diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 6ee557335..43b997911 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -328,8 +328,7 @@ task :noop
 #plugin "release_manager"
 
 desc "Make a new release"
-task :release, :rel, :reuse, :reltest,
-  :needs => [
+task :release, [:rel, :reuse, :reltest] => [
     :prerelease,
     :clobber,
     "test:all",
@@ -379,8 +378,7 @@ task :prerelease, :rel, :reuse, :reltest do |t, args|
   end
 end
 
-task :update_version, :rel, :reuse, :reltest,
-  :needs => [:prerelease] do |t, args|
+task :update_version, [:rel, :reuse, :reltest] => [:prerelease] do |t, args|
   if args.rel == CURRENT_VERSION
     announce "No version change ... skipping version update"
   else
@@ -406,8 +404,7 @@ task :update_version, :rel, :reuse, :reltest,
 end
 
 desc "Tag all the CVS files with the latest release number (REL=x.y.z)"
-task :tag, :rel, :reuse, :reltest,
-  :needs => [:prerelease] do |t, args|
+task :tag, [:rel, :reuse, :reltest] => [:prerelease] do |t, args|
   reltag = "REL_#{args.rel.gsub(/\./, '_')}"
   reltag << args.reuse.gsub(/\./, '_') if args.reuse
   announce "Tagging Repository with [#{reltag}]"
diff --git a/rakelib/rbx.rake b/rakelib/rbx.rake
index 8791dbbb3..4aad24801 100644
--- a/rakelib/rbx.rake
+++ b/rakelib/rbx.rake
@@ -62,19 +62,19 @@ namespace "rbx" do
     end
 
     desc "Run the unit tests in Ruby 1.9"
-    task :units, :opts, :needs => [:env19] do |t, args|
+    task :units, [:opts] => [:env19] do |t, args|
       test_files = FileList['test/lib/*_test.rb']
       Rbx.run_tests(test_files, args.opts)
     end
 
     desc "Run the functional tests in Ruby 1.9"
-    task :functionals, :opts, :needs => [:env19] do |t, args|
+    task :functionals, [:opts] => [:env19] do |t, args|
       test_files = FileList['test/functional/*_test.rb']
       Rbx.run_tests(test_files, args.opts)
     end
 
     desc "Run the all the tests in Ruby 1.9"
-    task :all, :opts, :needs => [:env19] do |t, args|
+    task :all, [:opts] => [:env19] do |t, args|
       test_files = FileList['test/functional/*_test.rb', 'test/lib/*_test.rb']
       Rbx.run_tests(test_files, args.opts)
     end
diff --git a/rakelib/ruby19.rake b/rakelib/ruby19.rake
index 36f60964c..33ecffa22 100644
--- a/rakelib/ruby19.rake
+++ b/rakelib/ruby19.rake
@@ -68,19 +68,19 @@ namespace "ruby19" do
     end
 
     desc "Run the unit tests in Ruby 1.9"
-    task :units, :opts, :needs => [:env19] do |t, args|
+    task :units, [:opts] => [:env19] do |t, args|
       test_files = FileList['test/lib/*_test.rb']
       Ruby19.run_tests(test_files, args.opts)
     end
 
     desc "Run the functional tests in Ruby 1.9"
-    task :functionals, :opts, :needs => [:env19] do |t, args|
+    task :functionals, [:opts] => [:env19] do |t, args|
       test_files = FileList['test/functional/*_test.rb']
       Ruby19.run_tests(test_files, args.opts)
     end
 
     desc "Run the all the tests in Ruby 1.9"
-    task :all, :opts, :needs => [:env19] do |t, args|
+    task :all, [:opts] => [:env19] do |t, args|
       test_files = FileList['test/*_test.rb', 'test/functional/*_test.rb', 'test/lib/*_test.rb']
       Ruby19.run_tests(test_files, args.opts)
     end