diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index ca2f90ba8..60f82a0b3 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -508,10 +508,13 @@ cppcheck:
 
 dist-hook: $(top_distdir)/configure
 	@if grep 'pkg_m4_absent' '$(top_distdir)/configure'; then \
-	   echo 'configure is generated without pkg.m4. Please supply pkg.m4 and run ./autogen.sh to rebuild the configure script.'>&2; \
+	   echo 'ERROR: configure is generated without pkg.m4. Please supply pkg.m4 and run ./autogen.sh to rebuild the configure script.'>&2; \
 	   (exit 1); \
 	else :; \
 	fi
+	@if grep 'PACKAGE_VERSION.*-g' '$(top_distdir)/configure'; then \
+	  echo 'WARNING: You are building a dist from a git version. Better run make dist outside of a .git repo on a tagged release.'>&2; \
+	fi
 
 .PHONY: lcov