diff --git a/scripts/make-release.py b/scripts/make-release.py
index 574cb75d..31f4fa9e 100644
--- a/scripts/make-release.py
+++ b/scripts/make-release.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ import re
 from datetime import datetime, date
 from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
 
+_date_clean_re = re.compile(r'(\d+)(st|nd|rd|th)')
+
 
 def parse_changelog():
     with open('CHANGES') as f:
@@ -52,8 +54,7 @@ def bump_version(version):
 
 
 def parse_date(string):
-    string = string.replace('th ', ' ').replace('nd ', ' ') \
-                   .replace('rd ', ' ').replace('st ', ' ')
+    string = _date_clean_re.sub(r'\1', string)
     return datetime.strptime(string, '%B %d %Y')