diff --git a/make/rpmdist.mk b/make/rpmdist.mk
index 5cae4227..57f63c89 100644
--- a/make/rpmdist.mk
+++ b/make/rpmdist.mk
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ ftag: ftag.dist
 
 rpm-upload-stable: rpm-upload-STABLE.dist
 rpm-upload-rc: rpm-upload-RC.dist
-rpm-release: update-repo.dist
 rpm-clean: clean.rpm
 rpm-uninstall: rpmuninstall.dist
 rpm-install: rpminstall.dist
@@ -138,6 +137,76 @@ update-repo.dist: upload.dist
 	ssh -l root $(FTP_HOST) /etc/cron.hourly/create_packet_descriptions.sh
 	touch $@
 
-echo-generated:
-	@echo GENERATED = $(GENERATED)
+# ------ hash stuff
 
+define cvs_files
+	for d in `find .  | sed '/CVS\/Entries$$/ !d; s%CVS/Entries%%'`; do \
+		sed "/^\// !d; s%^/%%; s%/.*%%; s%^%$$d%" $$d/CVS/Entries ;\
+	done
+endef
+
+CHECK_CVS_STATUS_BEFORE_INCREASING_BUILD_NUMBER ?= true
+
+define increase_build_number
+	if [ "$(CHECK_CVS_STATUS_BEFORE_INCREASING_BUILD_NUMBER)" = true ]; then \
+		echo + checking cvs ;\
+		cvs status > cvs_status.tmp 2>&1;\
+		if [ $$? != 0 ]; then \
+			cat cvs_status.tmp ;\
+			echo -e "\n======== cvs status failed, giving up." >&2 ;\
+			exit 1 ;\
+		fi ;\
+		if grep -qi "locally modified" cvs_status.tmp; then \
+			echo + tried to increase build number on cvs copy with locally modified files, giving up >&2 ;\
+			exit 1 ;\
+		fi ;\
+		if grep -qi "needs" cvs_status.tmp; then \
+			echo + tried to increase build number on out-of-date cvs copy, giving up >&2 ;\
+			exit 1 ;\
+		fi ;\
+	fi ;\
+	echo $(MAJOR_MINOR_RELEASE)-$(shell expr $(BUILD_NUMBER) + 1)-dev | tee VERSION ;\
+	echo $(HASH) > HASH ;\
+	if ! grep -q HASH CVS/Entries; then \
+		echo cvs add HASH ;\
+	fi ;\
+	echo cvs commit -m "o $(VERSION)" HASH VERSION
+endef
+
+HASH = $(shell $(cvs_files) | grep -v "CHANGES\|VERSION\|HASH\|MD5SUMS" | xargs md5sum | md5sum | sed 's/ .*//')
+LAST_RPM_VERSION = $(shell cat $(TOPDIR)/LAST_RPM_VERSION >/dev/null 2>&1)
+
+md5clean:
+	rm -f HASH
+
+md5: 
+	echo $(HASH) > HASH
+
+rpm-update-release:
+	@if [ "`cat HASH`" != "$(HASH)" ]; then \
+		echo + source was modified ;\
+		$(increase_build_number) ;\
+	else \
+		echo + source is unmodified, new build unnecessary ;\
+	fi
+
+rpm-check-release:
+	@if [ "`cat HASH`" != "$(HASH)" ]; then \
+		echo + source was modified ;\
+	else \
+		echo + source is unmodified, new build unnecessary ;\
+	fi
+
+rpm-next-build:
+	$(increase_build_number)
+
+rpm-release: rpm-update-release
+	if [ "$(VERSION)" != "$(LAST_RPM_VERSION)" ]; then ;\
+		echo make update-repo.dist ;\
+		cp VERSION LAST_RPM_VERSION ;\
+		if ! grep -q LAST_RPM_VERSION CVS/Entries; then
+			cvs add LAST_RPM_VERSION ;\
+		fi ;\
+		echo cvs commit -m "o $(VERSION)" LAST_RPM_VERSION ;\
+	fi
+