diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index de6fb6b..dab1ca6 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -16,10 +16,15 @@ install-exec-hook:
 
 config.status: Makefile.iptrules.in
 
+tmpdir := $(shell mktemp -dtu)
+packer  = xz
+packext = .tar.xz
+
 .PHONY: tarball
 tarball:
-	rm -Rf /tmp/xtables-addons-${PACKAGE_VERSION};
-	pushd ${top_srcdir} && git archive --prefix=xtables-addons-${PACKAGE_VERSION}/ HEAD | tar -C /tmp -x && popd;
-	pushd /tmp/xtables-addons-${PACKAGE_VERSION} && ./autogen.sh && popd;
-	tar -C /tmp -cjf xtables-addons-${PACKAGE_VERSION}.tar.bz2 --owner=root --group=root xtables-addons-${PACKAGE_VERSION}/;
-	rm -Rf /tmp/xtables-addons-${PACKAGE_VERSION};
+# do not use mkdir_p here.
+	mkdir ${tmpdir}
+	pushd ${top_srcdir} && git archive --prefix=${PACKAGE_NAME}-${PACKAGE_VERSION}/ HEAD | tar -C ${tmpdir} -x && popd;
+	pushd ${tmpdir}/${PACKAGE_NAME}-${PACKAGE_VERSION} && ./autogen.sh && popd;
+	tar --use=${packer} -C ${tmpdir} -cf ${PACKAGE_NAME}-${PACKAGE_VERSION}${packext} --owner=root --group=root ${PACKAGE_NAME}-${PACKAGE_VERSION}/;
+	rm -Rf ${tmpdir};