diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 80ccbddf..c281b8f1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ export DIST_DIR    ?= $(CURDIR)/dist
 export MAKE_DIR    ?= $(CURDIR)/mk
 export DEBUG_DIR   ?= $(CURDIR)/.debug
 
-#export TAG        ?=
 #export DISTRIB    ?=
 #export SECTION    ?=
 
@@ -95,20 +94,10 @@ ARCH    ?= $(call getarch)
 MAJOR   := $(call getdef,NVC_MAJOR,$(LIB_INCS))
 MINOR   := $(call getdef,NVC_MINOR,$(LIB_INCS))
 PATCH   := $(call getdef,NVC_PATCH,$(LIB_INCS))
-VERSION_STRING := $(subst ",,$(call getdef,NVC_VERSION,$(LIB_INCS)))
+# Extract the TAG from the version header file. We strip quotes.
+TAG     := $(subst ",,$(call getdef,NVC_TAG,$(LIB_INCS)))
 VERSION := $(MAJOR).$(MINOR).$(PATCH)
 
-# We try to get a tag to apply to the version
-ifeq ($(GIT_TAG:v%=%),$(VERSION))
-TAG :=
-else
-ifneq ($(word 1,$(subst ~, ,$(VERSION_STRING))),$(VERSION))
-$(error "git tag '$(VERSION_STRING)' does not start with '$(VERSION)'")
-endif
-TAG := $(subst $(VERSION)~,,$(VERSION_STRING))
-$(info Using TAG=$(TAG))
-endif
-
 ifeq ($(MAJOR),)
 $(error Invalid major version)
 endif
diff --git a/pkg/deb/changelog b/pkg/deb/changelog
index 780617b8..5e2f2f0b 100644
--- a/pkg/deb/changelog
+++ b/pkg/deb/changelog
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@ libnvidia-container (1.5.0-1) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
   * Promote 1.5.0~rc.2 to 1.5.0-1
   * [BUILD] Allow REVISION to be specified as make variable
   * [BUILD] Only copy package files to dist folder
+  * [BUILD] Define TAG in nvc.h and remove logic to determine it automatically.
 
- -- NVIDIA CORPORATION <cudatools@nvidia.com>  Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0200
+ -- NVIDIA CORPORATION <cudatools@nvidia.com>  Thu, 02 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0200
 
 libnvidia-container (1.5.0~rc.2-1) experimental; urgency=medium
 
diff --git a/pkg/rpm/SPECS/libnvidia-container.spec b/pkg/rpm/SPECS/libnvidia-container.spec
index 8420da8c..b45665f1 100644
--- a/pkg/rpm/SPECS/libnvidia-container.spec
+++ b/pkg/rpm/SPECS/libnvidia-container.spec
@@ -100,10 +100,11 @@ This package contains command-line tools that facilitate using the library.
 
 %changelog
 
-* Tue Aug 31 2021  NVIDIA CORPORATION <cudatools@nvidia.com> 1.5.0-1
+* Thu Sep 02 2021  NVIDIA CORPORATION <cudatools@nvidia.com> 1.5.0-1
 - Promote 1.5.0-0.1.rc.2 to 1.5.0-1
 - [BUILD] Allow REVISION to be specified as make variable
 - [BUILD] Only copy package files to dist folder
+- [BUILD] Define TAG in nvc.h and remove logic to determine it automatically.
 
 * Tue Aug 17 2021 NVIDIA CORPORATION <cudatools@nvidia.com> 1.5.0-0.1.rc.2
 - Remove --fabric-device option to include nvlink and nvswitch devices
diff --git a/src/nvc.h b/src/nvc.h
index 2c4aa32d..e71b4297 100644
--- a/src/nvc.h
+++ b/src/nvc.h
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ extern "C" {
 #define NVC_MAJOR   1
 #define NVC_MINOR   5
 #define NVC_PATCH   0
+
+// Specify the release tag.
+// For stable releases, this should be defined as empty.
+// For release candidates, this should be defined with the format "rc.1"
+// The version string NVC_VERSION should also be updated accordingly, using a ~ separator where applicable.
+#define NVC_TAG
 #define NVC_VERSION "1.5.0"
 
 #define NVC_ARG_MAX 256