diff --git a/contrib/tarball.sh b/contrib/tarball.sh
index 66644155b..54b62f1bd 100755
--- a/contrib/tarball.sh
+++ b/contrib/tarball.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 #
 # create signed release tarball with submodules bundled
+# usage: ./contrib/tarball.sh [keyid]
 #
 repo=$(readlink -e $(dirname $0)/..)
 branch=$(test -e $repo/.git/ && git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
 out="lokinet-$(git describe --exact-match --tags $(git log -n1 --pretty='%h') 2> /dev/null || ( echo -n $branch- && git rev-parse --short HEAD)).tar.xz"
-git-archive-all -C $repo --force-submodules $out && rm -f $out.sig && (gpg -u jeff@lokinet.io --sign --detach $out &> /dev/null && gpg --verify $out.sig)
+git-archive-all -C $repo --force-submodules $out && rm -f $out.sig && (gpg -u ${1:-jeff@lokinet.io} --sign --detach $out &> /dev/null && gpg --verify $out.sig)