diff --git a/packaging/release/release.yml b/packaging/release/release.yml
index 7fcfbd83a0..8b7ce7d9fc 100644
--- a/packaging/release/release.yml
+++ b/packaging/release/release.yml
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@
     default: "no"
     private: no
   tasks:
+  - pause:
+      prompt: "Has the CHANGELOG and any other files been updated and are ready to go?"
+    when: is_final|bool
+
   - name: create a combined version string from the specified values
     set_fact: 
       new_version: "v{{ansible_release_version}}-{{ansible_release_string}}"