diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index 78fee9187..437355e57 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -6,14 +6,40 @@ MAIN_REV=`echo $VERSION | cut -f 1,2 -d '.'`
 NEXT_NUMBER=$(($LAST_DIGIT + 1))
 NEXT_VERSION=$MAIN_REV'.'$NEXT_NUMBER
 
-sed -e s/$VERSION/$NEXT_VERSION/g docker-compose.yml > tmp1
-mv tmp1 docker-compose.yml
 
-sed -e s/$VERSION/$NEXT_VERSION/g setup.py > tmp2
-mv tmp2 setup.py
+function bump_version {
+    sed -e s/$VERSION/$NEXT_VERSION/g docker-compose.yml > tmp1
+    mv tmp1 docker-compose.yml
+
+    sed -e s/$VERSION/$NEXT_VERSION/g setup.py > tmp2
+    mv tmp2 setup.py
+}
+
+function commit_and_push {
+   echo "committing..."
+   git add docker-compose.yml setup.py
+   git commit -m "Release: $NEXT_VERSION"
+   git tag $NEXT_VERSION
+
+   echo "sending to github..."
+   git push origin $NEXT_VERSION
+   git push origin
+
+   echo "done."
+}
+
+case "$1" in
+    --dryrun)
+        echo "Dry run"
+        bump_version
+        echo "done."
+        echo "Run git checkout -- docker-compose.yml setup.py to undo the files"
+
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+    --a)
+       echo "generating release"
+       bump_version
+       commit_and_push
+esac
 
-git add docker-compose.yml setup.py
-git commit -m "Release: $NEXT_VERSION"
-git tag $NEXT_VERSION
-git push origin $NEXT_VERSION
-git push origin