diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7d4907b93..c155b2240 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -104,10 +104,14 @@ showupdates:
 	@echo "*** Direct dependencies that could be updated ***"
 	@GO111MODULE=on go list -u -f '{{if (and (not (or .Main .Indirect)) .Update)}}{{.Path}}: {{.Version}} -> {{.Update.Version}}{{end}}' -m all 2> /dev/null
 
+# Update direct dependencies only
+updatedirect:
+	GO111MODULE=on go get -d $$(go list -m -f '{{if not (or .Main .Indirect)}}{{.Path}}{{end}}' all)
+	GO111MODULE=on go mod tidy
+
 # Update direct and indirect dependencies and test dependencies
 update:
-	GO111MODULE=on go get -u -t ./...
-	-#GO111MODULE=on go get -d $(go list -m -f '{{if not (or .Main .Indirect)}}{{.Path}}{{end}}' all)
+	GO111MODULE=on go get -d -u -t ./...
 	GO111MODULE=on go mod tidy
 
 # Tidy the module dependencies
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index 0ee26fecf..3747fb8e8 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -34,13 +34,24 @@ This file describes how to make the various kinds of releases
   * make startdev # make startstable for stable branch
   * # announce with forum post, twitter post, patreon post
 
+## Update dependencies
+
 Early in the next release cycle update the dependencies
 
   * Review any pinned packages in go.mod and remove if possible
-  * make update
-  * git status
-  * git add new files
+  * make updatedirect
+  * make
   * git commit -a -v
+  * make update
+  * make
+  * roll back any updates which didn't compile
+  * git commit -a -v --amend
+
+Note that `make update` updates all direct and indirect dependencies
+and there can occasionally be forwards compatibility problems with
+doing that so it may be necessary to roll back dependencies to the
+version specified by `make updatedirect` in order to get rclone to
+build.
 
 ## Making a point release