diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 2ff641d..9f44eee 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ Publishing Release
       git tag -a {-m=,}x.y.z
 
 4. Push the commit and tag:
-   
+
    ..  code-block:: bash
 
       git push && git push --tags
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ Publishing Release
    artifact for uploading: https://github.com/HBehrens/puncover/actions OR Build
    the package locally: ``python setup.py sdist bdist_wheel``
 6. Upload the package to PyPI:
-   
+
    ..  code-block:: bash
 
       twine upload dist/*
@@ -122,7 +122,12 @@ Publishing Release
 Release Script
 --------------
 
-See ``release.sh`` for a script that automates the above steps.
+See ``release.sh`` for a script that automates the above steps. This example
+will work with the PyPi tokens (now required):
+
+..  code-block:: bash
+
+      PUNCOVER_VERSION=0.3.5 TWINE_PASSWORD="<pypi token>" TWINE_USERNAME=__token__ ./release.sh
 
 Contributing
 ============
diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index 43956ab..b8928b6 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ if ! command -v twine &> /dev/null; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+# confirm that the token is set to TWINE_PASSWORD + TWINE_USERNAME
+if [[ -z "${TWINE_PASSWORD:-}" || -z "${TWINE_USERNAME:-}" ]]; then
+    echo "TWINE_PASSWORD and TWINE_USERNAME must be set"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # check if tag already exists
 if git rev-parse -q --verify "refs/tags/${PUNCOVER_VERSION}"; then
     echo "Tag ${PUNCOVER_VERSION} already exists"