diff --git a/dependencies.py b/dependencies.py
index 39bd20f..3020454 100644
--- a/dependencies.py
+++ b/dependencies.py
@@ -276,9 +276,11 @@ class Libzim(Dependency):
     class Source(GitClone):
         git_remote = "https://github.com/openzim/libzim.git"
         git_dir = "libzim"
+        release_git_ref = "3.0.0"
 
     Builder = MesonBuilder
 
+
 class ZimTools(Dependency):
     name = "zim-tools"
     dependencies = ['libzim']
@@ -336,6 +338,7 @@ class Kiwixlib(Dependency):
     class Source(GitClone):
         git_remote = "https://github.com/kiwix/kiwix-lib.git"
         git_dir = "kiwix-lib"
+        release_git_ref = "1.0.1"
 
     class Builder(MesonBuilder):
         @property
@@ -359,6 +362,7 @@ class KiwixTools(Dependency):
     class Source(GitClone):
         git_remote = "https://github.com/kiwix/kiwix-tools.git"
         git_dir = "kiwix-tools"
+        release_git_ref = "0.3.0"
 
     class Builder(MesonBuilder):
         @property
diff --git a/dependency_utils.py b/dependency_utils.py
index 0cd4ed3..be00774 100644
--- a/dependency_utils.py
+++ b/dependency_utils.py
@@ -123,22 +123,33 @@ class ReleaseDownload(Source):
 
 
 class GitClone(Source):
-    git_ref = "master"
+    base_git_ref = "master"
+    release_git_ref = "master"
 
     @property
     def source_dir(self):
-        return self.git_dir
+        if self.buildEnv.make_release:
+            return "{}_release".format(self.git_dir)
+        else:
+            return self.git_dir
 
     @property
     def git_path(self):
-        return pj(self.buildEnv.source_dir, self.git_dir)
+        return pj(self.buildEnv.source_dir, self.source_dir)
+
+    @property
+    def git_ref(self):
+        if self.buildEnv.make_release:
+            return self.release_git_ref
+        else:
+            return self.base_git_ref
 
     def _git_clone(self, context):
         context.force_native_build = True
         if os.path.exists(self.git_path):
             raise SkipCommand()
         command = "git clone --depth=1 --branch {} {} {}".format(
-            self.git_ref, self.git_remote, self.git_dir)
+            self.git_ref, self.git_remote, self.source_dir)
         self.buildEnv.run_command(command, self.buildEnv.source_dir, context)
 
     def _git_update(self, context):
diff --git a/kiwix-build.py b/kiwix-build.py
index a392f59..8b28a88 100755
--- a/kiwix-build.py
+++ b/kiwix-build.py
@@ -979,7 +979,9 @@ def parse_args():
     parser.add_argument('--skip-source-prepare', action='store_true',
                         help="Skip the source download part")
     parser.add_argument('--build-deps-only', action='store_true',
-                        help=("Build only the dependencies of the specified targets."))
+                        help="Build only the dependencies of the specified targets.")
+    parser.add_argument('--make-release', action='store_true',
+                        help="Build a release version")
     subgroup = parser.add_argument_group('advanced')
     subgroup.add_argument('--no-cert-check', action='store_true',
                           help="Skip SSL certificate verification during download")