--- rpm-4.4.9/rpmio/macro.c.old	2007-11-10 10:29:08.000000000 +0100
+++ rpm-4.4.9/rpmio/macro.c	2007-11-10 10:37:25.000000000 +0100
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <strings.h>
 #define rpmError fprintf
 #define RPMERR_BADSPEC stderr
 #undef	_
@@ -2106,6 +2107,7 @@ int isCompressed(const char * file, rpmC
     ssize_t nb;
     int rc = -1;
     unsigned char magic[13];
+    char *end, *ext;
 
     *compressed = COMPRESSED_NOT;
 
@@ -2131,6 +2133,11 @@ int isCompressed(const char * file, rpmC
 
     rc = 0;
 
+    /* Tar archives will be recognized by filename. */
+    end = strchr(file, '\0');
+    ext = end - 4;
+    if (ext > file && !strcasecmp(ext, ".tar")) return rc;
+ 
     if (magic[0] == 'B' && magic[1] == 'Z')
 	*compressed = COMPRESSED_BZIP2;
     else