diff --git a/scripts/build.py b/scripts/build.py
index a06338bc9..a8e62c17c 100644
--- a/scripts/build.py
+++ b/scripts/build.py
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ if flag_make_release:
 		bail("failed to make a relase of %s" % name)
 	final_output = "FAIL"
 	for f in os.listdir("."):
-		if version_teeworlds in f and platform in f and name in f and (".zip" in f or ".tar.gz" in f):
+		if version_teeworlds in f and platform in f and name in f and (".zip" in f or ".tar.xz" in f):
 			final_output = f
 	os.chdir(work_dir)
 	shutil.copy("%s/%s" % (src_dir_teeworlds, final_output), "../"+final_output)
diff --git a/scripts/make_release.py b/scripts/make_release.py
index fcba319d3..c5084619e 100644
--- a/scripts/make_release.py
+++ b/scripts/make_release.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ version = sys.argv[1]
 platform = sys.argv[2]
 exe_ext = ""
 use_zip = 0
-use_gz = 1
+use_xz = 1
 use_dmg = 0
 use_bundle = 0
 include_data = True
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ if platform == "src":
 	include_exe = False
 	include_src = True
 	use_zip = 1
-	use_gz = 1
+	use_xz = 1
 
 #if not platform in valid_platforms:
 #	print("not a valid platform")
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ if platform == "src":
 if platform == 'win32' or platform == 'win64':
 	exe_ext = ".exe"
 	use_zip = 1
-	use_gz = 0
+	use_xz = 0
 if  platform == 'osx':
 	use_dmg = 1
-	use_gz = 0
+	use_xz = 0
 	use_bundle = 1
 
 def copydir(src, dst, excl=[]):
@@ -211,9 +211,9 @@ if use_zip:
 	#zf.printdir()
 	zf.close()
 	
-if use_gz:
-	print("making tar.gz archive")
-	os.system("tar czf %s.tar.gz %s" % (package, package_dir))
+if use_xz:
+	print("making tar.xz archive")
+	os.system("XZ_OPT=-9 tar cJf %s.tar.xz %s" % (package, package_dir))
 
 if use_dmg:
 	print("making disk image")
diff --git a/scripts/make_src.py b/scripts/make_src.py
index 33e0f921c..33785c9a6 100644
--- a/scripts/make_src.py
+++ b/scripts/make_src.py
@@ -37,5 +37,5 @@ if 1:
 	os.system("python scripts/make_release.py %s src" % version)
 	os.chdir(root_dir)
 	for f in os.listdir("teeworlds"):
-		if "teeworlds" in f and "src" in f and (".zip" in f or ".tar.gz" in f):
+		if "teeworlds" in f and "src" in f and (".zip" in f or ".tar.xz" in f):
 			shutil.copy("teeworlds/"+f, "../" + f)