diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 28f0755..b83e04e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -22,10 +22,12 @@ COMMITDATE=$(shell git show -s --format=%ci | cut -d ' ' -f 1)
 bitmanip/autogenerated:
 	-mkdir $@
 
+STAGE ?= "Release candidate"
+
 bitmanip/autogenerated/revision.adoc-snippet: Makefile bitmanip/autogenerated FORCE
 	echo ":revdate: ${COMMITDATE}" > $@
 	echo ":revnumber: ${VERSION}" >> $@
-	echo ":revremark: Release candidate" >> $@
+	echo ":revremark: ${STAGE}" >> $@
 
 clean:
 	rm -f bitmanip-*.pdf