diff --git a/platform-independent/cli-c/.gitignore b/platform-independent/cli-c/.gitignore
index ee9eeb7b..23c79411 100644
--- a/platform-independent/cli-c/.gitignore
+++ b/platform-independent/cli-c/.gitignore
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ mpw
 mpw-bench
 mpw-tests
 
+TAG
 VERSION
 mpw-*.tar.gz
 mpw-*.tar.gz.sig
diff --git a/platform-independent/cli-c/distribute b/platform-independent/cli-c/distribute
index a0c1c8a6..fff64e42 100755
--- a/platform-independent/cli-c/distribute
+++ b/platform-independent/cli-c/distribute
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 set -e
 
 cd "${BASH_SOURCE%/*}"
-tag=$(git describe --match '*-cli*')
-commit=$(git describe --long --dirty --match '*-cli*')
-[[ $commit != *-dirty ]] || { echo >&2 "Tree is dirty, first commit any changes."; exit 1; }
+tag=$(git describe --exact-match --match '*-cli*') || { echo >&2 "Tree is not at a release tag."; exit 1; }
+version=$(git describe --match '*-cli*' --long --dirty --broken)
+[[ $version != *-dirty ]] || { echo >&2 "Tree is dirty, first commit any changes."; exit 1; }
 
-mpwArchive=mpw-$commit.tar.gz
+mpwArchive=mpw-$version.tar.gz
 [[ -e $mpwArchive ]] && echo >&2 "WARNING: $mpwArchive already exists.  Will overwrite."
 read -n1 -p "Will prepare and release $mpwArchive.  Press a key to continue or ^C to abort."
 
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ echo "Cleaning .."
 ( git clean -ffdx . && cd core && git clean -ffdx . )
 
 echo "Creating archive $mpwArchive .."
-git show --show-signature --pretty=format:%H --quiet "$tag" > VERSION
-{ git ls-files -z .; printf VERSION; } | xargs -0 tar -Lcvzf "$mpwArchive"
+echo "$version" > VERSION
+git show --show-signature --pretty=format:%H --quiet "$tag" > TAG
+{ git ls-files -z .; printf '%s\0' VERSION TAG; } | xargs -0 tar -Lcvzf "$mpwArchive"
 
 echo "Creating archive signature $mpwArchive.sig .."
 gpg --detach-sign "$mpwArchive"