diff --git a/doc/manual/release.txt b/doc/manual/release.txt
index 273f228aa..892b50c0a 100644
--- a/doc/manual/release.txt
+++ b/doc/manual/release.txt
@@ -224,10 +224,11 @@ svn cp .../branches/${RELEASE_BRANCH} .../tags/${RELEASE_TAG}
 -# Produce the package source archives:
   -# Start with a clean working copy, used for producing releases only.
   -# Switch to release tag branch: svn switch .../${RELEASE_TAG}
-  -# produce a ChangeLog for the release (using svn2cl).
+  -# Produce a ChangeLog for the release (using svn2cl).
   -# @c bootstrap, @c configure, and @c make the package.
   -# Run <code>make distcheck</code> to produce the distribution archives.
   -# Run <code>make maintainer-clean</code> verify the repository is empty.
+  -# Create signature files using md5sum, sha1sum, etc.
 -# Publish documentation for the release:
   - Allow users to access the documentation for each of our releases.
   - Place static copies of the following files on the project website:
diff --git a/tools/release.sh b/tools/release.sh
index 5511f101e..c1f7f7c22 100755
--- a/tools/release.sh
+++ b/tools/release.sh
@@ -262,7 +262,14 @@ do_stage() {
 	echo "Staging package archives:"
 	mkdir -p archives
 	for EXT in tar.gz tar.bz2 zip; do
-		mv -v "${PACKAGE_RELEASE}.${EXT}" archives/
+		local FILE="${PACKAGE_RELEASE}.${EXT}"
+		# create archive signatures
+		for HASH in md5 sha1; do
+			echo "sign: ${FILE}.${HASH}"
+			${HASH}sum "${FILE}" > "archives/${FILE}.${HASH}"
+		done
+		# save archive
+		mv -v "${FILE}" archives/
 	done
 	cp -a NEWS archives/
 	cp -a ChangeLog archives/