diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 12baa3978a853..24a4a918e5414 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 stages:
   - test
   - build
+  - post-build-test
   - publish
   - kubernetes
   - flaming-fir
@@ -127,11 +128,13 @@ check-line-width:
   allow_failure:                   true
 
 
-check-polkadot:
+
+
+check-polkadot-companion-build:
   stage:                           build
   <<:                              *docker-env
   script:
-    - ./.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot.sh
+    - ./.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot_companion_build.sh
   interruptible:                   true
   allow_failure:                   true
 
@@ -434,6 +437,17 @@ check_warnings:
       fi
 
 
+check-polkadot-companion-status:
+  stage:                           post-build-test
+  image:                           parity/tools:latest
+  <<:                              *kubernetes-build
+  only:
+    - /^[0-9]+$/
+  script:
+    - ./.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot_companion_status.sh
+
+
+
 trigger-contracts-ci:
   stage:                           publish
   needs:
diff --git a/.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot.sh b/.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot_companion_build.sh
similarity index 97%
rename from .maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot.sh
rename to .maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot_companion_build.sh
index 0df940ffe2038..5bd51e0cd261f 100755
--- a/.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot.sh
+++ b/.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot_companion_build.sh
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ boldcat () { printf "|\n"; while read l; do printf "| \033[1m${l}\033[0m\n"; don
 boldcat <<-EOT
 
 
-check_polkadot
-==============
+check_polkadot_companion_build
+==============================
 
 this job checks if there is a string in the description of the pr like
 
diff --git a/.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot_companion_status.sh b/.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot_companion_status.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000..e98a657460ed9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.maintain/gitlab/check_polkadot_companion_status.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# check for a polkadot companion pr and ensure it has approvals and is 
+# mergeable
+#
+
+github_api_substrate_pull_url="https://api.github.com/repos/paritytech/substrate/pulls"
+github_api_polkadot_pull_url="https://api.github.com/repos/paritytech/polkadot/pulls"
+# use github api v3 in order to access the data without authentication
+github_header="Accept: application/vnd.github.v3+json" 
+
+boldprint () { printf "|\n| \033[1m${@}\033[0m\n|\n" ; }
+boldcat () { printf "|\n"; while read l; do printf "| \033[1m${l}\033[0m\n"; done; printf "|\n" ; }
+
+
+
+boldcat <<-EOT
+
+
+check_polkadot_companion_status
+===============================
+
+this job checks if there is a string in the description of the pr like
+
+polkadot companion: paritytech/polkadot#567
+
+or any other polkadot pr is mentioned in this pr's description and checks its 
+status.
+
+
+EOT
+
+
+if ! [ "${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}" -gt 0 2>/dev/null ]
+then
+  boldprint "this doesn't seem to be a pull request"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+boldprint "this is pull request no ${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}"
+
+pr_body="$(curl -H "${github_header}" -s ${github_api_substrate_pull_url}/${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME} \
+  | sed -n -r 's/^[[:space:]]+"body": (".*")[^"]+$/\1/p')"
+
+# get companion if explicitly specified
+pr_companion="$(echo "${pr_body}" | sed -n -r \
+    -e 's;^.*polkadot companion: paritytech/polkadot#([0-9]+).*$;\1;p' \
+    -e 's;^.*polkadot companion: https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot/pull/([0-9]+).*$;\1;p' \
+  | tail -n 1)"
+
+# get companion mentioned in the description
+if [ -z "${pr_companion}" ]
+then
+  pr_companion="$(echo "${pr_body}" | sed -n -r \
+    's;^.*https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot/pull/([0-9]+).*$;\1;p' \
+    | tail -n 1)"
+fi
+
+if [ -z "${pr_companion}" ]
+then
+  boldprint "no companion pr found"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+boldprint "companion pr: #${pr_companion}"
+
+# check the status of that pull request - needs to be
+# mergable and approved
+
+curl -H "${github_header}" -sS -o companion_pr.json \
+  ${github_api_polkadot_pull_url}/${pr_companion} 
+
+if jq -e .merged < companion_pr.json >/dev/null
+then
+  boldprint "polkadot pr #${pr_companion} already merged"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if jq -e '.mergeable and .mergeable_state == "clean"' < companion_pr.json >/dev/null
+then
+  boldprint "polkadot pr #${pr_companion} mergeable"
+else
+  boldprint "polkadot pr #${pr_companion} not mergeable or clean"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+curl -H "${github_header}" -sS -o companion_pr_reviews.json \
+  ${github_api_polkadot_pull_url}/${pr_companion}/reviews 
+
+if [ "$(jq -r -e '.[].state' < companion_pr_reviews.json | uniq)" != "APPROVED" ]
+then
+  boldprint "polkadot pr #${pr_companion} not APPROVED"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+boldprint "polkadot pr #${pr_companion} state APPROVED"
+exit 0
+
+