diff --git a/scripts/versionbump.py b/scripts/versionbump.py
index 46a8c8cf4..549a148b7 100644
--- a/scripts/versionbump.py
+++ b/scripts/versionbump.py
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ from packaging import version
 def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Bump version")
     parser.add_argument("new_version", help="New version in x.y.z format")
+    parser.add_argument("--dry-run", action="store_true", help="Print each step without actually executing them")
     args = parser.parse_args()
+    dry_run = args.dry_run
 
     new_version = version.parse(args.new_version)
     if not isinstance(new_version, version.Version):
@@ -22,14 +24,25 @@ def main():
 
     updated_content = re.sub(r'__version__ = ".+?"', f'__version__ = "{new_version}"', content)
 
-    with open("aider/__init__.py", "w") as f:
-        f.write(updated_content)
+    if dry_run:
+        print("Updating aider/__init__.py with new version")
+    else:
+        with open("aider/__init__.py", "w") as f:
+            f.write(updated_content)
 
-    subprocess.run(["git", "add", "aider/__init__.py"], check=True)
-    subprocess.run(["git", "commit", "-m", f"version bump to {new_version}"], check=True)
-    subprocess.run(["git", "tag", f"v{new_version}"], check=True)
-    subprocess.run(["git", "push", "origin"], check=True)
-    subprocess.run(["git", "push", "origin", f"v{new_version}"], check=True)
+    git_commands = [
+        ["git", "add", "aider/__init__.py"],
+        ["git", "commit", "-m", f"version bump to {new_version}"],
+        ["git", "tag", f"v{new_version}"],
+        ["git", "push", "origin"],
+        ["git", "push", "origin", f"v{new_version}"],
+    ]
+
+    for cmd in git_commands:
+        if dry_run:
+            print(f"Running: {' '.join(cmd)}")
+        else:
+            subprocess.run(cmd, check=True)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()