diff --git a/scripts/make-release.py b/scripts/make-release.py
index d6375820..ed933239 100644
--- a/scripts/make-release.py
+++ b/scripts/make-release.py
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ def parse_changelog():
             match = re.search('^Version\s+(.*)', line.strip())
             if match is None:
                 continue
-            length = len(match.group(1))
             version = match.group(1).strip()
             if lineiter.next().count('-') != len(match.group(0)):
                 continue
@@ -60,6 +59,7 @@ def parse_date(string):
 
 def set_filename_version(filename, version_number, pattern):
     changed = []
+
     def inject_version(match):
         before, old, after = match.groups()
         changed.append(True)
@@ -133,7 +133,8 @@ def main():
     if version in tags:
         fail('Version "%s" is already tagged', version)
     if release_date.date() != date.today():
-        fail('Release date is not today (%s != %s)')
+        fail('Release date is not today (%s != %s)',
+             release_date.date(), date.today())
 
     if not git_is_clean():
         fail('You have uncommitted changes in git')