diff --git a/gitlab/functions.sh b/gitlab/functions.sh
index b20e1151462099ec50a50c393b743e18f162f7cf..df3037c6b0f39277a2251fc12a729cf9455c2121 100644
--- a/gitlab/functions.sh
+++ b/gitlab/functions.sh
@@ -31,7 +31,18 @@ check_env() {
     log_error "Variable ${1} is undefined - aborting...";
     exit 1
   else
-    log_info "Variable ${1}: OK";
+    log_info "\$${1}= ${!1}";
+  fi
+}
+
+
+# Checks a given environment variable is set (non-zero size)
+check_pass() {
+  if [ -z "${!1}" ]; then
+    log_error "Variable ${1} is undefined - aborting...";
+    exit 1
+  else
+    log_info "\$${1}= ********";
   fi
 }
 
@@ -61,7 +72,7 @@ setup() {
 dot_pypirc() {
   check_env PYPISERVER
   check_env PYPIUSER
-  check_env PYPIPASS
+  check_pass PYPIPASS
   log_info "Creating ~/.pypirc..."
   cat <<EOT >> ~/.pypirc
 [distutils]
@@ -87,7 +98,7 @@ EOT
 doc_upload() {
   check_env DOCSERVER
   check_env DOCUSER
-  check_env DOCPASS
+  check_pass DOCPASS
   log_info "${1} -> ${DOCSERVER}/${2}, via curl..."
   curl --silent --user "${DOCUSER}:${DOCPASS}" --upload-file ${1} ${DOCSERVER}/${2}
   local status=$?