diff --git a/dev-support/create-release/do-release-docker.sh b/dev-support/create-release/do-release-docker.sh
index 804661945e09..4dcf0b2f1e26 100755
--- a/dev-support/create-release/do-release-docker.sh
+++ b/dev-support/create-release/do-release-docker.sh
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ shift $((OPTIND-1))
 if (( $# > 0 )); then
   error "Arguments can only be provided with option flags, invalid args: $*"
 fi
+
+if [ "$DEBUG" = "1" ]; then
+  set -x
+fi
 export DEBUG
 
 if [ -z "$WORKDIR" ] || [ ! -d "$WORKDIR" ]; then
@@ -221,6 +225,7 @@ ASF_PASSWORD=$ASF_PASSWORD
 RELEASE_STEP=$RELEASE_STEP
 API_DIFF_TAG=$API_DIFF_TAG
 HOST_OS=$HOST_OS
+DEBUG=$DEBUG
 EOF
 
 JAVA_MOUNT=()
diff --git a/dev-support/create-release/do-release.sh b/dev-support/create-release/do-release.sh
index 904d813fc3c6..6156a217ae34 100755
--- a/dev-support/create-release/do-release.sh
+++ b/dev-support/create-release/do-release.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
+# Turn on Bash command logging for debug mode
+if [ "$DEBUG" = "1" ]; then
+  set -x
+fi
+
 # Make a tmp dir into which we put files cleaned-up on exit.
 TMPDIR=$(mktemp -d)
 trap "rm -rf $TMPDIR" EXIT