diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 523a3d8c541ed8..eedbf758e72167 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -574,8 +574,7 @@ PKG=$(TARNAME).pkg
 MACOSOUTDIR=out/macos
 
 release-only:
-	@if [ "$(DISTTYPE)" != "nightly" ] && [ "$(DISTTYPE)" != "next-nightly" ] && \
-		`grep -q REPLACEME doc/api/*.md`; then \
+	@if [ "$(DISTTYPE)" = "release" ] && `grep -q REPLACEME doc/api/*.md`; then \
 		echo 'Please update REPLACEME in Added: tags in doc/api/*.md (See doc/releases.md)' ; \
 		exit 1 ; \
 	fi