diff --git a/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/AnnounceRelease.java b/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/AnnounceRelease.java
index 76d57a7..d2fd55b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/AnnounceRelease.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/AnnounceRelease.java
@@ -85,20 +85,24 @@ public int run(Context context, Commands commands, GitHub quarkusBotGitHub, Rele
         } else {
             comment.append("Then it is time to send an email to [quarkus-dev@googlegroups.com](mailto:quarkus-dev@googlegroups.com):\n\n");
             comment.append("Subject: `Quarkus " + releaseInformation.getVersion() + " released`\n\n");
-            comment.append("> Hi,\n"
-                    + "> \n"
-                    + "> We released Quarkus " + releaseInformation.getVersion() + ".\n"
-                    + "> \n"
-                    + "> Changelog is here:\n"
-                    + "> https://github.com/quarkusio/quarkus/releases/tag/" + releaseInformation.getVersion() + "\n"
-                    + "> \n"
-                    + "> Please try to upgrade your applications and report back:\n"
-                    + "> - if everything is going well, just post a reply to this thread\n"
-                    + "> - if you encounter issues, please open a GitHub issue in our tracker with a simple reproducer\n"
-                    + "> \n"
-                    + "> We will build the final core artifacts next Wednesday.\n"
-                    + "> \n"
-                    + "> Thanks!\n");
+            comment.append("```\n");
+            comment.append("Hi,\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "We released Quarkus " + releaseInformation.getVersion() + ".\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "Changelog is here:\n"
+                    + "https://github.com/quarkusio/quarkus/releases/tag/" + releaseInformation.getVersion() + "\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "Please try to upgrade your applications and report back:\n"
+                    + "- if everything is going well, just post a reply to this thread\n"
+                    + "- if you encounter issues, please open a GitHub issue in our tracker with a simple reproducer\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "We will build the final core artifacts next Wednesday.\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "Thanks!\n\n"
+                    + "--\n"
+                    + "The Quarkus dev team");
+            comment.append("```\n");
         }
 
         issue.comment(comment.toString());
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/CreateBranch.java b/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/CreateBranch.java
index a496a90..49f7783 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/CreateBranch.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/CreateBranch.java
@@ -232,24 +232,26 @@ private static Optional<GHMilestone> getMilestone(GHRepository repository, Strin
 
     private static String getBranchEmail(ReleaseInformation releaseInformation, String previousMinorBranch, String nextMinor) {
         String email = "Subject: `Quarkus " + releaseInformation.getBranch() + " branched`\n\n"
-                + "> Hi,\n"
-                + "> \n"
-                + "> We just branched " + releaseInformation.getBranch() + ". The main branch is now " + (nextMinor != null ? nextMinor : "**X.Y**") + ".\n"
-                + "> \n"
-                + "> Please make sure you add the appropriate backport labels from now on:\n"
-                + "> \n"
-                + "> - for anything required in " + releaseInformation.getBranch() + " (currently open pull requests included), please add the triage/backport? label\n"
-                + "> - for fixes we also want in future " + previousMinorBranch + ", please add the triage/backport-" + previousMinorBranch + "? label\n";
+                + "```\n"
+                + "Hi,\n"
+                + "\n"
+                + "We just branched " + releaseInformation.getBranch() + ". The main branch is now " + (nextMinor != null ? nextMinor : "**X.Y**") + ".\n"
+                + "\n"
+                + "Please make sure you add the appropriate backport labels from now on:\n"
+                + "\n"
+                + "- for anything required in " + releaseInformation.getBranch() + " (currently open pull requests included), please add the triage/backport? label\n"
+                + "- for fixes we also want in future " + previousMinorBranch + ", please add the triage/backport-" + previousMinorBranch + "? label\n";
 
         for (String ltsBranch : Branches.LTS_BRANCHES) {
-            email += "> - for fixes we also want in future " + ltsBranch + ", please add the triage/backport-" + ltsBranch + "? label\n";
+            email += "- for fixes we also want in future " + ltsBranch + ", please add the triage/backport-" + ltsBranch + "? label\n";
         }
 
-        email += "> \n"
-                + "> Thanks!\n"
-                + "> \n"
-                + "> --\n"
-                + "> The Quarkus dev team";
+        email += "\n"
+                + "Thanks!\n"
+                + "\n"
+                + "--\n"
+                + "The Quarkus dev team\n"
+                + "```";
 
         return email;
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/PreparePlatform.java b/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/PreparePlatform.java
index a70846a..b7f27ae 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/PreparePlatform.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bot/release/step/PreparePlatform.java
@@ -66,15 +66,22 @@ public boolean shouldPause(Context context, Commands commands, GitHub quarkusBot
         if (releaseInformation.isFirstFinal()) {
             comment.append("* Send an email to the Platform coordination mailing list: [quarkus-platform-coordination@googlegroups.com](mailto:quarkus-platform-coordination@googlegroups.com) :\n\n");
             comment.append("Subject: `Quarkus " + releaseInformation.getVersion() + " core artifacts are available`\n\n");
-            comment.append("> Hi,\n"
-                    + "> \n"
-                    + "> The Quarkus " + releaseInformation.getVersion() + " core artifacts are available on Maven Central.\n"
-                    + "> \n"
-                    + "> CI is still running for the upgrade, the pull request will be merged once CI has passed.\n"
-                    + "> We will ping teams in the pull request if some components have issues.\n\n"
-                    + "> If you want to update your components, please create your pull requests and make sure they are merged before next Tuesday.\n"
-                    + "> \n"
-                    + "> Thanks.\n\n");
+            comment.append("```\n");
+            comment.append("Hi,\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "The Quarkus " + releaseInformation.getVersion() + " core artifacts are available on Maven Central.\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "The pull request updating the Platform to Quarkus " + releaseInformation.getVersion() + " has been merged in the main branch.\n"
+                    + "We pinged the team maintaining components not passing the tests in the pull request.\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "If you want to update your components, please create your pull requests and make sure they are merged before next Tuesday.\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "Thanks.\n"
+                    + "\n"
+                    + "--\n"
+                    + "The Quarkus dev team\n"
+                    );
+            comment.append("```\n\n");
             comment.append("* If CI failed for some Platform members, please contact them so that they are aware of the issues\n\n");
             comment.append(":warning: **IMPORTANT - STOP HERE**\n");
             comment.append(":warning: **IMPORTANT - Wait a week before continuing with the Platform release**\n\n");