diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 98351ca30..854c54909 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -384,24 +384,11 @@ archive:
 		-C ../scripts contrib/completion/bash/netctl get-contiv-diags
 
 # build versioned archive of netplugin binaries
-tar: compile-with-docker binaries-from-container archive
-
-clean-tar:
-	@rm -f $(TAR_LOC)/*.$(TAR_EXT)
-	@rm -f install/v2plugin/v2plugin-*.tar.gz
-
-# do not run directly, use "release" target
-release-built-version: tar
-	TAR_FILENAME=$(TAR_FILENAME) TAR_FILE=$(TAR_FILE) OLD_VERSION=${OLD_VERSION} \
-	NIGHTLY_RELEASE=${NIGHTLY_RELEASE} scripts/release.sh
-	@make clean-tar
-
-# The first "release" below is not a target, it is a "target-specific variable"
-#   and sets (and in this case exports) a variable to the target's environment
-# The second release runs make as a subshell but with BUILD_VERSION set
-# to write the correct version for assets everywhere
-#
+tar:
+	rm -f $(TAR_FILE)
+	./install/k8s/contiv/contiv-compose use-release  -i -v $(BUILD_VERSION) install/k8s/contiv/contiv-base.yaml
+	$(TAR) -jcf $(TAR_FILE) -C install/k8s/contiv/ .
+
 # GITHUB_USER and GITHUB_TOKEN are needed be set (used by github-release)
-release: export BUILD_VERSION=$(shell cat version/CURRENT_VERSION)
-release:
-	@make release-built-version
+release: tar
+	TAR_FILENAME=$(TAR_FILENAME) TAR_FILE=$(TAR_FILE) scripts/release.sh
diff --git a/install/k8s/contiv/contiv-compose b/install/k8s/contiv/contiv-compose
index ff4ec9eee..3179841b3 100755
--- a/install/k8s/contiv/contiv-compose
+++ b/install/k8s/contiv/contiv-compose
@@ -164,13 +164,13 @@ class ContivComposer(object):
 
     def use_release(self, resource, args):
         if args.get('version') is not None:
-            args['netplugin_img'] = 'contiv/netplugin:%s' % args['use_release']
+            args['netplugin_img'] = 'contiv/netplugin:%s' % args['version']
             args['netplugin_init_img'] = 'contiv/netplugin-init:%s' % args[
-                'use_release']
-            args['stat_exporter_img'] = 'contiv/stats:%s' % args['use_release']
+                'version']
+            args['stat_exporter_img'] = 'contiv/stats:%s' % args['version']
             args['auth_proxy_img'] = 'contiv/auth_proxy:%s' % args[
-                'use_release']
-            args['ovs_img'] = 'contiv/ovs:%s' % args['use_release']
+                'version']
+            args['ovs_img'] = 'contiv/ovs:%s' % args['version']
 
     def compose(self, args):
         if args['target'] not in ('add-systest', 'add-prometheus',
@@ -213,6 +213,10 @@ class ContivComposer(object):
                                              args['netplugin_img'])
                 self._update_container_image(resource, 'contiv-netmaster',
                                              args['netplugin_img'])
+                self._update_container_image(resource, 'contiv-netctl',
+                                             args['netplugin_img'])
+                self._update_container_image(resource, 'contiv-cni',
+                                             args['netplugin_img'])
             if args.get('netplugin_init_img') is not None:
                 self._update_container_image(resource, 'contiv-netplugin-init',
                                              args['netplugin_init_img'])