diff --git a/build/version-bump b/build/version-bump
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..4adf9e503
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/version-bump
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
+  echo "USAGE: $0 VERSION" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+VER=$1
+FULLVER=$VER
+
+[ "$(echo "$FULLVER" | grep -o -F . | wc -c)" -lt 3 ] && FULLVER="$FULLVER.0"
+
+# update the files
+sed -e 's/^\(AC_INIT([^,]*, *\[\)[^]]*\(\])\)/\1'"$VER"'\2/' -i configure.ac
+sed -e '
+s/^\(!define PRODUCT_VERSION \)".*$/\1"'"$VER"'"/
+s/^\(!define PRODUCT_VERSION_ID \)".*$/\1"'"${FULLVER}.0"'"/
+' -i build/geany-plugins.nsi
+
+sed -e '
+1i Geany-Plugins '"$VER"' (unreleased)\n\n
+' -i NEWS
+
+# show commit message to use
+cat <<EOF
+Message for the commit, after you have checked the changes:
+-----------------------------------------------------------
+
+Post release version bump
+EOF