diff --git a/Makefile.release b/Makefile.release
index 8ad24c8ef..e3a8e22e6 100644
--- a/Makefile.release
+++ b/Makefile.release
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@
 #
 # Docker push should happen after you make the new release and uploaded it to Github.
 
+ifeq (, $(shell which gh-release))
+     $(error "No gh-release in $$PATH, install with `go get progrium/gh-release`")
+endif
+
 NAME:=coredns
 VERSION:=$(shell grep 'coreVersion' coremain/version.go | awk '{ print $$3 }' | tr -d '"')
 ARCH:=$(shell uname -m)