diff --git a/hack/dev-build-and-push.sh b/hack/dev-build-and-push.sh
index a5a83ae7ad1..7dac3bfdd4d 100755
--- a/hack/dev-build-and-push.sh
+++ b/hack/dev-build-and-push.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 
 # First build a release
 $(dirname $0)/../release/release.sh
+if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
+       echo "Building a release failed!"
+       exit 1
+fi
 
 # Now push this out to the cluster
 $(dirname $0)/../cluster/kube-push.sh
diff --git a/hack/dev-build-and-up.sh b/hack/dev-build-and-up.sh
index c346a5dfe94..664d2db8137 100755
--- a/hack/dev-build-and-up.sh
+++ b/hack/dev-build-and-up.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
 
 # First build a release
 $(dirname $0)/../release/release.sh
+if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
+      echo "Building the release failed!"
+      exit 1
+fi
 
 # Now bring a new cluster up with that release.
 $(dirname $0)/../cluster/kube-up.sh