diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9be633f..673e405 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ desktop.ini
 /composer.phar
 /vendor
 
-# phpDocumentor
-/_build/phpdoc/
-/_build/phpdoc.cache/
-/_build/phpdoc-*/
+# Build system
+/_build/phpdoc
+/_build/phpdoc.cache
+/_build/deploy-*.git
 
 # User config
 /config/config.php
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index da1fb7b..7efcccb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 Pico
 ====
 
-[![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/picocms/Pico.svg)](https://github.com/picocms/Pico/blob/master/LICENSE.md)
-[![Version](https://img.shields.io/github/release/picocms/Pico.svg)](https://github.com/picocms/Pico/releases/latest)
-[![Build Status](https://img.shields.io/travis/picocms/Pico.svg)](https://travis-ci.org/picocms/Pico)
-[![Scrutinizer Code Quality](https://img.shields.io/scrutinizer/g/theshka/pico.svg)](https://scrutinizer-ci.com/g/theshka/Pico/?branch=master)
+[![License](https://picocms.github.io/Pico/badges/pico-license.svg)](https://github.com/picocms/Pico/blob/master/LICENSE.md)
+[![Version](https://picocms.github.io/Pico/badges/pico-version.svg)](https://github.com/picocms/Pico/releases/latest)
+[![Build Status](https://api.travis-ci.org/picocms/Pico.svg)](https://travis-ci.org/picocms/Pico)
+[![Scrutinizer Code Quality](https://scrutinizer-ci.com/g/theshka/Pico/badges/quality-score.png?b=master)](https://scrutinizer-ci.com/g/theshka/Pico/?branch=master)
 [![Tweet Button](https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/640217/11483728/b0842918-976f-11e5-9185-d53261b3125b.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pico+is+a+stupidly+simple%2C+blazing+fast%2C+flat+file+CMS.+Visit+http%3A%2F%2Fpicocms.org+and+downlaod+%23picocms+today%21+via+%40gitpicocms&related=gitpicocms)
 
 Pico is a stupidly simple, blazing fast, flat file CMS. See http://picocms.org/ for more info.
diff --git a/_build/deploy-phpdoc-branch.sh b/_build/deploy-phpdoc-branch.sh
index fd4eaba..c4a94a9 100755
--- a/_build/deploy-phpdoc-branch.sh
+++ b/_build/deploy-phpdoc-branch.sh
@@ -1,40 +1,51 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 if [ "$TRAVIS_PHP_VERSION" != "5.3" ]; then
-    echo "Skipping phpDoc deployment because this is not on the required runtime"
-    exit
-fi
-
-if [[ ",$DEPLOY_PHPDOC_BRANCHES," != *,"$TRAVIS_BRANCH",* ]]; then
-    echo "Skipping phpDoc deployment because this branch ($TRAVIS_BRANCH) is not permitted to deploy"
-    exit
+    echo "Skipping branch deployment because this is not on the required runtime"
+    exit 0
 fi
 
 if [ "$TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST" != "false" ]; then
-    echo "Skipping phpDoc deployment because this pull request (#$TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST) is not permitted to deploy"
-    exit
+    echo "Skipping branch deployment because this pull request (#$TRAVIS_PULL_REQUEST) is not permitted to deploy"
+    exit 0
 fi
 
-PHPDOC_ID="${TRAVIS_BRANCH//\//_}"
-PHPDOC_GIT_DIR="$TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR/_build/phpdoc-$PHPDOC_ID.git"
+if [[ ",$DEPLOY_PHPDOC_BRANCHES," != *,"$TRAVIS_BRANCH",* ]]; then
+    echo "Skipping phpDoc branch deployment because this branch ($TRAVIS_BRANCH) is not permitted to deploy"
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+DEPLOYMENT_ID="${TRAVIS_BRANCH//\//_}"
+DEPLOYMENT_DIR="$TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR/_build/deploy-$DEPLOYMENT_ID.git"
 
 # clone repo
 echo "Cloning repo..."
-git clone --branch="gh-pages" "https://github.com/$TRAVIS_REPO_SLUG.git" "$PHPDOC_GIT_DIR"
+git clone --branch="gh-pages" "https://github.com/$TRAVIS_REPO_SLUG.git" "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR"
 [ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
 
-cd "$PHPDOC_GIT_DIR"
+cd "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR"
 echo
 
+# setup repo
+github-setup.sh
+
 # generate phpDocs
 generate-phpdoc.sh \
     "$TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR/.phpdoc.xml" \
-    "$PHPDOC_GIT_DIR/phpDoc/$PHPDOC_ID.cache" "$PHPDOC_GIT_DIR/phpDoc/$PHPDOC_ID" \
+    "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID.cache" "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID" \
     "Pico 1.0 API Documentation ($TRAVIS_BRANCH branch)"
 [ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
+[ -n "$(git status --porcelain "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID.cache")" ] || exit 0
+
+# commit phpDocs
+echo "Committing changes..."
+git add "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID.cache" "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID"
+git commit \
+    --message="Update phpDocumentor class docs for $TRAVIS_BRANCH branch @ $TRAVIS_COMMIT" \
+    "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID.cache" "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID"
+[ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
+echo
 
 # deploy phpDocs
-deploy-phpdoc.sh \
-    "Update phpDocumentor class docs for $TRAVIS_BRANCH branch @ $TRAVIS_COMMIT" \
-    "$TRAVIS_REPO_SLUG" "heads/$TRAVIS_BRANCH" "$TRAVIS_COMMIT"
+github-deploy.sh "$TRAVIS_REPO_SLUG" "heads/$TRAVIS_BRANCH" "$TRAVIS_COMMIT"
 [ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
diff --git a/_build/deploy-phpdoc-release.sh b/_build/deploy-phpdoc-release.sh
index e613808..42f11e2 100755
--- a/_build/deploy-phpdoc-release.sh
+++ b/_build/deploy-phpdoc-release.sh
@@ -1,27 +1,65 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-[ "$DEPLOY_PHPDOC_RELEASES" == "true" ] || exit
+if [ "$DEPLOY_PHPDOC_RELEASES" != "true" ]; then
+    echo "Skipping phpDoc release deployment because it has been disabled"
+fi
+if [ "$DEPLOY_VERSION_BADGE" != "true" ]; then
+    echo "Skipping version badge deployment because it has been disabled"
+fi
+if [ "$DEPLOY_PHPDOC_RELEASES" != "true" ] || [ "$DEPLOY_VERSION_BADGE" != "true" ]; then
+    [ "$DEPLOY_PHPDOC_RELEASES" != "true" ] && [ "$DEPLOY_VERSION_BADGE" != "true" ] && exit 0 || echo
+fi
 
-PHPDOC_ID="${TRAVIS_BRANCH//\//_}"
-PHPDOC_GIT_DIR="$TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR/_build/phpdoc-$PHPDOC_ID.git"
+DEPLOYMENT_ID="${TRAVIS_BRANCH//\//_}"
+DEPLOYMENT_DIR="$TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR/_build/deploy-$DEPLOYMENT_ID.git"
 
 # clone repo
 echo "Cloning repo..."
-git clone --branch="gh-pages" "https://github.com/$TRAVIS_REPO_SLUG.git" "$PHPDOC_GIT_DIR"
+git clone --branch="gh-pages" "https://github.com/$TRAVIS_REPO_SLUG.git" "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR"
 [ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
 
-cd "$PHPDOC_GIT_DIR"
+cd "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR"
 echo
 
-# generate phpDocs
-generate-phpdoc.sh \
-    "$TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR/.phpdoc.xml" \
-    "-" "$PHPDOC_GIT_DIR/phpDoc/$PHPDOC_ID" \
-    "Pico 1.0 API Documentation ($TRAVIS_TAG)"
-[ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
+# setup repo
+github-setup.sh
 
-# deploy phpDocs
-deploy-phpdoc.sh \
-    "Update phpDocumentor class docs for $TRAVIS_TAG" \
-    "$TRAVIS_REPO_SLUG" "tags/$TRAVIS_TAG" "$TRAVIS_COMMIT"
+# generate phpDocs
+if [ "$DEPLOY_PHPDOC_RELEASES" == "true" ]; then
+    generate-phpdoc.sh \
+        "$TRAVIS_BUILD_DIR/.phpdoc.xml" \
+        "-" "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID" \
+        "Pico 1.0 API Documentation ($TRAVIS_TAG)"
+    [ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
+
+    # commit phpDocs
+    if [ -n "$(git status --porcelain "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID")" ]; then
+        echo "Committing phpDoc changes..."
+        git add "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID"
+        git commit \
+            --message="Update phpDocumentor class docs for $TRAVIS_TAG" \
+            "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/phpDoc/$DEPLOYMENT_ID"
+        [ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
+        echo
+    fi
+fi
+
+# update version badge
+if [ "$DEPLOY_VERSION_BADGE" == "true" ]; then
+    generate-badge.sh \
+        "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/badges/pico-version.svg" \
+        "release" "$TRAVIS_TAG" "blue"
+
+    # commit version badge
+    echo "Committing changes..."
+    git add "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/badges/pico-version.svg"
+    git commit \
+        --message="Update version badge for $TRAVIS_TAG" \
+        "$DEPLOYMENT_DIR/badges/pico-version.svg"
+    [ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
+    echo
+fi
+
+# deploy
+github-deploy.sh "$TRAVIS_REPO_SLUG" "tags/$TRAVIS_TAG" "$TRAVIS_COMMIT"
 [ $? -eq 0 ] || exit 1
diff --git a/_build/generate-badge.sh b/_build/generate-badge.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5727e74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_build/generate-badge.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+##
+# Downloads a custom badge from shields.io
+#
+# All credit goes to the awesome guys at shields.io!
+#
+# @see     http://shields.io/
+#
+# @author  Daniel Rudolf
+# @link    http://picocms.org
+# @license http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+#
+
+set -e
+
+# parameters
+BADGE_FILE_PATH="$1"    # target file path
+BADGE_SUBJECT="$2"      # subject (left half) of the badge
+BADGE_STATUS="$3"       # status (right half) of the badge
+BADGE_COLOR="$4"        # color of the badge
+
+# print parameters
+echo "Generating badge..."
+printf 'BADGE_FILE_PATH="%s"\n' "$BADGE_FILE_PATH"
+printf 'BADGE_SUBJECT="%s"\n' "$BADGE_SUBJECT"
+printf 'BADGE_STATUS="%s"\n' "$BADGE_STATUS"
+printf 'BADGE_COLOR="%s"\n' "$BADGE_COLOR"
+echo
+
+# download badge from shields.io
+printf 'Downloading badge...\n'
+TMP_BADGE="$(mktemp -u)"
+
+curl --location --output "$TMP_BADGE" \
+    "https://img.shields.io/badge/$BADGE_SUBJECT-$BADGE_STATUS-$BADGE_COLOR.svg"
+
+# validate badge
+if [ ! -f "$TMP_BADGE" ] || [ ! -s "$TMP_BADGE" ]; then
+    echo "Unable to generate badge; skipping..." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# MIME type image/svg+xml isn't supported at the moment
+#
+#TMP_BADGE_MIME="$(file --mime-type "$TMP_BADGE" | cut -d ' ' -f 2)"
+#if [ "$TMP_BADGE_MIME" != "image/svg+xml" ]; then
+#    echo "Generated badge should be of type 'image/svg+xml', '$TMP_BADGE_MIME' given; aborting...\n" >&2
+#    exit 1
+#fi
+
+# deploy badge
+mv "$TMP_BADGE" "$BADGE_FILE_PATH"
+
+echo
diff --git a/_build/deploy-phpdoc.sh b/_build/github-deploy.sh
similarity index 61%
rename from _build/deploy-phpdoc.sh
rename to _build/github-deploy.sh
index dea8366..3734f20 100755
--- a/_build/deploy-phpdoc.sh
+++ b/_build/github-deploy.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 ##
-# Deploys phpDoc class documentation
+# Pushes commits to a GitHub repo
 #
 # @author  Daniel Rudolf
 # @link    http://picocms.org
@@ -10,52 +10,31 @@
 
 set -e
 
-# environment variables
-# GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN    GitHub authentication token, see https://github.com/settings/tokens
-
 # parameters
-COMMIT_MESSAGE="$1"         # commit message
-CHECK_REPO_SLUG="$2"        # optional GitHub repo (e.g. picocms/Pico) to check
+CHECK_REPO_SLUG="$1"        # optional GitHub repo (e.g. picocms/Pico) to check
                             # its latest commit as basic race condition protection
-CHECK_REMOTE_REF="$3"       # optional remote Git reference (e.g. heads/master)
-CHECK_LOCAL_COMMIT="$4"     # optional local commit SHA1
+CHECK_REMOTE_REF="$2"       # optional remote Git reference (e.g. heads/master)
+CHECK_LOCAL_COMMIT="$3"     # optional local commit SHA1
 
 # print parameters
-echo "Deploying phpDocs..."
-printf 'COMMIT_MESSAGE="%s"\n' "$COMMIT_MESSAGE"
+echo "Deploying repo..."
 printf 'CHECK_REPO_SLUG="%s"\n' "$CHECK_REPO_SLUG"
 printf 'CHECK_REMOTE_REF="%s"\n' "$CHECK_REMOTE_REF"
 printf 'CHECK_LOCAL_COMMIT="%s"\n' "$CHECK_LOCAL_COMMIT"
 echo
 
 # check for changes
-if [ -z "$(git status --porcelain)" ]; then
+if [ -z "$(git log --oneline '@{upstream}..')" ]; then
     printf 'Nothing to deploy; skipping...\n\n'
     exit 0
 fi
 
-# setup git
-printf 'Preparing repo...\n'
-git config push.default simple
-git config user.name "Travis CI"
-git config user.email "travis-ci@picocms.org"
-
-if [ -n "$GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN" ]; then
-    git config credential.helper 'store --file=.git/credentials'
-    (umask 077 && echo "https://GitHub:$GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN@github.com" > .git/credentials)
-fi
-
-# commit changes
-printf '\nCommiting changes...\n'
-git add --all
-git commit --message="$COMMIT_MESSAGE"
-
 # race condition protection for concurrent Travis builds
 # this is no definite protection (race conditions are still possible during `git push`),
 # but it should give a basic protection without disabling concurrent builds completely
 if [ -n "$CHECK_REPO_SLUG" ] && [ -n "$CHECK_REMOTE_REF" ] && [ -n "$CHECK_LOCAL_COMMIT" ]; then
     # retrieve information using GitHub APIv3
-    printf '\nChecking latest commit...\n'
+    printf 'Checking latest commit...\n'
     CHECK_API_URL="https://api.github.com/repos/$CHECK_REPO_SLUG/git/refs/$CHECK_REMOTE_REF"
     if [ -n "$GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN" ]; then
         CHECK_API_RESPONSE="$(wget -O- --header="Authorization: token $GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN" "$CHECK_API_URL" 2> /dev/null)"
@@ -77,13 +56,15 @@ if [ -n "$CHECK_REPO_SLUG" ] && [ -n "$CHECK_REMOTE_REF" ] && [ -n "$CHECK_LOCAL
 
     # compare source reference against the latest commit
     if [ "$CHECK_REMOTE_COMMIT" != "$CHECK_LOCAL_COMMIT" ]; then
-        echo "WARNING: latest local commit '$CHECK_LOCAL_COMMIT' doesn't match latest remote commit '$CHECK_REMOTE_COMMIT'" >&2
-        exit 0
+        echo "Latest local commit '$CHECK_LOCAL_COMMIT' doesn't match latest remote commit '$CHECK_REMOTE_COMMIT'; aborting..." >&2
+        exit 1
     fi
+
+    echo
 fi
 
 # push changes
-printf '\nPushing changes...\n'
-git push origin
+printf 'Pushing changes...\n'
+git push
 
 echo
diff --git a/_build/github-setup.sh b/_build/github-setup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..a9697cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_build/github-setup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+##
+# Prepares a GitHub repo for deployment
+#
+# @author  Daniel Rudolf
+# @link    http://picocms.org
+# @license http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+#
+
+set -e
+
+# environment variables
+# GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN    GitHub authentication token, see https://github.com/settings/tokens
+
+# print "parameters" (we don't have any)
+echo "Setup repo..."
+echo
+
+# check for git repo
+if ! git rev-parse --git-dir > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "Not a git repo; aborting..." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# setup git
+printf 'Preparing repo...\n'
+git config push.default simple
+git config user.name "Travis CI"
+git config user.email "travis-ci@picocms.org"
+
+if [ -n "$GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN" ]; then
+    git config credential.helper 'store --file=.git/credentials'
+    (umask 077 && echo "https://GitHub:$GITHUB_OAUTH_TOKEN@github.com" > .git/credentials)
+fi
+
+echo