diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index e5dd78858..1bab92ccd 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -95,6 +95,16 @@ if head -n1 "$PKGDIR/debian/changelog" | grep -qv UNRELEASED-FIXME-AUTOGENERATED
 	  "    git push --delete origin $RELBRANCH"
 fi
 
+CHANGEDBY=$(dpkg-parsechangelog -l $PKGDIR/debian/changelog -SMaintainer)
+if [ "$CHANGEDBY" != "$UPLOADER" ]; then
+	cat <<eof
+Changes by $CHANGEDBY to be sponsored by $UPLOADER.
+eof
+	if ! test -e $PKGDIR/debian/RFS; then
+		abort 1 "Sponsored upload, but $PKGDIR/debian/RFS does not exist"
+	fi
+fi
+
 ( cd "$PKGDIR"
 sed -i -e s/UNRELEASED-FIXME-AUTOGENERATED-DEBCARGO/UNRELEASED/ debian/changelog
 if test -z "$DISTRO"; then
diff --git a/vars.sh.frag b/vars.sh.frag
index 8fcdfc163..8c46248ea 100644
--- a/vars.sh.frag
+++ b/vars.sh.frag
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ PKGDIR_REL="src/$PKGNAME"
 PKGDIR="$PWD/$PKGDIR_REL"
 BUILDDIR="$PWD/build/$PKGNAME"
 PKGCFG="$PKGDIR/debian/debcargo.toml"
+UPLOADER="${DEBFULLNAME:-$NAME} <${DEBEMAIL:-$EMAIL}>"
 
 mkdir -p "$(dirname $BUILDDIR)"
 ln -srf "$PWD/build.sh" "$PWD/build/build.sh"