diff --git a/.kokoro/release/stage.sh b/.kokoro/release/stage.sh
index 3c482cbc..d19191fc 100755
--- a/.kokoro/release/stage.sh
+++ b/.kokoro/release/stage.sh
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@
 set -eo pipefail
 
 # Start the releasetool reporter
-python3 -m pip install gcp-releasetool
-python3 -m releasetool publish-reporter-script > /tmp/publisher-script; source /tmp/publisher-script
+# Disable reporting due to issue observed with Kokoro blocking releases
+# python3 -m pip install gcp-releasetool
+# python3 -m releasetool publish-reporter-script > /tmp/publisher-script; source /tmp/publisher-script
 
 source $(dirname "$0")/common.sh
 MAVEN_SETTINGS_FILE=$(realpath $(dirname "$0")/../../)/settings.xml
diff --git a/synth.metadata b/synth.metadata
index 7b818c57..d57c08c4 100644
--- a/synth.metadata
+++ b/synth.metadata
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
       "git": {
         "name": ".",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies.git",
-        "sha": "d070266e7ddf8e5d0fb9965a6b404c78827b8f64"
+        "sha": "558d593fa014a6a5762d5eb7405e9eea0213ed64"
       }
     },
     {
       "git": {
         "name": "synthtool",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/synthtool.git",
-        "sha": "f8823dec98277a9516f2fb6fae9f58b3a59a23e1"
+        "sha": "968465a1cad496e1292ef4584a054a35f756ff94"
       }
     }
   ],
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@
     "LICENSE",
     "codecov.yaml",
     "java.header",
-    "license-checks.xml",
-    "renovate.json"
+    "license-checks.xml"
   ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file