diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 2570cff1d0..c2a45f0644 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ csharp_EXTRA_DIST=                                                           \
   csharp/NuGet.Config                                                        \
   csharp/README.md                                                           \
   csharp/build_packages.bat                                                  \
+  csharp/build_release.sh                                                    \
   csharp/build_tools.sh                                                      \
   csharp/buildall.bat                                                        \
   csharp/buildall.sh                                                         \
diff --git a/csharp/BUILD.bazel b/csharp/BUILD.bazel
index 1b381b3a34..4f3556647f 100644
--- a/csharp/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/csharp/BUILD.bazel
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ pkg_files(
         "NuGet.Config",
         "README.md",
         "build_packages.bat",
+        "build_release.sh",
         "build_tools.sh",
         "buildall.bat",
         "buildall.sh",
@@ -51,3 +52,9 @@ pkg_files(
     strip_prefix = strip_prefix.from_root(""),
     visibility = ["//pkg:__pkg__"],
 )
+
+sh_binary(
+  name = "release",
+  srcs = ["build_release.sh"],
+  args = ["$(location build_release.sh)"],
+)
diff --git a/csharp/build_release.sh b/csharp/build_release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..93f318f388
--- /dev/null
+++ b/csharp/build_release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+cd $(dirname $(readlink $BASH_SOURCE))
+
+# Disable some unwanted dotnet options
+set DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE=true
+set DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT=true
+
+# Work around https://github.com/dotnet/core/issues/5881
+dotnet nuget locals all --clear
+
+# Builds Google.Protobuf NuGet packages
+dotnet restore src/Google.Protobuf.sln
+dotnet pack -c Release src/Google.Protobuf.sln -p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true
+
+# This requires built protoc executables as specified in the nusepc
+nuget pack Google.Protobuf.Tools.nuspec
diff --git a/kokoro/linux/bazel_distcheck/build.sh b/kokoro/linux/bazel_distcheck/build.sh
index 7c8c53990c..a50b175db2 100755
--- a/kokoro/linux/bazel_distcheck/build.sh
+++ b/kokoro/linux/bazel_distcheck/build.sh
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ bazel_args=(
   --
   //...
   -//objectivec/...  # only works on macOS
+  -//csharp/...      # release builds require external dependencies
   @com_google_protobuf_examples//...
 )
 ${SCRIPT_ROOT}/kokoro/common/bazel_wrapper.sh "${bazel_args[@]}"