diff --git a/bin/bsauto b/bin/bsauto
index 3500fd44b0ae825ade86ee633f2c5ea1deb5dd4d..80028105d66b01abfde1bef01366518fbab5f1b3 100755
--- a/bin/bsauto
+++ b/bin/bsauto
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ function do_execute {
   else
     eval $1
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-      echo "Encountered error, please check manually"
+      touch "$BIN/.freeze"
+      echo "Encountered error running $1"
+      echo "A $BIN/.freeze file has been created"
+      echo "Manual intervention is now required to continue the release process"
       exit
     fi
   fi
@@ -77,6 +80,11 @@ if [ -z $RELEASE ]; then
   exit
 fi
 
+if [ -f $BIN/.freeze ]; then
+  echo "Freeze file $BIN/.freeze detected, exiting"
+  exit
+fi
+
 if [ ! -f /etc/linuxci.credential ]; then
   echo "Cannot authenticate as linuxci, exiting"
   exit