diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index 8a2703b..6f41f96 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,20 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 # inspired from git-cliff
+
+untracked_files=$(git ls-files . --exclude-standard --others)
+
+# check for untracked files
+if [ -n "$untracked_files" ]; then
+    echo "warn: Please stash or remove the untracked files"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+
 # takes the tag as an argument (e.g. v0.1.0)
 if [ -n "$1" ]; then
 	# update the version
-        sed "0,/^version = .*$/s//version = \"${1#v}\"/" -i Cargo.toml
+    sed "0,/^version = .*$/s//version = \"${1#v}\"/" -i Cargo.toml
 	# update the changelog
 	git-cliff --tag "$1" > CHANGELOG.md
 	git add -A && git commit -m "$1"
@@ -13,4 +23,5 @@ if [ -n "$1" ]; then
 	git tag -v "$1"
 else
 	echo "warn: Please provide a tag"
+    exit 1
 fi