diff --git a/docs/process/release.md b/docs/process/release.md
index c364c04b51..3c255f9b1d 100644
--- a/docs/process/release.md
+++ b/docs/process/release.md
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ As commits are cherry-picked when PRs are merged, creating the release should be
 
 **Make sure you update the package versions in `packages/schematics/angular/utility/latest-versions.ts`.**
 
+Update the version in the root package.json file to reflect the new release version.
+
 ```bash
 git commit -a -m 'release: vXX'
 git tag -a 'vXX' -m 'release: tag vXX'
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ we just created. Double check that the versions are correct by running the
 following command.
 
 ```bash
-yarn admin packages --version
+yarn admin packages --releaseCheck
 ```
 
 Now push the commit and the tag to the upstream repository. **Make sure to use
diff --git a/lib/packages.ts b/lib/packages.ts
index dff7a59efb..37c238b24c 100644
--- a/lib/packages.ts
+++ b/lib/packages.ts
@@ -41,8 +41,12 @@ export interface PackageInfo {
 export type PackageMap = { [name: string]: PackageInfo };
 
 
+export function loadRootPackageJson() {
+  return require('../package.json');
+}
+
 function loadPackageJson(p: string) {
-  const root = require('../package.json');
+  const root = loadRootPackageJson();
   const pkg = require(p);
 
   for (const key of Object.keys(root)) {
diff --git a/scripts/packages.ts b/scripts/packages.ts
index bf8044bee9..47f9d65634 100644
--- a/scripts/packages.ts
+++ b/scripts/packages.ts
@@ -7,13 +7,31 @@
  */
 // tslint:disable:no-implicit-dependencies
 import { logging } from '@angular-devkit/core';
+import chalk from 'chalk';
+
+const { packages, loadRootPackageJson, stableToExperimentalVersion } = require('../lib/packages');
 
 
-const { packages } = require('../lib/packages');
+export default function(args: { json: boolean, version: boolean, releaseCheck: boolean }, logger: logging.Logger) {
 
+  if (args.releaseCheck) {
+    const {version: root} = loadRootPackageJson();
+    const experimental = stableToExperimentalVersion(root);
+    logger.info(`The expected version for the release is ${chalk.bold(root)} (${experimental})`);
+    logger.info(
+      Object.keys(packages)
+        .filter(name => !packages[name].private)
+        .map(name => {
+          let result = chalk.red('✘');
+          const version = packages[name].version;
+          if ([root, experimental].includes(version)) {
+            result = chalk.green('✓');
+          }
 
-export default function(args: { json: boolean, version: boolean }, logger: logging.Logger) {
-  if (args.json) {
+          return ` ${result}  ${name}@${packages[name].version}`;
+        })
+        .join('\n'));
+  } else if (args.json) {
     logger.info(JSON.stringify(packages, null, 2));
   } else {
     logger.info(