diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 06c6024eb..2c6cd49a5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -37,3 +37,4 @@ submodules/externals/build/openh264/x86
 tests/*$py.class
 tests/build.xml
 tests/project.properties
+ant_password.properties
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 948f110d2..1cad73c7c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -462,9 +462,6 @@ install-apk:
 
 release: update-project
 	$(ANT) clean
-	echo "What is the version name for the release ?"; \
-	read version; \
-	echo "version.name=$$version" > default.properties
 	patch -p1 < release.patch
 	$(ANT) release
 	git checkout HEAD AndroidManifest.xml
diff --git a/README b/README
index b38f48131..42c287a8e 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -25,9 +25,12 @@ To build liblinphone for Android, you must:
 	$ make mediastreamer2-sdk
 7) (Optional) To generate a signed apk to publish on the Google Play, run
 	$ make release
-It will ask you for the version number that will be displayed in the about page of the app.
-Make sure you filled the ant.properties values for key.store and key.alias in order to correctly
-sign the generated apk (it will ask you the password during the process)
+Make sure you filled the ant.properties values for version.name, key.store and key.alias in order to correctly
+sign the generated apk. 
+You also may want to create a file name ant_password.properties with the following:
+key.store.password=[your_password]
+key.alias.password=[your_password]
+If you don't, the passwords will be asked at the signing phase.
 
 To run the tutorials:
 --------------------
diff --git a/ant.properties b/ant.properties
index 7f65258e5..d2cc146d1 100644
--- a/ant.properties
+++ b/ant.properties
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 source.dir=src:submodules/linphone/mediastreamer2/java/src:submodules/linphone/java/j2se:submodules/linphone/java/common:submodules/linphone/java/impl:submodules/linphone/coreapi/help/java:submodules/externals/axmlrpc/src/main/java
 key.store=bc-android.keystore
 key.alias=nw8000
+version.name=2.4.0
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index cc1aeac67..c7297b2ab 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
          -->
     <property file="ant.properties" />
-    <property file="default.properties" />
+    <property file="ant_password.properties" />
 
     <!-- if sdk.dir was not set from one of the property file, then
          get it from the ANDROID_HOME env var.