diff --git a/prep_release.py b/prep_release.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e2b4c58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prep_release.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+""" This script builds and runs automated tests for a new moldesign release.
+It's manual for now, will be replaced by Travis or Jenkins soon.
+
+You shouldn't run this unless you know exactly what you're doing and why you're doing it
+"""
+
+import os
+import sys
+import subprocess
+import atexit
+
+version = sys.argv[1]
+
+
+def run(cmd, display=True):
+    print '\n>>> %s' % cmd
+    if display:
+        return subprocess.check_call(cmd, shell=True)
+    else:
+        return subprocess.check_output(cmd, shell=True)
+
+
+tags = set(run('git tag --list', display=False).splitlines())
+rootdir = run('git rev-parse --show-toplevel', display=False).strip()
+
+assert os.path.abspath(rootdir) == os.path.abspath(os.path.curdir), \
+    "This command must be run at root of the repository directory"
+
+# check that tag is valid
+assert version not in tags, "Tag %s already exists!" % version
+major, minor, patch = map(int, version.split('.'))
+
+
+# Set the tag!
+run('git tag %s' % version)
+print 'Tag set: %s' % version
+
+
+def untag():
+    if not untag.success:
+        print 'Failed. Removing version tag %s' % version
+        run('git tag -d %s' % version)
+
+untag.success = False
+
+atexit.register(untag)
+
+# Check that it propagated to the python package
+import pyccc
+assert os.path.abspath(os.path.join(pyccc.__path__[0],'..')) == os.path.abspath(rootdir)
+assert pyccc.__version__ == version, 'Package has incorrect version: %s' % pyccc.__version__
+
+untag.success = True
+
+# This is the irreversible part - so do it manually
+print """
+This LOOKS ready for release! Do the following to create version %s.
+If you're ready, run these commands:
+1. python setup.py register -r pypi
+2. python setup.py sdist upload -r pypi
+3. git push origin master --tags
+
+Finally, mark it as release "v%s" in GitHub.
+
+TO ABORT, RUN:
+git tag -d %s
+""" % (version, version, version)
+