diff --git a/dist/build-arch-tag b/dist/build-arch-tag
index 919c323..7585357 100755
--- a/dist/build-arch-tag
+++ b/dist/build-arch-tag
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ then
 	echo "  Usage: $0 <arch> <tag>"
 	echo
 	echo "where <arch> is one of linux,w32,mac"
-	echo "and <tag> is any tag in the current git repository."
+	echo "and <tag> is revision tag in the current git repository."
 	echo
 	exit
 fi
@@ -45,12 +45,12 @@ else
 fi
 
 TAG=$2
-FOUND=`git-tag -l $TAG`
-if [ "x$TAG" = "x$FOUND" -o "x$TAG" = "x$DESCR" ]
+FOUND=`git rev-parse $TAG`
+if [ "$?" -eq 0 ]
 then
 	echo "Tag $TAG found."
 else
-	echo "Don't know tag $TAG, please select one from below:"
+	echo "Don't know tag $TAG, please select a revision, e.g. from below:"
 	git-tag -l
 	echo $DESCR
 	exit
diff --git a/dist/releasescript b/dist/releasescript
index 2dfa759..21ed082 100755
--- a/dist/releasescript
+++ b/dist/releasescript
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ DESCR=`git describe --tags`
 TAG=$1
 if [ "x$TAG" != "x" ]
 then
-	FOUND=`git-tag -l $TAG`
-	if [ "x$TAG" = "x$FOUND" -o "x$TAG" = "x$DESCR" ]
+	if [ "$?" -eq 0 ]
 	then
 		echo "Tag $TAG found."
 	else