diff --git a/release/check_private.sh b/release/check_private.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..055ca6629483192d7cc90c6661a113e39e95040a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release/check_private.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Checks if a package is private or public on gitlab.
+# Usage:
+#     $ ./check_private.sh bob.extension bob.db.base ...
+
+set -e
+
+# some dummy variables so functions.sh works
+BOB_PACKAGE_VERSION="dummy"
+CI_PROJECT_URL="dummy"
+CI_PROJECT_DIR="dummy"
+CI_PROJECT_PATH="dummy"
+CI_PROJECT_NAME="dummy"
+CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME="dummy"
+PYPIUSER="dummy"
+PYPIPASS="dummy"
+DOCUSER="dummy"
+DOCPASS="dummy"
+CONDA_ROOT="dummy"
+
+source $(dirname ${0})/../gitlab/functions.sh > /dev/null
+
+
+for pkg in "$@"; do
+    echo -n "$pkg "
+    CI_PROJECT_URL="https://gitlab.idiap.ch/bob/$pkg/"
+    visibility
+done