diff --git a/lib/api.js b/lib/api.js
index 322ec243..687c512d 100644
--- a/lib/api.js
+++ b/lib/api.js
@@ -351,9 +351,20 @@ var api = new (function () {
     }
   };
 
-  this.packageTask = function (name, version, definition) {
-    return new jake.PackageTask(name, version, definition);
-  };
+  function createApi(jakeTaskConstructorGetter) {
+    return function() {
+      var jakeTaskConstructor = jakeTaskConstructorGetter();
+
+      var ctor = function () {}
+        , t;
+      ctor.prototype = jakeTaskConstructor.prototype;
+      t = new ctor();
+      jakeTaskConstructor.apply(t, arguments);
+      return t;
+    };
+  }
+
+  this.packageTask = createApi(function() { return jake.PackageTask;});
 
   this.publishTask = function (name, prereqs, opts, definition) {
     return new jake.PublishTask(name, prereqs, opts, definition);
@@ -368,14 +379,7 @@ var api = new (function () {
     return new jake.WatchTask(name, taskNames, definition);
   };
 
-  this.testTask = function () {
-    var ctor = function () {}
-      , t;
-    ctor.prototype = jake.TestTask.prototype;
-    t = new ctor();
-    jake.TestTask.apply(t, arguments);
-    return t;
-  };
+  this.testTask = createApi(function() { return jake.TestTask;});
 
 })();
 
diff --git a/lib/jake.js b/lib/jake.js
index 22a1bc71..e34d938b 100644
--- a/lib/jake.js
+++ b/lib/jake.js
@@ -45,15 +45,15 @@ var Invocation = function (taskName, args) {
 // Globalize jake and top-level API methods (e.g., `task`, `desc`)
 utils.mixin(global, api);
 
-// Also add top-level API methods to exported object for those who don't want to
-//   use the globals
-utils.mixin(jake, api);
-
 // Copy utils onto base jake
 utils.mixin(jake, utils);
 // File utils should be aliased directly on base jake as well
 utils.mixin(jake, utils.file);
 
+// Also add top-level API methods to exported object for those who don't want to
+//   use the globals (`file` here will overwrite the 'file' utils namespace)
+utils.mixin(jake, api);
+
 utils.mixin(jake, new (function () {
 
   this._invocationChain = [];
diff --git a/lib/publish_task.js b/lib/publish_task.js
index f8334719..d062b783 100644
--- a/lib/publish_task.js
+++ b/lib/publish_task.js
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ var PublishTask = function () {
   this.prereqs = prereqs;
   this.packageFiles = new FileList();
   this.publishCmd = opts.publishCmd || 'npm publish %filename';
+  this.publishMessage = opts.publishMessage || 'BOOM! Published.';
   this.gitCmd = opts.gitCmd || 'git';
   this.versionFiles = opts.versionFiles || ['package.json'];
   this.scheduleDelay = 5000;
@@ -253,15 +254,26 @@ PublishTask.prototype = new (function () {
           cmd = self.publishCmd.replace(/%filename/gi, filename);
         }
 
-        // Hackity hack -- NPM publish sometimes returns errror like:
-        // Error sending version data\nnpm ERR!
-        // Error: forbidden 0.2.4 is modified, should match modified time
-        setTimeout(function () {
-          jake.exec(cmd, function () {
-            console.log('BOOM! Published.');
+        if (typeof cmd == 'function') {
+          cmd(function (err) {
+            if (err) {
+              throw err;
+            }
+            console.log(self.publishMessage);
             complete();
-          }, {printStdout: true, printStderr: true});
-        }, self.scheduleDelay);
+          });
+        }
+        else {
+          // Hackity hack -- NPM publish sometimes returns errror like:
+          // Error sending version data\nnpm ERR!
+          // Error: forbidden 0.2.4 is modified, should match modified time
+          setTimeout(function () {
+            jake.exec(cmd, function () {
+              console.log(self.publishMessage);
+              complete();
+            }, {printStdout: true, printStderr: true});
+          }, self.scheduleDelay);
+        }
       });
 
       task('cleanup', {async: true}, function () {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 48ae3955..153abd8a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "make",
     "rake"
   ],
-  "version": "8.0.13",
+  "version": "8.0.15",
   "author": "Matthew Eernisse <mde@fleegix.org> (http://fleegix.org)",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "bin": {
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   "preferGlobal": true,
   "dependencies": {
     "filelist": "0.0.x",
-    "minimatch": "0.2.x",
+    "minimatch": "3.x",
     "chalk": "0.4.x",
     "utilities": "1.0.x",
     "async": "0.9.x"