diff --git a/WATCHLISTS b/WATCHLISTS
index 29b957b091..f0dde00dba 100644
--- a/WATCHLISTS
+++ b/WATCHLISTS
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@
     },
     'ia32': {
       'filepath': '/ia32/',
+    },
+    'merges': {
+      'filepath': '.',
     }
   },
 
@@ -91,5 +94,9 @@
     'ia32': [
       'v8-x87-ports@googlegroups.com',
     ],
+    'merges': [
+      # Only enabled on branches created with tools/release/create_release.py
+      # 'v8-merges@googlegroups.com',
+    ],
   },
 }
diff --git a/tools/release/common_includes.py b/tools/release/common_includes.py
index 61d60f1640..c3a216c664 100644
--- a/tools/release/common_includes.py
+++ b/tools/release/common_includes.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ DAY_IN_SECONDS = 24 * 60 * 60
 PUSH_MSG_GIT_RE = re.compile(r".* \(based on (?P<git_rev>[a-fA-F0-9]+)\)$")
 PUSH_MSG_NEW_RE = re.compile(r"^Version \d+\.\d+\.\d+$")
 VERSION_FILE = os.path.join("include", "v8-version.h")
+WATCHLISTS_FILE = "WATCHLISTS"
 
 # V8 base directory.
 V8_BASE = os.path.dirname(
diff --git a/tools/release/create_release.py b/tools/release/create_release.py
index 3bbb50e491..7477ea1461 100755
--- a/tools/release/create_release.py
+++ b/tools/release/create_release.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import urllib2
 
 from common_includes import *
 
-
 class Preparation(Step):
   MESSAGE = "Preparation."
 
@@ -164,6 +163,7 @@ class MakeBranch(Step):
     self.Git("checkout -b work-branch %s" % self["push_hash"])
     self.GitCheckoutFile(CHANGELOG_FILE, self["latest_version"])
     self.GitCheckoutFile(VERSION_FILE, self["latest_version"])
+    self.GitCheckoutFile(WATCHLISTS_FILE, self["latest_version"])
 
 
 class AddChangeLog(Step):
@@ -183,6 +183,19 @@ class SetVersion(Step):
     self.SetVersion(os.path.join(self.default_cwd, VERSION_FILE), "new_")
 
 
+class EnableMergeWatchlist(Step):
+  MESSAGE = "Enable watchlist entry for merge notifications."
+
+  def RunStep(self):
+    old_watchlist_content = FileToText(os.path.join(self.default_cwd,
+                                                    WATCHLISTS_FILE))
+    new_watchlist_content = re.sub("(# 'v8-merges@googlegroups\.com',)",
+                                   "'v8-merges@googlegroups.com',",
+                                   old_watchlist_content)
+    TextToFile(new_watchlist_content, os.path.join(self.default_cwd,
+                                                   WATCHLISTS_FILE))
+
+
 class CommitBranch(Step):
   MESSAGE = "Commit version and changelog to new branch."
 
@@ -288,6 +301,7 @@ class CreateRelease(ScriptsBase):
       MakeBranch,
       AddChangeLog,
       SetVersion,
+      EnableMergeWatchlist,
       CommitBranch,
       PushBranch,
       TagRevision,
diff --git a/tools/release/test_scripts.py b/tools/release/test_scripts.py
index 07f5c40c3b..4f133ac28a 100644
--- a/tools/release/test_scripts.py
+++ b/tools/release/test_scripts.py
@@ -389,6 +389,20 @@ class ScriptTest(unittest.TestCase):
       f.write("  // Some line...\n")
       f.write("#define V8_IS_CANDIDATE_VERSION 0\n")
 
+  def WriteFakeWatchlistsFile(self):
+    watchlists_file = os.path.join(TEST_CONFIG["DEFAULT_CWD"], WATCHLISTS_FILE)
+    if not os.path.exists(os.path.dirname(watchlists_file)):
+      os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(watchlists_file))
+    with open(watchlists_file, "w") as f:
+
+      content = """
+    'merges': [
+      # Only enabled on branches created with tools/release/create_release.py
+      # 'v8-merges@googlegroups.com',
+    ],
+"""
+      f.write(content)
+
   def MakeStep(self):
     """Convenience wrapper."""
     options = ScriptsBase(TEST_CONFIG, self, self._state).MakeOptions([])
@@ -952,6 +966,8 @@ Performance and stability improvements on all platforms."""
       Cmd("git checkout -f 3.22.4 -- ChangeLog", "", cb=ResetChangeLog),
       Cmd("git checkout -f 3.22.4 -- include/v8-version.h", "",
           cb=self.WriteFakeVersionFile),
+      Cmd("git checkout -f 3.22.4 -- WATCHLISTS", "",
+          cb=self.WriteFakeWatchlistsFile),
       Cmd("git commit -aF \"%s\"" % TEST_CONFIG["COMMITMSG_FILE"], "",
           cb=CheckVersionCommit),
       Cmd("git push origin "
@@ -983,6 +999,18 @@ Performance and stability improvements on all platforms."""
     # Note: The version file is on build number 5 again in the end of this test
     # since the git command that merges to master is mocked out.
 
+    # Check for correct content of the WATCHLISTS file
+
+    watchlists_content = FileToText(os.path.join(TEST_CONFIG["DEFAULT_CWD"],
+                                          WATCHLISTS_FILE))
+    expected_watchlists_content = """
+    'merges': [
+      # Only enabled on branches created with tools/release/create_release.py
+      'v8-merges@googlegroups.com',
+    ],
+"""
+    self.assertEqual(watchlists_content, expected_watchlists_content)
+
   C_V8_22624_LOG = """V8 CL.
 
 git-svn-id: https://v8.googlecode.com/svn/branches/bleeding_edge@22624 123