diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index fb03d1bd..ad3c78b2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ Press/MasterPassword_PressKit/MasterPassword_pressrelease_*.pdf
 MasterPassword/Java/**/target
 
 # C
+MasterPassword/C/VERSION
 MasterPassword/C/*.o
 MasterPassword/C/mpw-*.tar.gz
 MasterPassword/C/mpw
diff --git a/MasterPassword/C/distribute b/MasterPassword/C/distribute
index 614ad02a..279b5b27 100755
--- a/MasterPassword/C/distribute
+++ b/MasterPassword/C/distribute
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@
 set -e
 
 cd "${BASH_SOURCE%/*}"
-mpwArchive=mpw-$(git describe --tags --long --dirty).tar.gz
+tag=$(git describe)
+commit=$(git describe --long --dirty)
+[[ $tag && $commit = $tag-* ]] || exit 1
+git show --show-signature --pretty=format:%H --quiet "$tag" > VERSION
+
+mpwArchive=mpw-$commit.tar.gz
 [[ -e $mpwArchive ]] && echo "WARNING: $mpwArchive already exists.  Will overwrite."
 read -n1 -p "Will prepare and release $mpwArchive.  Press a key to continue or ^C to abort."