diff --git a/manual/RELEASE_HOWTO.md b/manual/RELEASE_HOWTO.md
index 3c12c4fdc4..4103e6f197 100644
--- a/manual/RELEASE_HOWTO.md
+++ b/manual/RELEASE_HOWTO.md
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ Before merging PR:
     - [ ]  [`manual/doxygen/Doxyfile_readthedocs`][Doxyfile_readthedocs]: `PROJECT_NUMBER`
     - [ ]  [`manual/doxygen/Doxyfile`][Doxyfile]: `PROJECT_NUMBER`
     - [ ]  [`CMakeLists.txt`][CMakeLists]: `_bout_previous_version`, `_bout_next_version`
-    - [ ]  [`tools/pylib/_boutpp_build/backend.py`][backend.py]: `_bout_previous_version`, `_bout_next_version`
 
 
 After PR is merged:
@@ -60,6 +59,10 @@ After PR is merged:
 - [ ] Try to summarise the changes!
 - [ ] Make [GitHub Release][gh_release], include change summary **NB:** tag should have
       leading `v`
+- [ ] Make tarball: `cmake -S . -B build && make dist -C build`
+- [ ] Check tarball:
+    - [ ] Is the folder name correct?
+    - [ ] grep for the version - is always the released version used, not a pre-release?
 - [ ] Upload tarball to GitHub Release
 - [ ] Upload tarball to Zenodo and publish new version
 - [ ] Email BOUT++ User Group mailing list, include change summary