diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index de67e629..aa2019a6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,35 +5,68 @@
 A skeleton for a TRIQS application
 ----------------------------------
 
-To adapt this skeleton for a new triqs application, the following steps are necessary:
+**Caution**: The following instructions require the `util-linux` rename command.
+Please confirm that you have the right version by running `rename --version`.
+For the Perl rename command see instructions in the following section.
+
+To adapt this skeleton for a new TRIQS application, the following steps are necessary:
 
 * Create a repository, e.g. https://github.com/myuser/mynewapp
 
-* Run the following commands (replacing myuser and mynewapp accordingly)
+* Run the following commands in order after replacing myuser, mynewapp and MYNEWAPP accordingly
 
 ```bash
-git clone https://github.com/triqs/app4triqs --branch unstable mynewapp
-cd mynewapp
-git remote set-url origin https://github.com/myuser/mynewapp
-find . -type f | grep -v .git | xargs sed -i 's/app4triqs/mynewapp/g; s/APP4TRIQS/MYNEWAPP/g'
-find . -type d | grep -v .git | xargs rename app4triqs mynewapp
-find . -type f | grep -v .git | xargs rename app4triqs mynewapp
-git add -A
-git commit -m "Create mynewapp from github.com/triqs/app4triqs skeleton"
-git push
+github_username=myuser
+app_name=mynewapp
+capital_name=MYNEWAPP
+
+git clone https://github.com/triqs/app4triqs --branch unstable ${app_name}
+cd ${app_name}
+git reset $(git commit-tree HEAD\^{tree} -m "Create ${app_name} from github.com/triqs/app4triqs skeleton")
+git merge --allow-unrelated-histories -s ours HEAD@{1} -m "Track app4triqs skeleton"
+find . -type f | grep -v .git | xargs sed -i 's/app4triqs/${app_name}/g; s/APP4TRIQS/${capital_name}/g'
+find . -type d | grep -v .git | xargs rename app4triqs ${app_name}
+find . -type f | grep -v .git | xargs rename app4triqs ${app_name}
+git add -A && git commit -m "Adjust app4triqs skeleton for ${app_name}"
+git remote set-url origin https://github.com/${github_username}/${app_name}
+git remote add app4triqs_remote https://github.com/triqs/app4triqs
+git remote update && git remote prune origin
 ```
 
-Depending on which version of the rename command you are using you may
-need to replace the aforementioned rename commands as follows
+You can now push to your github repository
 
 ```bash
-find . -type d | grep -v .git | xargs rename 's/app4triqs/mynewapp/'
-find . -type f | grep -v .git | xargs rename 's/app4triqs/mynewapp/'
+git push origin unstable
 ```
 
+Perl rename command
+-------------------
+
+If you are using the Perl-based rename command you will need to 
+
+```bash
+find . -type d | grep -v .git | xargs rename 's/app4triqs/${app_name}/'
+find . -type f | grep -v .git | xargs rename 's/app4triqs/${app_name}/'
+```
+
+Github SSH interface
+--------------------
+
 If you prefer to use the SSH interface to the remote repository,
 replace the http link accordingly
 
 ```
 https://github.com/myuser/mynewapp   -->   git@github.com:myuser/mynewapp
 ```
+
+Merging app4triqs skeleton updates
+----------------------------------
+
+You can merge future changes to app4triqs into your project with the following commands
+
+```bash
+git remote update
+git merge app4triqs_remote -m "Merge latest app4triqs skeleton changes"
+```
+
+If you should encounter any conflicts resolve them and `git commit`.