diff --git a/scripts/packaging/build-rpm-local.sh b/scripts/packaging/build-rpm-local.sh
index a24d6be47863f79d9b92e1fdfad74f3dba21ae36..6b27e183663d4a4ee44948dc4f1ed8f34c223512 100755
--- a/scripts/packaging/build-rpm-local.sh
+++ b/scripts/packaging/build-rpm-local.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ gitlab_release_no_v=
 
 case "$RELEASETYPE" in
 ReleaseCandidate | TestReleaseCandidate | Release | TestRelease)
-  _VERSION=$VERSION
+  # rpm versions are more strict than debian versions
+  _VERSION=$(echo "${VERSION}" | tr -d '~' | tr '-' '_')
   _EPOCH="%{nil}"
   _CHANGELOG="New Release $VERSION / $CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA"
   ;;