diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..954dd0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Photon release script
+
+#!/bin/bash
+
+check_errs()
+{
+  # Parameter 1 is the return code
+  # Parameter 2 is text to display on failure.
+  if [ "${1}" -ne "0" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR : ${2}"
+    # as a bonus, make our script exit with the right error code.
+    exit ${1}
+  fi
+}
+
+# pre mode is run when preparing for a release
+if [[ "${1}" = "pre" ]]; then
+    # first checkout a fresh copy from CVS
+    echo "Attempting to check fresh copy of photon out from CVS..."
+    cvs -z3 -d:ext:cozman@cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/photon co -P photon
+    check_errs $? "Obtaining photon via CVS failed"
+
+    cd photon
+    check_errs $? "No photon directory?! Cannot proceed."
+
+    # run all scons targets
+    scons
+    check_errs $? "Building photon library failed, aborting."
+    scons tests
+    check_errs $? "Building photon tests failed, aborting."
+    scons docs
+    check_errs $? "Building photon docs failed, aborting."
+    echo "All scons tests succeeded!"
+    
+    echo "\nTime for some sanity checks, then run release.sh"
+    
+elif [[ "${1}" = "release" ]]; then
+    echo "release mode not implemented"
+
+else
+    echo "Usage: ./release.sh {pre|release}"
+fi
+
+exit