diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6f3722fb..24f02d21 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,21 +2,35 @@
 # 
 
 package=rscds
+version=$(shell cat VERSION)
 
-all: built-docs
+all: inc/always.php built-docs 
 
 built-docs: docs/api/phpdoc.ini htdocs/*.php inc/*.php
 	phpdoc -c docs/api/phpdoc.ini
 	touch built-docs
 
+#
+# Insert the current version number into always.php
+#
 inc/always.php: VERSION inc/always.php.in
 	sed -e "/^ *.c->version_string *= *'[^']*' *;/ s/^ *.c->version_string *= *'[^']*' *;/\$$c->version_string = '`head -n1 VERSION`';/" <inc/always.php.in >inc/always.php
-	# mv inc/always.php.new inc/always.php
 
+#
+# Build a release .tar.gz file in the directory above us
+#
+release: built-docs
+	-ln -s . $(package)-$(version)
+	tar czf ../$(package)-$(version).tar.gz \
+	    --no-recursion --dereference $(package)-$(version) \
+	    $(shell git-ls-files |grep -v '.git'|sed -e s:^:$(package)-$(version)/:) \
+	    $(shell find $(package)-$(version)/docs/api/ ! -name "phpdoc.ini" )
+	rm $(package)-$(version)
+	
 clean:
 	rm -f built-docs
 	-find docs/api/* ! -name "phpdoc.ini" ! -name ".gitignore" -delete
 	-find . -name "*~" -delete
 	
 
-.PHONY:  all clean
+.PHONY:  all clean release
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index ffa5af5f..0f4452c4 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -1,24 +1,21 @@
 #!/usr/bin/make -f
-# Made with the aid of debmake, by Christoph Lameter,
-# based on the sample debian/rules file for GNU hello by Ian Jackson.
+#
+# rules for RSCDS
+#
 
 package=rscds
 dt=debian/$(package)
 
-build: inc htdocs debian/$(package)-phpdoc.ini debian/$(package)-phpdoc.ini.in
+build: inc htdocs debian
 	$(checkdir)
-	phpdoc -c debian/$(package)-phpdoc.ini
+	make
 	touch build
 
-# PHPDoc operational setup sucks.  Badly.
-debian/$(package)-phpdoc.ini: debian/$(package)-phpdoc.ini.in
-	sed -e"s@##projectroot##@$(CURDIR)@g" <debian/$(package)-phpdoc.ini.in >debian/$(package)-phpdoc.ini
-
 clean:
 	$(checkdir)
+	make clean
 	rm -f build
-	rm -f `find . -name "*~"`
-	-rm -rf $(dt) debian/files* core debian/substvars debian/html debian/$(package)-phpdoc.ini
+	-rm -rf $(dt) debian/files* core debian/substvars debian/html
 
 binary-indep: checkroot build
 	$(checkdir)
@@ -37,7 +34,7 @@ binary-indep: checkroot build
 	rm -rf $(dt)/usr/share/doc/$(package)/website/wiki
 	dh_installchangelogs
 	dh_fixperms
-	install -m 1777 -d $(dt)/var/lib/$(package)/attachments
+	# install -m 1777 -d $(dt)/var/lib/$(package)/attachments
 	dh_installdeb
 	dpkg-gencontrol -P$(dt)
 	dpkg --build $(dt) ..