diff --git a/contrib/android/make_apk b/contrib/android/make_apk
index 8c3610503..6f315ddfb 100755
--- a/contrib/android/make_apk
+++ b/contrib/android/make_apk
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ if [[ "$3" == "release" ]] ; then
     TARGET="release"
     export P4A_RELEASE_KEYSTORE=~/.keystore
     export P4A_RELEASE_KEYALIAS=electrum
-    if [ ! $P4A_RELEASE_KEYSTORE_PASSWD ]; then
-	echo "p4a password not defined"
-	exit 1
+    if [ -z "$P4A_RELEASE_KEYSTORE_PASSWD" ] || [ -z "$P4A_RELEASE_KEYALIAS_PASSWD" ]; then
+        echo "p4a password not defined"
+        exit 1
     fi
 elif [[ "$3" == "release-unsigned" ]] ; then
     # do release build, but do not sign the APKs.
diff --git a/contrib/build-wine/sign.sh b/contrib/build-wine/sign.sh
index 4ee812bb4..19ecbe90a 100755
--- a/contrib/build-wine/sign.sh
+++ b/contrib/build-wine/sign.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 here=$(dirname "$0")
-if [ ! $WIN_SIGNING_PASSWORD ]; then
-   echo "password missing"
-   exit 1
+if [ -z "$WIN_SIGNING_PASSWORD" ]; then
+    echo "password missing"
+    exit 1
 fi
 
 test -n "$here" -a -d "$here" || exit
diff --git a/contrib/release.sh b/contrib/release.sh
index 4dd7f5d15..64a8c23c0 100755
--- a/contrib/release.sh
+++ b/contrib/release.sh
@@ -57,14 +57,19 @@ if [ "$GPGUSER" == "ThomasV" ]; then
     PUBKEY="--local-user 6694D8DE7BE8EE5631BED9502BD5824B7F9470E6"
     export SSHUSER=thomasv
     RELEASEMANAGER=1
+elif [ "$GPGUSER" == "sombernight_releasekey" ]; then
+    PUBKEY="--local-user 0EEDCFD5CAFB459067349B23CA9EEEC43DF911DC"
+    export SSHUSER=sombernight
+fi
+
+
+if [ ! -z "$RELEASEMANAGER" ] ; then
     echo -n "Code signing passphrase:"
     read -s password
     export WIN_SIGNING_PASSWORD=$password
     export P4A_RELEASE_KEYSTORE_PASSWD=$password
     export P4A_RELEASE_KEYALIAS_PASSWD=$password
-elif [ "$GPGUSER" == "sombernight_releasekey" ]; then
-    PUBKEY="--local-user 0EEDCFD5CAFB459067349B23CA9EEEC43DF911DC"
-    export SSHUSER=sombernight
+    # TODO add tests here to see if pw is correct
 fi