diff --git a/make/rpmdist.mk b/make/rpmdist.mk
index b5712e02..a07e1a1d 100644
--- a/make/rpmdist.mk
+++ b/make/rpmdist.mk
@@ -139,25 +139,29 @@ update-repo.dist: upload.dist
 
 # ------ hash stuff
 
-CHECK_CVS_STATUS_BEFORE_INCREASING_BUILD_NUMBER ?= true
+CHECK_CVS_SYNC_BEFORE_RPM_RELEAS ?= true
+
+define check_cvs_sync
+	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 + cvs copy has locally modified files, giving up >&2 ;\
+		exit 1 ;\
+	fi ;\
+	if grep -qi "needs" cvs_status.tmp; then \
+		echo + cvs copy is out-of-date, giving up >&2 ;\
+		exit 1 ;\
+	fi
+endef
 
 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-			echo + tried to increase build number on out-of-date cvs copy, giving up 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 ;\
+	if [ "$(CHECK_CVS_SYNC_BEFORE_RPM_RELEASE)" = true ]; then \
+		$(check_cvs_sync) ;\
 	fi ;\
 	echo $(MAJOR_MINOR_RELEASE)-$(shell expr $(BUILD_NUMBER) + 1)-dev | tee VERSION ;\
 	echo $(HASH) > HASH ;\
@@ -193,6 +197,7 @@ rpm-next-build:
 
 rpm-release: rpm-update-release
 	@if [ "$(VERSION)" != "$(LAST_RPM_VERSION)" ]; then \
+		$(check_cvs_sync) ;\
 		echo "+ version doesn't match latest released rpm version, building a new release" ;\
 		make update-repo.dist || exit 1;\
 		cp VERSION LAST_RPM_VERSION ;\