diff --git a/bin/plugin/commands/release.js b/bin/plugin/commands/release.js
index 56a232d13882c..16f8f8796e903 100644
--- a/bin/plugin/commands/release.js
+++ b/bin/plugin/commands/release.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const fs = require( 'fs' );
 const semver = require( 'semver' );
 const Octokit = require( '@octokit/rest' );
 const { sprintf } = require( 'sprintf-js' );
+const os = require( 'os' );
 
 /**
  * Internal dependencies
@@ -518,13 +519,27 @@ async function runUpdateTrunkContentStep(
 			newReadmeFileContent.replace( STABLE_TAG_PLACEHOLDER, stableTag )
 		);
 
+		let xargsOpts = '';
+		if ( os.platform === 'linux' ) {
+			// When xargs receives no arguments, it behaves differently in macOS and linux:
+			// - macOS: doesn't run
+			// - linux: run without arguments
+			//
+			// In linux, the -r option teaches xargs not to run if it receives no arguments.
+			xargsOpts = '-r';
+		}
+
 		// Commit the content changes
 		runShellScript(
-			"svn st | grep '^?' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs svn add",
+			"svn st | grep '^?' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs " +
+				xargsOpts +
+				' svn add',
 			svnWorkingDirectoryPath
 		);
 		runShellScript(
-			"svn st | grep '^!' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs svn rm",
+			"svn st | grep '^!' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs " +
+				xargsOpts +
+				' svn rm',
 			svnWorkingDirectoryPath
 		);
 		await askForConfirmation(
diff --git a/docs/contributors/release.md b/docs/contributors/release.md
index 97bf6d2acb23e..a1bc58edce80a 100644
--- a/docs/contributors/release.md
+++ b/docs/contributors/release.md
@@ -199,9 +199,9 @@ You'll need to use Subversion to publish the plugin to WordPress.org.
 6. Add new files/remove deleted files from the repository:
 ```bash
 # Add new files:
-svn st | grep '^\?' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs svn add
+svn st | grep '^\?' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs svn add # add the -r option to xargs if you use a linux-based OS
 # Delete old files:
-svn st | grep '^!' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs svn rm
+svn st | grep '^!' | awk '{print $2}' | xargs svn rm # add the -r option to xargs if you use a linux-based OS
 ```
 7. Commit the new version:
 ```bash