On macOS, with the default 'bsdtar', 'make build/' fails to create a tarball, but does not warn about it, outputting: > ======== Building tarball archive-devel/.tar... > ######## Built new package archive-devel/.tar! > ======== Building tarball archive/.tar... > ######## Built new package archive/.tar! ['bsdtar' does not expose '--transform' option. Though it provides a similar '-s' option with a bit different syntax.] This patch suggests asserting a tarball was generated. This would result in a more helpful output on a failed generation: > ======== Building tarball archive-devel/.tar... > Build error for archive-devel/.tar: (cl-assertion-failed (file-readable-p tarball)) > ######## Build of package archive-devel/.tar FAILED!! > ======== Building tarball archive/.tar... > Build error for archive/.tar: (cl-assertion-failed (file-readable-p tarball)) > ######## Build of package archive/.tar FAILED!! In GNU Emacs 28.0.90 (build 1, x86_64-apple-darwin21.1.0, NS appkit-2113.00 Version 12.0.1 (Build 21A559))