diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ddc1265d0b..a72ce19865 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1189,7 +1189,7 @@ release: OUT = buildroot-$(BR2_VERSION)
 release:
 	git archive --format=tar --prefix=$(OUT)/ HEAD > $(OUT).tar
 	$(MAKE) O=$(OUT) manual-html manual-text manual-pdf
-	$(MAKE) O=$(OUT) clean
+	$(MAKE) O=$(OUT) distclean
 	tar rf $(OUT).tar $(OUT)
 	gzip -9 -c < $(OUT).tar > $(OUT).tar.gz
 	bzip2 -9 -c < $(OUT).tar > $(OUT).tar.bz2