diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 32edbee..bd03e3b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,10 +48,11 @@ Instructions for Generating a Release
 
 SciTokens-cpp includes a submodule, jwt-cpp.  Therefore, to create a release, you have to include the submodule into the release.
 
-    git archive --prefix "scitokens-cpp-0.3.3/" -o "scitokens-cpp-0.3.3.tar" v0.3.3
+    VER=0.3.3 # for example
+    git archive --prefix "scitokens-cpp-$VER/" -o "scitokens-cpp-$VER.tar" v$VER
     git submodule update --init
-    git submodule foreach --recursive "git archive --prefix=scitokens-cpp-0.3.3/\$path/ --output=\$sha1.tar HEAD && tar --concatenate --file=$(pwd)/scitokens-cpp-0.3.3.tar \$sha1.tar && rm \$sha1.tar"
-    gzip "scitokens-cpp-0.3.3.tar"
+    git submodule foreach --recursive "git archive --prefix=scitokens-cpp-$VER/\$path/ --output=\$sha1.tar HEAD && tar --concatenate --file=$(pwd)/scitokens-cpp-$VER.tar \$sha1.tar && rm \$sha1.tar"
+    gzip "scitokens-cpp-$VER.tar"
 
 This package is built on the
 [cvmfs-config OpenSUSE Build Service](https://build.opensuse.org/project/show/home:cvmfs:contrib).
diff --git a/rpm/scitokens-cpp.spec b/rpm/scitokens-cpp.spec
index 3aa3192..2d22c7a 100644
--- a/rpm/scitokens-cpp.spec
+++ b/rpm/scitokens-cpp.spec
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@ License: ASL 2.0
 URL: https://github.com/scitokens/scitokens-cpp
 
 # Directions to generate a proper release:
-# git archive --prefix "scitokens-cpp-0.3.3/" -o "scitokens-cpp-0.3.3.tar" v0.3.3
+# VER=0.3.3 # for example
+# git archive --prefix "scitokens-cpp-$VER/" -o "scitokens-cpp-$VER.tar" v$VER
 # git submodule update --init
-# git submodule foreach --recursive "git archive --prefix=scitokens-cpp-0.3.3/\$path/ --output=\$sha1.tar HEAD && tar --concatenate --file=$(pwd)/scitokens-cpp-0.3.3.tar \$sha1.tar && rm \$sha1.tar"
-# gzip "scitokens-cpp-0.3.3.tar"
+# git submodule foreach --recursive "git archive --prefix=scitokens-cpp-$VER/\$path/ --output=\$sha1.tar HEAD && tar --concatenate --file=$(pwd)/scitokens-cpp-$VER.tar \$sha1.tar && rm \$sha1.tar"
+# gzip "scitokens-cpp-$VER.tar"
 Source0: https://github.com/scitokens/scitokens-cpp/releases/download/v%{version}/%{name}-%{version}.tar.gz
 
 # Scitokens-cpp bundles jwt-cpp, a header only dependency