diff --git a/docs/releasing.md b/docs/releasing.md
index bc96fe1a1..e24f168ae 100644
--- a/docs/releasing.md
+++ b/docs/releasing.md
@@ -62,44 +62,54 @@ master.
 
 This step is not necessarily required if the alpine base image has
 recently been updated, but it is good to pick up any recent bug
-fixes. Updating the alpine base image is different to other packages
-and it must be performed on `x86_64` first:
+fixes. Updating the alpine base image is different to other packages.
+You must perform the arch-specific image builds, pushes and updates on each
+architecture first - these can be done in parallel, if you choose. When done,
+you then copy the updated `versions.<arch>` to one place, commit them, and
+push the manifest.
 
-```sh
-cd $LK_ROOT/tools/alpine
-make push
-```
+Details:
 
-This will update `linuxkit/alpine` and change the `versions.x86_64`
-file. Check it in and push to GitHub:
+#### Build and Push Per-Architecture
 
-```sh
-git commit -a -s -m "tools/alpine: Update to latest"
-git push $LK_REMOTE rel_$LK_RELEASE
-```
-
-Now, on each build machine for the other supported architectures, in turn:
+On each supported platform, build and update `linuxkit/alpine`, which will update the `versions.<arch>`
+file.:
 
 ```sh
 git fetch
 git checkout rel_$LK_RELEASE
 cd $LK_ROOT/tools/alpine
 make push
-git commit -a --amend
-git push --force $LK_REMOTE rel_$LK_RELEASE
 ```
 
-With all supported architectures updated, head back to the `x86_64`
-machine and update the release branch:
+Repeat on each platform.
+
+#### Commit Changed Versions Files
+
+When all of the platforms are done, copy the changed `versions.<arch>` from each platform to one please, commit and push.
+In the below, replace `linuxkit-arch` with each build machine's name:
 
 ```sh
-git fetch && git reset --hard $LK_REMOTE/rel_$LK_RELEASE
+# one of these will not be necessary, as you will likely be executing it on one of these machines
+scp linuxkit-s390x:$LK_ROOT/tools/alpine/versions.s390x $LK_ROOT/tools/alpine/versions.s390x
+scp linuxkit-aarch64:$LK_ROOT/tools/alpine/versions.aarch64 $LK_ROOT/tools/alpine/versions.aarch64
+scp linuxkit-x86_64:$LK_ROOT/tools/alpine/versions.x86_64 $LK_ROOT/tools/alpine/versions.x86_64
+git commit -a -s -m "tools/alpine: Update to latest"
+git push $LK_REMOTE rel_$LK_RELEASE
+```
+
+#### Update and Push Multi-Arch Index
+
+Push out the multi-arch index:
+
+```sh
+make push-manifest
 ```
 
 Stash the tag of the alpine base image in an environment variable:
 
 ```sh
-LK_ALPINE=$(head -1 alpine/versions.x86_64 | sed 's,[#| ]*,,' | sed 's,\-.*$,,' | cut -d':' -f2)
+LK_ALPINE=$(make show-tag)
 ```
 
 
diff --git a/tools/alpine/Makefile b/tools/alpine/Makefile
index d3416d3cf..df9fb650b 100644
--- a/tools/alpine/Makefile
+++ b/tools/alpine/Makefile
@@ -15,10 +15,19 @@ ifeq ($(ARCH), s390x)
 DEPS += packages.s390x
 endif
 
+ORG?=linuxkit
+IMAGE?=alpine
+TAG?=$(shell git ls-tree --full-tree HEAD -- $(PWD) | awk '{print $$3}')
+DIRTY?=$(shell git diff-index HEAD -- $(PWD))
+ifneq ($(DIRTY),)
+TAG := $(TAG)-dirty
+endif
+
+
 default: push
 
 show-tag:
-	@sed -n -e '1s/# \(.*\/.*:[0-9a-f]\{40\}\)/\1/p;q' versions.$(ARCH)
+	@echo "$(ORG)/$(IMAGE):$(TAG)"
 
 iid: Dockerfile Makefile $(DEPS)
 	docker build --no-cache --iidfile iid .
@@ -34,9 +43,11 @@ push: hash iid versions.$(ARCH)
 	docker pull $(ORG)/$(IMAGE):$(shell cat hash) || \
 		(docker tag $(shell cat iid) $(ORG)/$(IMAGE):$(shell cat hash) && \
 		 docker push $(ORG)/$(IMAGE):$(shell cat hash))
-	./push-manifest.sh $(ORG) $(IMAGE)
 	rm -f iid
 
+push-manifest:
+	./push-manifest.sh $(ORG) $(IMAGE)
+
 build: hash iid versions.$(ARCH)
 	docker pull $(ORG)/$(IMAGE):$(shell cat hash) || \
 		docker tag $(shell cat iid) $(ORG)/$(IMAGE):$(shell cat hash)
diff --git a/tools/alpine/push-manifest.sh b/tools/alpine/push-manifest.sh
index 8a5e81bbc..a457cef92 100755
--- a/tools/alpine/push-manifest.sh
+++ b/tools/alpine/push-manifest.sh
@@ -17,8 +17,13 @@ IMAGE=$2
 IMG_X86_64=$(head -1 versions.x86_64 | sed 's,[#| ]*,,')
 IMG_ARM64=$(head -1 versions.aarch64 | sed 's,[#| ]*,,')
 IMG_s390x=$(head -1 versions.s390x | sed 's,[#| ]*,,')
-# Extract the TAG from the x86_64 name and build the manifest target name
-TAG=$(echo "$IMG_X86_64" | sed 's,\-.*$,,' | cut -d':' -f2)
+# Extract the TAG from the tree hash - just like how "linuxkit pkg show-tag" does it - name and build the manifest target name
+TAG=$(git ls-tree --full-tree HEAD -- $(pwd) | awk '{print $3}')
+DIRTY=$(git diff-index HEAD -- $(pwd))
+if [ -n "$DIRTY"]; then
+  echo "will not push out manifest when git tree is dirty" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
 TARGET="$ORG/$IMAGE:$TAG"
 
 YAML=$(mktemp)
@@ -77,4 +82,4 @@ fi
 # Push manifest list
 OUT=$(manifest-tool $MT_ARGS push from-spec --ignore-missing "$YAML")
 rm "$YAML"
-echo "$OUT"
\ No newline at end of file
+echo "$OUT"