diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..dc8db06b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,204 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# Release preparation script for whisper.cpp.
+#
+# Bumps the version in CMakeLists.txt on a release candidate branch.
+# The branch should then be pushed and a PR created, reviewed, and
+# merged. After the PR is merged and the build-cpu workflow has
+# completed successfully, the release is finalized by the make-release
+# workflow (.github/workflows/make-release.yml), which creates the tag.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./scripts/release.sh [major|minor|patch] [--dry-run]
+#
+# Example:
+#   $ ./scripts/release.sh minor
+#
+# The script:
+# 1. Creates a release candidate branch (whisper-rc-v<major>.<minor>.<patch>)
+# 2. Bumps the version in CMakeLists.txt
+# 3. Commits the version bump
+#
+
+set -e
+
+if [ ! -f "CMakeLists.txt" ] || [ ! -d "scripts" ]; then
+    echo "Error: Must be run from whisper.cpp root directory"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Parse command line arguments
+VERSION_TYPE=""
+DRY_RUN=false
+
+for arg in "$@"; do
+    case $arg in
+        --dry-run)
+            DRY_RUN=true
+            ;;
+        major|minor|patch)
+            VERSION_TYPE="$arg"
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "Error: Unknown argument '$arg'"
+            echo "Usage: $0 [major|minor|patch] [--dry-run]"
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+# Default to patch if no version type specified
+VERSION_TYPE="${VERSION_TYPE:-patch}"
+
+# Common validation functions
+check_git_status() {
+    # Check for uncommitted changes (skip in dry-run)
+    if [ "$DRY_RUN" = false ] && ! git diff-index --quiet HEAD --; then
+        echo "Error: You have uncommitted changes. Please commit or stash them first."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+check_master_branch() {
+    # Ensure we're on master branch
+    CURRENT_BRANCH=$(git branch --show-current)
+    if [ "$CURRENT_BRANCH" != "master" ]; then
+        if [ "$DRY_RUN" = true ]; then
+            echo "[dry run] Warning: Not on master branch (currently on: $CURRENT_BRANCH). Continuing with dry-run..."
+            echo ""
+        else
+            echo "Error: Must be on master branch. Currently on: $CURRENT_BRANCH"
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    fi
+}
+
+check_master_up_to_date() {
+    # Check if we have the latest from master (skip in dry-run)
+    if [ "$DRY_RUN" = false ]; then
+        echo "Checking if local master is up-to-date with remote..."
+        git fetch origin master
+        LOCAL=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+        REMOTE=$(git rev-parse origin/master)
+
+        if [ "$LOCAL" != "$REMOTE" ]; then
+            echo "Error: Your local master branch is not up-to-date with origin/master."
+            echo "Please run 'git pull origin master' first."
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        echo "✓ Local master is up-to-date with remote"
+        echo ""
+    elif [ "$(git branch --show-current)" = "master" ]; then
+        echo "[dry run] Warning: Dry-run mode - not checking if master is up-to-date with remote"
+        echo ""
+    fi
+}
+
+# In-place sed that works on both GNU (Linux) and BSD (macOS) sed
+sed_inplace() {
+    if sed --version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        sed -i "$@"
+    else
+        sed -i '' "$@"
+    fi
+}
+
+prepare_release() {
+    if [ "$DRY_RUN" = true ]; then
+        echo "[dry-run] Preparing release (no changes will be made)"
+    else
+        echo "Starting release preparation..."
+    fi
+    echo ""
+
+    check_git_status
+    check_master_branch
+    check_master_up_to_date
+
+    # Extract current version from CMakeLists.txt
+    echo "Step 1: Reading current version..."
+    MAJOR=$(grep "set(WHISPER_VERSION_MAJOR" CMakeLists.txt | sed 's/.*MAJOR \([0-9]*\).*/\1/')
+    MINOR=$(grep "set(WHISPER_VERSION_MINOR" CMakeLists.txt | sed 's/.*MINOR \([0-9]*\).*/\1/')
+    PATCH=$(grep "set(WHISPER_VERSION_PATCH" CMakeLists.txt | sed 's/.*PATCH \([0-9]*\).*/\1/')
+
+    echo "Current version: $MAJOR.$MINOR.$PATCH"
+
+    # Calculate new version
+    case $VERSION_TYPE in
+        major)
+            NEW_MAJOR=$((MAJOR + 1))
+            NEW_MINOR=0
+            NEW_PATCH=0
+            ;;
+        minor)
+            NEW_MAJOR=$MAJOR
+            NEW_MINOR=$((MINOR + 1))
+            NEW_PATCH=0
+            ;;
+        patch)
+            NEW_MAJOR=$MAJOR
+            NEW_MINOR=$MINOR
+            NEW_PATCH=$((PATCH + 1))
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    NEW_VERSION="$NEW_MAJOR.$NEW_MINOR.$NEW_PATCH"
+    RC_BRANCH="whisper-rc-v$NEW_VERSION"
+    echo "New release version: $NEW_VERSION"
+    echo "Release candidate branch: $RC_BRANCH"
+    echo ""
+
+    # Create release candidate branch
+    echo "Step 2: Creating release candidate branch..."
+    if [ "$DRY_RUN" = true ]; then
+        echo "  [dry-run] Would create branch: $RC_BRANCH"
+    else
+        git checkout -b "$RC_BRANCH"
+        echo "✓ Created and switched to branch: $RC_BRANCH"
+    fi
+    echo ""
+
+    # Update CMakeLists.txt for release
+    echo "Step 3: Updating version in CMakeLists.txt..."
+    if [ "$DRY_RUN" = true ]; then
+        echo "  [dry-run] Would update WHISPER_VERSION_MAJOR to $NEW_MAJOR"
+        echo "  [dry-run] Would update WHISPER_VERSION_MINOR to $NEW_MINOR"
+        echo "  [dry-run] Would update WHISPER_VERSION_PATCH to $NEW_PATCH"
+    else
+        sed_inplace -e "s/set(WHISPER_VERSION_MAJOR [0-9]*)/set(WHISPER_VERSION_MAJOR $NEW_MAJOR)/" CMakeLists.txt
+        sed_inplace -e "s/set(WHISPER_VERSION_MINOR [0-9]*)/set(WHISPER_VERSION_MINOR $NEW_MINOR)/" CMakeLists.txt
+        sed_inplace -e "s/set(WHISPER_VERSION_PATCH [0-9]*)/set(WHISPER_VERSION_PATCH $NEW_PATCH)/" CMakeLists.txt
+    fi
+    echo ""
+
+    # Commit version bump
+    echo "Step 4: Committing version bump..."
+    if [ "$DRY_RUN" = true ]; then
+        echo "  [dry-run] Would commit: 'whisper : bump version to $NEW_VERSION'"
+    else
+        git add CMakeLists.txt
+        git commit -m "whisper : bump version to $NEW_VERSION"
+    fi
+    echo ""
+
+    echo ""
+    if [ "$DRY_RUN" = true ]; then
+        echo "[dry-run] Summary (no changes were made):"
+        echo "  • Would have created branch: $RC_BRANCH"
+        echo "  • Would have updated version to: $NEW_VERSION"
+    else
+        echo "Release preparation completed!"
+        echo "Summary:"
+        echo "  • Created branch: $RC_BRANCH"
+        echo "  • Updated version to: $NEW_VERSION"
+        echo ""
+        echo "Next steps:"
+        echo "  • Push branch to remote: git push origin $RC_BRANCH"
+        echo "  • Create a Pull Request from $RC_BRANCH to master"
+        echo "  • After the PR is merged run the following workflows:"
+        echo "    • release workflow (.github/workflows/release.xml), creates a developer/nightly release"
+        echo "    • make-release workflow (.github/workflows/make-release.yml)"
+    fi
+}
+
+prepare_release