diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e0368f771d7..c61694c5f89 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-# Update these two variables, then run 'make setver'
+# Update this variable, then run 'make setver'
+# Naming convention:
+#	for stable releases we use "1.0.0" format
+#   for pre-releases, we use   "1.0.0-beta.2" format
 VERSION=1.0.0
-SUFFIX=stable
-GITTAG=v$(VERSION)-$(SUFFIX)
 
 # These are standard autotools variables, don't change them please
 BUILDDIR ?= build
@@ -14,8 +15,8 @@ PWD ?= $(shell pwd)
 ETCD_CERTS := $(realpath fixtures/certs)
 ETCD_FLAGS := TELEPORT_TEST_ETCD_CONFIG='{"nodes": ["https://localhost:4001"], "key":"/teleport/test", "tls_key_file": "$(ETCD_CERTS)/proxy1-key.pem", "tls_cert_file": "$(ETCD_CERTS)/proxy1.pem", "tls_ca_file": "$(ETCD_CERTS)/ca.pem"}'
 TELEPORT_DEBUG ?= no
+GITTAG=v$(VERSION)
 RELEASE := teleport-$(GITTAG)-$(shell go env GOOS)-$(shell go env GOARCH)-bin
-RELEASEDIR := $(BUILDDIR)/$(RELEASE)
 
 export
 
@@ -112,22 +113,27 @@ integration:
 setver:
 	$(MAKE) -f version.mk setver
 
-# make settag - set a git tag with the current version from version.mk
-.PHONY: settag
-settag:
-	echo $(GITTAG)
+# make tag - prints a tag to use with git for the current version
+# 	To put a new release on Github:
+# 		- bump VERSION variable
+# 		- run make setver
+# 		- commit changes to git
+# 		- build binaries with 'make release'
+# 		- run `make tag` and use its output to 'git tag' and 'git push --tags'
+.PHONY: tag
+tag:
+	@echo "Run this:\n> git tag $(GITTAG)\n> git push --tags"
 
 #
-# bianry-release releases binary distribution tarball for this particular version
-#
+# make release - produces a binary release tarball 
+#	
 .PHONY: release
 release: clean all
-	@rm -rf $(RELEASE)
-	mkdir $(RELEASE)
-	cp -r $(BUILDDIR)/* $(RELEASE)/
-	tar -czf $(RELEASE).tar.gz $(RELEASE)
-	@echo "\n\n"
-	@echo "CREATED: $(RELEASE)"
+	cp -rf $(BUILDDIR) teleport
+	@echo $(GITTAG) > teleport/VERSION
+	tar -czf $(RELEASE).tar.gz teleport
+	rm -rf teleport
+	@echo "\n"
 	@echo "CREATED: $(RELEASE).tar.gz"
 
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/utils.go b/lib/utils/utils.go
index a2a77082c23..fe241f53676 100644
--- a/lib/utils/utils.go
+++ b/lib/utils/utils.go
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func ReadOrMakeHostUUID(dataDir string) (string, error) {
 
 // PrintVersion prints human readable version
 func PrintVersion() {
-	ver := fmt.Sprintf("Teleport v%s-%s", teleport.Version, teleport.Suffix)
+	ver := fmt.Sprintf("Teleport v%s", teleport.Version)
 	if teleport.Gitref != "" {
 		ver = fmt.Sprintf("%s git:%s", ver, teleport.Gitref)
 	}
diff --git a/version.go b/version.go
index 709560783fc..97015b2a790 100644
--- a/version.go
+++ b/version.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package teleport
 
 const (
 	Version = "1.0.0"
-	Suffix  = "stable"
 )
 
 var Gitref string
diff --git a/version.mk b/version.mk
index bf84b367141..844e7709f70 100644
--- a/version.mk
+++ b/version.mk
@@ -3,10 +3,7 @@ GITREF=$(shell git describe --dirty --long --tags)
 # $(VERSION_GO) will be written to version.go
 VERSION_GO="/* DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE. IT IS GENERATED BY 'make setver'*/\n\
 package teleport\n\
-const(\n\
-Version = \"$(VERSION)\"\n\
-Suffix  = \"$(SUFFIX)\"\n\
-)\n\
+const( Version = \"$(VERSION)\" )\n\
 var Gitref string\n"
 
 # $(GIT_GO) will be written to gitref.go
@@ -15,8 +12,7 @@ package teleport\n\
 func init() { Gitref = \"$(GITREF)\"}  "
 
 #
-# setver updates version.go and gitref.go with VERSION and SUFFIX 
-# constants above.
+# setver updates version.go and gitref.go with VERSION and GITREF vars
 #
 .PHONY:setver
 setver: