diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5ed50a67382c..ab112584c65f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -646,7 +646,9 @@ release-sources: | $(DIST_DIRS)
 	echo $(VERSION) > $(STORED_VERSION_FILE)
 # bsdtar needs a ^ to prevent matching subdirectories
 	$(eval EXCL := --exclude=$(shell tar --help | grep -q bsdtar && echo "^")./)
-	tar $(addprefix $(EXCL),$(TAR_EXCLUDES)) -czf $(DIST)/release/gitea-src-$(VERSION).tar.gz .
+# use transform to a add a release-folder prefix; in bsdtar the transform parameter equivalent is -s
+	$(eval TRANSFORM := $(shell tar --help | grep -q bsdtar && echo "-s '/^./gitea-src-$(VERSION)/'" || echo "--transform 's|^./|gitea-src-$(VERSION)/|'"))
+	tar $(addprefix $(EXCL),$(TAR_EXCLUDES)) $(TRANSFORM) -czf $(DIST)/release/gitea-src-$(VERSION).tar.gz .
 	rm -f $(STORED_VERSION_FILE)
 
 .PHONY: release-docs