diff --git a/git-flow-release b/git-flow-release
index bb39d52..62e3015 100644
--- a/git-flow-release
+++ b/git-flow-release
@@ -36,11 +36,13 @@
 # policies, either expressed or implied, of Vincent Driessen.
 #
 
-require_git_repo
-require_gitflow_initialized
-gitflow_load_settings
-VERSION_PREFIX=$(eval "echo `git config --get gitflow.prefix.versiontag`")
-PREFIX=$(git config --get gitflow.prefix.release)
+init() {
+  require_git_repo
+  require_gitflow_initialized
+  gitflow_load_settings
+  VERSION_PREFIX=$(eval "echo `git config --get gitflow.prefix.versiontag`")
+  PREFIX=$(git config --get gitflow.prefix.release)
+}
 
 usage() {
 	echo "usage: git flow release [list] [-v]"