= git reflog show eta &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify eta@{0} &&
 	git checkout master &&
-	! test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/eta &&
-	test_must_fail PAGER= git reflog show eta
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify eta@{0}
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--orphan is rejected with an existing name' '
diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index 859b99abf1..f54a533456 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -228,24 +228,21 @@ test_expect_success 'checkout -b makes reflog by default' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	git config --unset core.logAllRefUpdates &&
 	git checkout -b alpha &&
-	test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/alpha &&
-	PAGER= git reflog show alpha
+	git rev-parse --verify alpha@{0}
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'checkout -b does not make reflog when core.logAllRefUpdates = false' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	git config core.logAllRefUpdates false &&
 	git checkout -b beta &&
-	! test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/beta &&
-	test_must_fail PAGER= git reflog show beta
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify beta@{0}
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'checkout -b with -l makes reflog when core.logAllRefUpdates = false' '
 	git checkout master &&
 	git checkout -lb gamma &&
 	git config --unset core.logAllRefUpdates &&
-	test -f .git/logs/refs/heads/gamma &&
-	PAGER= git reflog show gamma
+	git rev-parse --verify gamma@{0}
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'avoid ambiguous track' '
diff --git a/t/t3301-notes.sh b/t/t3301-notes.sh
index 2d67a40fc1..1d82f79ee0 100755
--- a/t/t3301-notes.sh
+++ b/t/t3301-notes.sh
@@ -693,7 +693,11 @@ test_expect_success 'create note from non-existing note with "git notes add -c"
 	git add a10 &&
 	test_tick &&
 	git commit -m 10th &&
-	test_must_fail MSG="yet another note" git notes add -c deadbeef &&
+	(
+		MSG="yet another note" &&
+		export MSG &&
+		test_must_fail git notes add -c deadbeef
+	) &&
 	test_must_fail git notes list HEAD
 '