diff --git a/scripts/image b/scripts/image
index 4ef7fe892d..8a6b49e1e9 100755
--- a/scripts/image
+++ b/scripts/image
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ if [ "$1" = "release" -o "$1" = "mkimage" -o "$1" = "amlpkg" -o "$1" = "noobs" ]
     rm -rf $TARGET_IMG/${IMAGE_NAME}-$1.tar
 
     # create release tarball
-    tar cf $TARGET_IMG/${IMAGE_NAME}-$1.tar -C $TARGET ${IMAGE_NAME}-$1
+    tar cf $TARGET_IMG/${IMAGE_NAME}-$1.tar -C $TARGET_IMG ${IMAGE_NAME}-$1
 
     # create sha256 checksum of tarball
     ( cd $TARGET_IMG