diff --git a/bin/build-helper b/bin/build-helper
index 6a70b7f3..c96cfe6e 100755
--- a/bin/build-helper
+++ b/bin/build-helper
@@ -176,21 +176,27 @@ eof
     ;;
 
     sign-git-tag)
-        if [ $# -lt 3 ]
+        if [ $# -lt 2 ]
         then
-            printf "usage: $0 sign-git-tag TAG AUTHTOKEN\n"
+            printf "usage: $0 sign-git-tag TAG TOKEN [ARCHIVE]\n"
+            printf "    if ARCHIVE is not specified then it is created\n"
             exit 1
         fi
-        tag="$2"
+        tag="$1"
         if ! git rev-parse -q --verify "${tag}" >/dev/null 2>&1
         then
             printf "Tag \"${tag}\" not found.\n"
             exit 1
         fi
-        token="$3"
-        archivename="cdist-${tag}.tar.gz"
-        git archive --prefix="cdist-${tag}" -o "${archivename}" "${tag}" \
-            || exit 1
+        token="$2"
+        if [ $# -ge 2 ]
+        then
+            archivename="$3"
+        else
+            archivename="cdist-${tag}.tar.gz"
+            git archive --prefix="cdist-${tag}" -o "${archivename}" "${tag}" \
+                || exit 1
+        fi
         gpg --armor --detach-sign "${archivename}" || exit 1
 
         # make github release
@@ -217,7 +223,11 @@ eof
             || exit 1
 
         # remove generated files (archive and asc)
-        rm -f "${archivename}" "${archivename}.asc"
+        if [ $# -ge 2]
+        then
+            rm -f "${archivename}"
+        fi
+        rm -f "${archivename}.asc"
     ;;
 
     release)
diff --git a/bin/build-helper.freebsd b/bin/build-helper.freebsd
index f1a4af73..786fa158 100755
--- a/bin/build-helper.freebsd
+++ b/bin/build-helper.freebsd
@@ -211,21 +211,27 @@ eof
     ;;
 
     sign-git-tag)
-        if [ $# -lt 3 ]
+        if [ $# -lt 2 ]
         then
-            printf "usage: $0 sign-git-tag TAG TOKEN\n"
+            printf "usage: $0 sign-git-tag TAG TOKEN [ARCHIVE]\n"
+            printf "    if ARCHIVE is not specified then it is created\n"
             exit 1
         fi
-        tag="$2"
+        tag="$1"
         if ! git rev-parse -q --verify "${tag}" >/dev/null 2>&1
         then
             printf "Tag \"${tag}\" not found.\n"
             exit 1
         fi
-        token="$3"
-        archivename="cdist-${tag}.tar.gz"
-        git archive --prefix="cdist-${tag}" -o "${archivename}" "${tag}" \
-            || exit 1
+        token="$2"
+        if [ $# -ge 2 ]
+        then
+            archivename="$3"
+        else
+            archivename="cdist-${tag}.tar.gz"
+            git archive --prefix="cdist-${tag}" -o "${archivename}" "${tag}" \
+                || exit 1
+        fi
         gpg --armor --detach-sign "${archivename}" || exit 1
 
         # make github release
@@ -252,7 +258,11 @@ eof
             || exit 1
 
         # remove generated files (archive and asc)
-        rm -f "${archivename}" "${archivename}.asc"
+        if [ $# -ge 2]
+        then
+            rm -f "${archivename}"
+        fi
+        rm -f "${archivename}.asc"
     ;;
 
     release)