diff --git a/scripts/release.pl b/scripts/release.pl
index edbe9fb3c0bb..674137b9da7c 100755
--- a/scripts/release.pl
+++ b/scripts/release.pl
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ ($$)
 my $result = GetOptions(
 		"major" => \$domajor,
 		"minor" => \$dominor,
-		"point" => \$dopoint,
+		"point:i" => \$dopoint,
 		"releasename=s" => \$newreleasename,
 		"help" => \$help,
 		"ltr" => \$doltr,
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ ($$)
 $i++ if defined $dominor;
 $i++ if defined $dopoint;
 pod2usage("Exactly one of -major, -minor or -point expected") if $i!=1;
-pod2usage("Release name for major and minor releases expected") if !$dopoint && !defined $newreleasename;
+pod2usage("Release name for major and minor releases expected") if !defined $dopoint && !defined $newreleasename;
 pod2usage("Pre-major releases can only be minor releases") if $dopremajor && !$dominor;
 pod2usage("No CMakeLists.txt in current directory") unless -r "CMakeLists.txt";
 
@@ -106,10 +106,10 @@ ($$)
 pod2usage("Release name Master expected on master branch" ) if $branch =~ /^master/ && $releasename ne "Master";
 
 if( $branch =~ /^master.*/ ) {
-	pod2usage("No point releases on master branch") if $dopoint;
+	pod2usage("No point releases on master branch") if defined $dopoint;
 	pod2usage("No new release name for major/minor release") unless $newreleasename || $newreleasename eq $releasename;
 } else {
-	pod2usage("Only point releases on release branches") if !$dopoint;
+	pod2usage("Only point releases on release branches") if !defined $dopoint;
 	pod2usage("New release names only for new minor releases") if $newreleasename;
 	$newreleasename = $releasename;
 }
@@ -125,16 +125,17 @@ ($$)
 	$newmajor = $major;
 	$newminor = $minor + 1;
 	$newpatch = 0;
-} elsif( $dopoint ) {
+} elsif( defined $dopoint ) {
 	$newmajor = $major;
 	$newminor = $minor;
-	$newpatch = $patch + 1;
+	pod2usage("Given point release number <= $patch") if $dopoint && $dopoint <= $patch;
+	$newpatch = $dopoint ? $dopoint : $patch + 1;
 } else {
 	pod2usage("No version change");
 }
 
 my $splashwidth;
-unless( $dopoint ) {
+unless( defined $dopoint ) {
 	pod2usage("Splash images/splash/splash-$newmajor.$newminor.png not found") unless -r "images/splash/splash-$newmajor.$newminor.png";
 	pod2usage("NSIS image ms-windows/Installer-Files/WelcomeFinishPage-$newmajor.$newminor.png not found") unless -r "ms-windows/Installer-Files/WelcomeFinishPage-$newmajor.$newminor.png";
 	my $welcomeformat = `identify -format '%wx%h %m' ms-windows/Installer-Files/WelcomeFinishPage-$newmajor.$newminor.png`;
@@ -163,7 +164,7 @@ ($$)
 run( "scripts/create_changelog.sh", "create_changelog.sh failed" );
 run( "perl -i -pe 's#<releases>#<releases>\n    <release version=\"$newmajor.$newminor.$newpatch\" date=\"" . strftime("%Y-%m-%d", localtime) . "\" />#' linux/org.qgis.qgis.appdata.xml.in", "appdata update failed" );
 
-unless( $dopoint ) {
+unless( defined $dopoint ) {
 	run( "scripts/update_news.pl $newmajor.$newminor '$newreleasename'", "could not update news" ) if $major>2 || ($major==2 && $minor>14);
 
 	run( "git commit -n -a -m \"changelog and news update for $release\"", "could not commit changelog and news update" );
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ ($$)
 run( "dch --newversion $version 'Release of $version'", "dch failed" );
 run( "cp debian/changelog /tmp", "backup changelog failed" );
 
-unless( $dopoint ) {
+unless( defined $dopoint ) {
 	run( "perl -i -pe 's/qgis-dev-deps/qgis-ltr-deps/;' doc/msvc.t2t", "could not update osgeo4w deps package" ) if $doltr;
 	run( "perl -i -pe 's/qgis-dev-deps/qgis-rel-deps/;' doc/msvc.t2t", "could not update osgeo4w deps package" ) unless $doltr;
 	run( "txt2tags -odoc/INSTALL.html -t html doc/INSTALL.t2t", "could not update INSTALL.html" );
@@ -201,7 +202,7 @@ ($$)
 run( "sha256sum qgis-$version.tar.bz2 >qgis-$version.tar.bz2.sha256", "sha256sum failed" );
 
 my @topush;
-unless( $dopoint ) {
+unless( defined $dopoint ) {
 	$newminor++;
 
 	print "Updating master...\n";
@@ -246,12 +247,12 @@ =head1 NAME
 
 =head1 SYNOPSIS
 
-release.pl {{-major|-minor [-premajor]} [-skipts] -releasename=releasename|-point} [-ltr]
+release.pl {{-major|-minor [-premajor]} [-skipts] -releasename=releasename|-point[=version]} [-ltr]
 
   Options:
     -major              do a new major release
     -minor              do a new minor release
-    -point              do a new point release
+    -point[=number]     do a new point release with an optional number
     -releasename=name   new release name for master/minor release
     -ltr                new release is a long term release
     -dryrun             just echo but don't run any commands
@@ -267,5 +268,5 @@ =head1 SYNOPSIS
   master_$currentmajor to allow more interim minor releases
   while the new major version is being developed in master.
   For that the minor version of the master branch leading
-  to the next major release is bumped to 999.
+  to the next major release is bumped to 99.
 =cut