diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 499113d1..c8f84fbc 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@ python:
   - 3.5
   - 3.6
 env:
-  - DJANGO=1.11
+  # note: latest versions first b/c the top-most is included in new
+  # build stages if not specified
   - DJANGO=2.0
+  - DJANGO=1.11
 stages:
   - django_not_installed
   - django_is_installed
   - test
+  - build_and_package_sanity
 matrix:
   exclude:
     # Python/Django combinations that aren't officially supported
@@ -21,6 +24,7 @@ matrix:
     - { stage: test, python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=flake8 }
     - { stage: test, python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=pylint }
     - { stage: test, python: 3.6, env: TOXENV=readme }
+    - { stage: build_and_package_sanity, python: 3.6 }
   allow_failures:
     - env: TOXENV=flake8
     - env: TOXENV=pylint
@@ -29,7 +33,10 @@ matrix:
 install:
   - pip install tox-travis
 script:
-  - tox
+  - |
+    export
+    set
+    tox
 
 after_success:
   - pip install coveralls
diff --git a/scripts/build.sh b/scripts/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..350ec40c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Build packages for distribution on PyPI
+# and execute some sanity scripts on them
+#
+# note: must be executed from the root directory of the project
+
+# first clean up the local environment
+echo "..... Clean up first"
+find . -type f -name '*.pyc' -delete
+find . -type d -name __pycache__ -delete
+find . -type d -name '*.egg-info' | xargs rm -rf
+rm -rf build/ .cache/ dist/ .eggs/ .tox/
+
+# then build the packages
+echo "..... Building PyPI packages"
+set -e
+python setup.py sdist >/dev/null
+python setup.py bdist_wheel >/dev/null
+set +e
+
+# then run some sanity tests
+echo "..... Searching for .pyc files inside the built packages"
+matched_files=`tar -tvf dist/*.tar.gz | grep -c "\.pyc"`
+if [ "$matched_files" -gt "0" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: .pyc files found in .tar.gz package"
+    exit 1
+fi
+matched_files=`unzip -t dist/*.whl | grep -c "\.pyc"`
+if [ "$matched_files" -gt "0" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: .pyc files found in wheel package"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "..... Trying to verify that all source files are present"
+# remove pylint_django/*.egg-info/ generated during build
+find . -type d -name '*.egg-info' | xargs rm -rf
+
+source_files=`find ./pylint_django/ -type f | sed 's|./||'`
+
+# verify for .tar.gz package
+package_files=`tar -tvf dist/*.tar.gz`
+for src_file in $source_files; do
+    echo "$package_files" | grep $src_file >/dev/null
+    if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+        echo "ERROR: $src_file not found inside tar.gz package"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done
+
+# verify for wheel package
+package_files=`unzip -t dist/*.whl`
+for src_file in $source_files; do
+    echo "$package_files" | grep $src_file >/dev/null
+    if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+        echo "ERROR: $src_file not found inside wheel package"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done
+
+# exit on error from now on
+set -e
+
+echo "..... Trying to install the new tarball inside a virtualenv"
+# note: installs with the optional dependency to verify this is still working
+virtualenv .venv/test-tarball
+source .venv/test-tarball/bin/activate
+pip install --no-binary :all: -f dist/ pylint_django[with_django]
+pip freeze | grep Django
+deactivate
+rm -rf .venv/
+
+echo "..... Trying to install the new wheel inside a virtualenv"
+virtualenv .venv/test-wheel
+source .venv/test-wheel/bin/activate
+pip install pylint-plugin-utils  # because it does not provide a wheel package
+pip install --only-binary :all: -f dist/ pylint_django
+deactivate
+rm -rf .venv/
+
+echo "..... PASS"