diff --git a/tools/mkpkg/update_binary-addons b/tools/mkpkg/update_binary-addons
index 5fd1b67dd4..4412dbb06d 100755
--- a/tools/mkpkg/update_binary-addons
+++ b/tools/mkpkg/update_binary-addons
@@ -68,10 +68,33 @@ fi
 
 . "${MY_DIR}/update_common_functions"
 
-git_clone https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc ${KODI_DIR} ${KODI_BRANCH}
+get_gh_token
+
+if [ -z "${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" ]; then
+  git_clone https://github.com/xbmc/xbmc ${KODI_DIR} ${KODI_BRANCH}
+  ADDONS_REPO_LOCATION="${KODI_DIR}/cmake/addons/bootstrap/repositories"
+else
+  # check if depends are available
+  command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1 || die "please install curl"
+  command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1 || die "please install jq"
+
+  TMP_REPO_DIR="${TMPDIR}/bootstrap-repos"
+
+  curl -s -L -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" \
+    "https://api.github.com/repos/xbmc/xbmc/contents/cmake/addons/bootstrap/repositories?ref=${KODI_BRANCH}" | awk \
+    '/download_url/ { gsub("\"|,", "", $2); system("mkdir -p '${TMP_REPO_DIR}'; (cd '${TMP_REPO_DIR}'; curl -O "$2")"); }' \
+    2>/dev/null
+  ADDONS_REPO_LOCATION=${TMP_REPO_DIR}
+fi
+
+if ! ls ${ADDONS_REPO_LOCATION}/*-addons.txt &> /dev/null; then
+   echo "No binary addon repo description found, nothing to do!"
+   echo "Path searched: ${ADDONS_REPO_LOCATION}"
+   exit 0
+fi
 
 # addons
-for addontxt in $KODI_DIR/cmake/addons/bootstrap/repositories/*-addons.txt ; do
+for addontxt in ${ADDONS_REPO_LOCATION}/*-addons.txt ; do
   ADDONS=$(cat $addontxt | awk '{print $1}')
   ADDONS_GIT_DIR="${ADDONS}.git"
   ADDONS_GIT_REPO=$(cat $addontxt | awk '{print $2}')
@@ -99,16 +122,28 @@ for addontxt in $KODI_DIR/cmake/addons/bootstrap/repositories/*-addons.txt ; do
       # If different, ignore the addon and process it later as an "unofficial" addon
       validate_pkg_url "${ADDON}" "${GIT_REPO}" || continue
 
-      git_clone ${GIT_REPO} ${GIT_DIR} ${GIT_BRANCH}
-
       NO_TAG=""
-      NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag_in_branch ${GIT_DIR} ${GIT_BRANCH})
+      if [ -z "${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" ]; then
+        git_clone ${GIT_REPO} ${GIT_DIR} ${GIT_BRANCH}
+        PARAMS="resolve_tag_in_branch ${GIT_DIR} ${GIT_BRANCH}"
+      else
+        REPO=$(basename "${GIT_REPO}")
+        OWNER=$(basename "${GIT_REPO%/${REPO}*}")
+        PARAMS="resolve_tag_on_gh ${OWNER} ${REPO} ${GIT_BRANCH}"
+      fi
+      NEW_VERSION=$(${PARAMS})
+
       if [ -z "${NEW_VERSION}" ]; then
         NO_TAG="yes"
         echo "========================================================================"
         msg_warn "WARNING: no tag found for addon ${ADDON}, falling back to HEAD"
         echo "========================================================================"
-        NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_hash_in_branch "${GIT_DIR}" "${GIT_BRANCH}")
+        if [ -z "${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" ]; then
+          PARAMS="resolve_hash_in_branch ${GIT_DIR} ${GIT_BRANCH}"
+        else
+          PARAMS="resolve_hash_on_gh ${GIT_REPO} ${GIT_BRANCH}"
+        fi
+        NEW_VERSION=$(${PARAMS})
       fi
 
       echo "Resolved version for ${ADDON}: ${GIT_BRANCH} => ${NEW_VERSION}"
@@ -125,7 +160,7 @@ for addontxt in $KODI_DIR/cmake/addons/bootstrap/repositories/*-addons.txt ; do
       fi
 
       if [ "${KEEP_GIT_DIRS}" != "yes" ]; then
-        rm -rf "${GIT_DIR}"
+        [ -d "${GIT_DIR}" ] && rm -rf "${GIT_DIR}"
       fi
     else
       echo "[mkpkg] Skipped $ADDON"
@@ -134,6 +169,10 @@ for addontxt in $KODI_DIR/cmake/addons/bootstrap/repositories/*-addons.txt ; do
     PROCESSED="${PROCESSED}${ADDON}\n"
   done
 
+  if [ "${KEEP_GIT_DIRS}" != "yes" ]; then
+    [ -d "${ADDONS_GIT_DIR}" ] && rm -rf "${ADDONS_GIT_DIR}"
+  fi
+
   echo
   echo "The following addons were skipped, please add packages for these addons:"
   echo "[${SKIPPED_ADDONS}]"
@@ -154,11 +193,18 @@ for ADDON in $(ls -1 "${ROOT}/packages/mediacenter/kodi-binary-addons"); do
   GIT_DIR="${ADDON}.git"
   GIT_REPO="$(geturl "${ADDON}")" || continue
 
-  git_clone ${GIT_REPO} ${GIT_DIR}
+  if [ -z "${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" ]; then
+    git_clone ${GIT_REPO} ${GIT_DIR}
+    RESOLVE_UNOFFICIAL_BRANCH="resolve_hash_in_branch ${ADDON}.git ${UNOFFICIAL_ADDON_BRANCH}"
+    RESOLVE_HEAD="resolve_hash_in_branch ${ADDON}.git HEAD"
+  else
+    RESOLVE_UNOFFICIAL_BRANCH="resolve_hash_on_gh ${GIT_REPO%.git} ${UNOFFICIAL_ADDON_BRANCH}"
+    RESOLVE_HEAD="resolve_hash_on_gh ${GIT_REPO%.git} HEAD"
+  fi
 
-  if RESOLVED_HASH=$(resolve_hash_in_branch ${ADDON}.git ${UNOFFICIAL_ADDON_BRANCH}); then
+  if RESOLVED_HASH=$(${RESOLVE_UNOFFICIAL_BRANCH}); then
     echo "Resolved hash for ${ADDON}: ${UNOFFICIAL_ADDON_BRANCH} => ${RESOLVED_HASH}"
-  elif RESOLVED_HASH=$(resolve_hash_in_branch ${ADDON}.git HEAD); then
+  elif RESOLVED_HASH=$(${RESOLVE_HEAD}); then
     echo "Resolved hash for ${ADDON}: HEAD => ${RESOLVED_HASH}"
   else
     msg_warn "WARNING: Could not resolve hash for ${ADDON}"
@@ -173,8 +219,10 @@ for ADDON in $(ls -1 "${ROOT}/packages/mediacenter/kodi-binary-addons"); do
   fi
 
   if [ "${KEEP_GIT_DIRS}" != "yes" ]; then
-    rm -rf ${GIT_DIR}
+    [ -d "${GIT_DIR}" ] && rm -rf ${GIT_DIR}
   fi
 done
 
 rm -rf "${TMPDIR}"
+
+[ -d "${TMP_REPO_DIR}" ] && rm -rf "${TMP_REPO_DIR}"
diff --git a/tools/mkpkg/update_common_functions b/tools/mkpkg/update_common_functions
index 41ac0708c7..220ed3af21 100644
--- a/tools/mkpkg/update_common_functions
+++ b/tools/mkpkg/update_common_functions
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 msg_color() {
   echo $(
     cd "${ROOT}"
-    PROJECT=Generic ARCH=x86_64 . config/options ""
+    PROJECT="${PROJECT:-Generic}" ARCH="${ARCH:-x86_64}" . config/options ""
     echo $(print_color "$1" "$2")
   )
 }
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ git_clone() {
 get_pkg_var() {
   local pkg_name="$1" pkg_var="$2"
   cd "${ROOT}"
-  PROJECT=Generic ARCH=x86_64 source config/options ${pkg_name} &>/dev/null
+  PROJECT="${PROJECT:-Generic}" ARCH="${ARCH:-x86_64}" source config/options ${pkg_name} &>/dev/null
   echo "${!pkg_var}"
 }
 
@@ -60,21 +60,59 @@ resolve_hash_in_branch() {
   fi
 }
 
+resolve_hash_on_gh() {
+  curl -s -L -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" \
+    -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.VERSION.sha" \
+    "${1/*github.com/https:\/\/api.github.com\/repos}/commits/$2"
+}
+
 resolve_tag_in_branch() {
-  local tag
+  local tag tags
   if [ -d "$1" ] ; then
     cd "$1"
-    if [ $# -eq 3 ] ; then
-      tag=$(git describe --abbrev=0 --tags --match "$3" origin/$2 2>/dev/null)
-      if [ -n "$tag" ] ; then
-        echo "$tag"
-        return
-      fi
+    tag=$(git describe --abbrev=0 --tags origin/$2 2>/dev/null)
+    if [ -z "${tag}" ]; then
+      return
     fi
-    git describe --abbrev=0 --tags origin/$2 2>/dev/null
+    tags=( $(git tag --points-at "${tag}" | sort -r -n) )
+    if [ $# -eq 3 -a ${#tags[@]} -gt 1 ]; then
+      for tag in "${tags[@]}"; do
+        if [[ "${tag}" =~ $3 ]]; then
+          echo "$tag"
+          return
+        fi
+      done
+    fi
+    echo "${tags[0]}"
   fi
 }
 
+resolve_tag_on_gh() {
+  local tag
+
+  local QUERY=$(tr '\n' ' ' <<EOF
+{
+  repository(owner: \\"${1}\\", name: \\"${2}\\") {
+    refs(refPrefix: \\"refs/tags/\\", first: 100, orderBy: {field: TAG_COMMIT_DATE, direction: DESC}) {
+      edges {
+        node {
+          name
+       }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+EOF
+)
+
+  tag=$(curl -s -L -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
+          -H "Authorization: bearer ${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" \
+          -X POST -d "{ \"query\": \"${QUERY}\" }" https://api.github.com/graphql | \
+          jq -r '[.data.repository.refs.edges[] | select(.node.name | contains("'${3}'"))][0].node.name | select (.!=null)')
+
+  echo "${tag}"
+}
+
 check_package_excluded() {
   local package="$1" local packages_to_exclude="$2" pkg
   [ -z "${package}" -o -z "${packages_to_exclude}" ] && return 1
@@ -183,5 +221,10 @@ validate_pkg_url() {
 
   [ "${url1}" = "${url2}" ] && return 0 || return 1
 }
- 
 
+# Get user Github token if available
+get_gh_token() {
+  if [ -z "${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" ]; then
+    GITHUB_API_TOKEN=$(get_pkg_var "" GITHUB_API_TOKEN)
+  fi
+}
diff --git a/tools/mkpkg/update_retroplayer-addons b/tools/mkpkg/update_retroplayer-addons
index 428f08c273..b758e4e253 100755
--- a/tools/mkpkg/update_retroplayer-addons
+++ b/tools/mkpkg/update_retroplayer-addons
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ FORCE_LIBRETRO_BUMP=""
 KEEP_GIT_DIRS="yes"
 
 usage() {
-  echo "Usage: $0 [options] <kodi-branch>"
+  echo "Usage: $0 [options] <kodi-branch> [<tag-suffix>]"
   echo " -b, --bump-pkg-rev: bump PKG_REV if package was not updated"
   echo " -d, --delete-git-dirs: delete cloned git dirs after update"
   echo " -f, --force-libretro-bump: check for new libretro package"
@@ -46,12 +46,19 @@ while [ $# -ne 0 ]; do
 done
 
 
-if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
+if [ $# -eq 0 -o $# -gt 2 ]; then
   usage
   exit 1
 fi
+
 KODI_BRANCH="$1"
 
+if [ $# -eq 2 ]; then
+  TAG_SUFFIX="$2"
+else
+  TAG_SUFFIX="${KODI_BRANCH}"
+fi
+
 # list of packages to exclude from update
 EXCLUDED_PACKAGES="game.libretro.chailove
 	game.libretro.fbalpha2012
@@ -73,6 +80,14 @@ mkdir -p "${TMPDIR}"
 
 . "${MY_DIR}/update_common_functions"
 
+get_gh_token
+
+# check if depends are available
+if [ -n "${GITHUB_API_TOKEN}" ]; then
+  command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1 || die "please install curl"
+  command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1 || die "please install jq"
+fi
+
 ADDONS="game-binary-addons"
 ADDONS_DIR="${ADDONS}.git"
 ADDONS_REPO="https://github.com/kodi-game/repo-binary-addons.git"
@@ -114,14 +129,33 @@ for addon in ${ADDONS_DIR}/*.*/ ; do
   NO_TAG=""
   CHECK_RETRO=""
 
-  git_clone "${GAME_GIT_REPO}" "${GAME_GIT_DIR}"
-  GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag_in_branch "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}" "*-${KODI_BRANCH}")
+  if [ -z "$GITHUB_API_TOKEN" ]; then
+    git_clone "${GAME_GIT_REPO}" "${GAME_GIT_DIR}"
+    if [ -n "${TAG_SUFFIX}" ]; then
+      GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag_in_branch "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}" ".*-${TAG_SUFFIX}$")
+    else
+      GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag_in_branch "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}")
+    fi
+  else
+    REPO=$(basename "${GAME_GIT_REPO}")
+    OWNER=$(basename "${GAME_GIT_REPO%/${REPO}*}")
+    if [ -n "${TAG_SUFFIX}" ]; then
+      GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag_on_gh "${OWNER}" "${REPO}" "-${TAG_SUFFIX}")
+    else
+      GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_tag_on_gh "${OWNER}" "${REPO}")
+    fi
+  fi
+
   if [ -z "${GAME_NEW_VERSION}" ]; then
     NO_TAG="yes"
     echo "========================================================================"
     msg_warn "WARNING: no tag found for addon ${GAME_ADDON}, falling back to HEAD"
     echo "========================================================================"
-    GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_hash_in_branch "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}")
+    if [ -z "$GITHUB_API_TOKEN" ]; then
+      GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_hash_in_branch "${GAME_GIT_DIR}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}")
+    else
+      GAME_NEW_VERSION=$(resolve_hash_on_gh "${GAME_GIT_REPO}" "${GAME_GIT_BRANCH}")
+    fi
   fi
 
   if [ "${KEEP_GIT_DIRS}" != "yes" ]; then
@@ -157,18 +191,24 @@ for addon in ${ADDONS_DIR}/*.*/ ; do
     fi
 
     VERSION_INFO=$(grep "^${RETRO_NAME}" "${RETRO_VERSION_FILE}" | head -1)
-    if [[ "$VERSION_INFO" =~ .zip$ ]] ; then
+    if [[ "$VERSION_INFO" =~ github\.com/[^/]+/[^/]+/archive/[^/]+\.zip$ ]] ; then
       # version referenced by githash
       RETRO_NEW_VERSION=$(sed -e 's|^.*/archive/||' -e 's|\.zip$||' "${RETRO_VERSION_FILE}")
-    else
+    elif [[ "$VERSION_INFO" =~ github\.com/[^/]+/[^/]+/archive/[^/]+\.tar\.gz$ ]] ; then
+      # version referenced by githash
+      RETRO_NEW_VERSION=$(sed -e 's|^.*/archive/||' -e 's|\.tar.gz$||' "${RETRO_VERSION_FILE}")
+    elif [[ "$VERSION_INFO" =~ github\.com/[^/[:space:]]+/[^/[:space:]]+[[:space:]][^[:space:]]+ ]] ; then
       msg_warn "unmanaged version in kodi package: ${VERSION_INFO}"
       # unmanaged version, repo plus branch
       RETRO_SITE=$(echo "${VERSION_INFO}" | awk '{print $2}')
       RETRO_BRANCH=$(echo "${VERSION_INFO}" | awk '{print $3}')
       RETRO_NEW_VERSION=$(git ls-remote "${RETRO_SITE}" "${RETRO_BRANCH}" | awk '{print $1}')
+    else
+      msg_warn "UNSUPPORTED ${RETRO_ADDON} version info, update manually: ${VERSION_INFO}"
+      RETRO_NEW_VERSION=""
     fi
 
-    if update_pkg "${RETRO_PATH}" "${RETRO_ADDON}" "${RETRO_NEW_VERSION}"; then
+    if [ -n "${RETRO_NEW_VERSION}" ] && update_pkg "${RETRO_PATH}" "${RETRO_ADDON}" "${RETRO_NEW_VERSION}"; then
       BUMPED_RETRO="yes"
     fi
   fi