diff --git a/devtools/__init__.py b/devtools/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c944e7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# module
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/devtools/tarball.py b/devtools/tarball.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..182602e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/tarball.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import os.path
+import gzip
+import tarfile
+
+TARGZ_DEFAULT_COMPRESSION_LEVEL = 9
+
+def make_tarball(tarball_path, sources, base_dir, prefix_dir=''):
+    """Parameters:
+    tarball_path: output path of the .tar.gz file
+    sources: list of sources to include in the tarball, relative to the current directory
+    base_dir: if a source file is in a sub-directory of base_dir, then base_dir is stripped
+        from path in the tarball.
+    prefix_dir: all files stored in the tarball be sub-directory of prefix_dir. Set to ''
+        to make them child of root.
+    """
+    base_dir = os.path.normpath( os.path.abspath( base_dir ) )
+    def archive_name( path ):
+        """Makes path relative to base_dir."""
+        path = os.path.normpath( os.path.abspath( path ) )
+        common_path = os.path.commonprefix( (base_dir, path) )
+        archive_name = path[len(common_path):]
+        if os.path.isabs( archive_name ):
+            archive_name = archive_name[1:]
+        return os.path.join( prefix_dir, archive_name )
+    def visit(tar, dirname, names):
+        for name in names:
+            path = os.path.join(dirname, name)
+            if os.path.isfile(path):
+                path_in_tar = archive_name(path)
+                tar.add(path, path_in_tar )
+    compression = TARGZ_DEFAULT_COMPRESSION_LEVEL
+    tar = tarfile.TarFile.gzopen( tarball_path, 'w', compresslevel=compression )
+    try:
+        for source in sources:
+            source_path = source
+            if os.path.isdir( source ):
+                os.path.walk(source_path, visit, tar)
+            else:
+                path_in_tar = archive_name(source_path)
+                tar.add(source_path, path_in_tar )      # filename, arcname
+    finally:
+        tar.close()
+
+def decompress( tarball_path, base_dir ):
+    """Decompress the gzipped tarball into directory base_dir.
+    """
+    # !!! This class method is not documented in the online doc
+    # nor is bz2open!
+    tar = tarfile.TarFile.gzopen(tarball_path, mode='r')
+    try:
+        tar.extractall( base_dir )
+    finally:
+        tar.close()
diff --git a/makerelease.py b/makerelease.py
index b928c62..9dcdcf6 100644
--- a/makerelease.py
+++ b/makerelease.py
@@ -167,8 +167,11 @@ Must be started in the project top directory.
         source_tarball_path = 'dist/%s.tar.gz' % source_dir
         print 'Generating source tarball to', source_tarball_path
         tarball.make_tarball( source_tarball_path, [export_dir], export_dir, prefix_dir=source_dir )
+
+        distcheck_dir = 'dist/distcheck'
+        print 'Decompressing source tarball to', distcheck_dir
+        tarball.decompress( source_tarball_path, distcheck_dir )
         #@todo:
-        # decompress source tarball
         # ?compile & run & check
         # ?upload documentation
     else: