diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index fb4e296f..408b078b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ bot.db
 xdcs/*
 bot-data/*
 import/*
-**/__pycache__/*
\ No newline at end of file
+**/__pycache__/*
+dist/
diff --git a/frontend/create_xdc.sh b/frontend/create_xdc.sh
index 57bd353a..4d61d5c0 100755
--- a/frontend/create_xdc.sh
+++ b/frontend/create_xdc.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-mkdir -p ../bot-data
+
+: "${DESTDIR:=$PWD/..}"
+
+DESTDIR="$DESTDIR/bot-data"
+
+mkdir -p "$DESTDIR"
 cd dist
 
 echo "Building appstore.xdc"
@@ -7,7 +12,7 @@ cd shop
 mv shop.html index.html
 cp ../../build-files/shop/* .
 zip -9 --recurse-paths "appstore.xdc" *
-cp appstore.xdc ../../../bot-data
+cp appstore.xdc "$DESTDIR"
 cd ..
 
 echo "Building submit-helper.xdc"
@@ -15,7 +20,7 @@ cd submit
 mv submit.html index.html
 cp ../../build-files/submit/* .
 zip -9 --recurse-paths "submit-helper.xdc" * 
-cp submit-helper.xdc ../../../bot-data
+cp submit-helper.xdc "$DESTDIR"
 cd ..
 
 echo "Building review-helper.xdc"
@@ -23,5 +28,5 @@ cd review
 mv review.html index.html
 cp ../../build-files/review/* .
 zip -9 --recurse-paths "review-helper.xdc" * 
-cp review-helper.xdc ../../../bot-data
+cp review-helper.xdc "$DESTDIR"
 cd ..
diff --git a/scripts/dist.sh b/scripts/dist.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..c0c53a44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/dist.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# Script to create the distribution tarball.
+set -e
+
+SRC="$PWD"
+
+TMP="$(mktemp -d)"
+export DESTDIR="$TMP/appstore-bot"
+mkdir "$DESTDIR"
+
+# Build the frontend.
+cd "$SRC/frontend"
+npm run build
+
+# Build the backend.
+cd "$SRC"
+cargo build --release
+
+cp target/release/github-bot "$DESTDIR/appstore-bot"
+
+mkdir -p "$SRC/dist"
+OUT="$SRC/dist/appstore-bot.tar.gz"
+tar -C "$TMP" -czf "$OUT" appstore-bot
+
+echo Distribution tarball is built at $OUT >&2
+
+rm -fr "$TMP"