diff --git a/contrib/release/debian-packages.sh b/contrib/release/debian-packages.sh
--- a/contrib/release/debian-packages.sh
+++ b/contrib/release/debian-packages.sh
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@
   echo "Build and sign Debian packages and push to a PPA."
   echo "Usage: $0 <options> signer"
   echo
-  echo "Example usage: $0 \"Jason B. Cox <jasonbcox@bitcoinabc.org>\""
+  echo "Example usage: $0 jasonbcox"
   echo
-  echo "signer must be of the form: 'YOUR NAME <your-email@domain.com>'"
+  echo "signer will be fetched from gpg, so must at least partially match your"
+  echo "  signing name or email."
   echo
   echo "Note: This script will prompt you to sign with your PGP key."
   echo
@@ -88,14 +89,8 @@
   exit 20
 fi
 
-SIGNER="$1"
-echo "Signer:"
-echo "${SIGNER}" | grep ".* <.*@.*>" || {
-  echo "Error: signer is not formatted correctly"
-  echo
-  help_message
-  exit 21
-}
+SIGNER=$(gpg --list-key "$1" | grep -o "\[ultimate\] .* <.*@.*>" | cut -d' ' -f 2-)
+echo "Signer: ${SIGNER}"
 
 # Generate default dput config file if none exists
 if [ ! -f ${DPUT_CONFIG_FILE} ]; then