diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5706e84c3c..6b33bc462f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1250,7 +1250,8 @@ release: OUT = buildroot-$(BR2_VERSION)
 # documentation to the git output
 release:
 	git archive --format=tar --prefix=$(OUT)/ HEAD > $(OUT).tar
-	$(MAKE) O=$(OUT) manual-html manual-text manual-pdf
+	SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH=$$(git log -1 --format=%at 2> /dev/null) \
+		$(MAKE) O=$(OUT) manual-html manual-text manual-pdf
 	$(MAKE) O=$(OUT) distclean
 	tar rf $(OUT).tar $(OUT)
 	gzip -9 -c < $(OUT).tar > $(OUT).tar.gz