diff --git a/check-mir b/check-mir
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..aad9f8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/check-mir
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+#
+# Check components of build dependencies and warn about universe/multiverse
+# ones, for a package destined for main/restricted
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2011 Canonical
+#
+# Authors:
+#  Martin Pitt
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+# the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+# Foundation; version 3.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more
+# details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+# this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+# 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+
+import apt, sys, os.path
+
+apt_cache = apt.Cache()
+
+def check_support(pkgname, alt=False):
+    '''Check if pkgname is in main or restricted.
+
+    This prints messages if a package is not in main/restricted, or only
+    partially (i.  e. source in main, but binary in universe).
+    '''
+    if alt:
+        prefix = '  ... alternative ' + pkgname
+    else:
+        prefix = ' * ' + pkgname
+
+    try:
+        pkg = apt_cache[pkgname]
+    except KeyError:
+        print >> sys.stderr, pkgname, 'does not exist (pure virtual?)'
+        return False
+    
+    section = pkg.candidate.section
+    if section.startswith('universe') or section.startswith('multiverse'):
+        # check if the source package is in main and thus will only need binary
+        # promotion
+        sr = apt.apt_pkg.SourceRecords()
+        if not sr.lookup(pkg.candidate.source_name):
+            print >> sys.stderr, 'ERROR: Cannot lookup source package for', pkg.name
+            print prefix, 'package is in', section.split('/')[0]
+            return False
+        src = apt.apt_pkg.TagSection(sr.record)
+        if src['Section'].startswith('universe') or src['Section'].startswith('multiverse'):
+            print prefix, 'binary and source package is in', section.split('/')[0]
+            return False
+        else:
+            print prefix, 'is in', section.split('/')[0] + ', but its source', pkg.candidate.source_name, 'is already in main; file an ubuntu-archive bug for promoting the current preferred alternative'
+            return True
+
+    if alt:
+        print prefix, 'is already in main; consider preferring it'
+
+    return True
+
+
+#
+# main
+#
+
+if not os.path.exists('debian/control'):
+    print >> sys.stderr, 'debian/control not found. You need to run this tool in a source package directory'
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+print 'Checking support status of build dependencies...'
+
+# get build dependencies from debian/control
+control=apt.apt_pkg.TagFile(open('debian/control'))
+control.next()
+
+
+any_unsupported = False
+
+for field in ('Build-Depends', 'Build-Depends-Indep'):
+    if field not in control.section:
+        continue
+    for or_group in apt.apt_pkg.parse_src_depends(control.section[field]):
+        pkgname = or_group[0][0]
+        if not check_support(pkgname):
+            # check non-preferred alternatives
+            for altpkg in or_group[1:]:
+                if check_support(altpkg[0], alt=True):
+                    break
+            else:
+                any_unsupported = True
+
+if any_unsupported:
+    print '\nPlease check https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MainInclusionProcess if this source package needs to get into in main/restricted, or reconsider if the package really needs above dependencies.'
+else:
+    print 'All build dependencies are supported in main or restricted.'
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index cbbcd4c..bea2526 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ ubuntu-dev-tools (0.109) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * add "add-patch" that provides the non-interactive version of
     edit-patch
 
+  [ Martin Pitt ]
+  * Add check-mir script: Check components of build dependencies and warn
+    about universe/multiverse ones, for a package destined for
+    main/restricted. Add doc/check-mir.1 manpage.
+
  -- Stefano Rivera <stefanor@ubuntu.com>  Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:23:20 +0200
 
 ubuntu-dev-tools (0.108) experimental; urgency=low
diff --git a/doc/check-mir.1 b/doc/check-mir.1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c5a131
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/check-mir.1
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+.TH check\-mir "1" "13 January 2011" "ubuntu-dev-tools"
+.SH NAME
+check\-mir \- check support status of dependencies
+
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+.B check\-build\-deps
+
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+This script checks if any of a package's build or binary dependencies is
+in universe/multiverse. If the source package is destined for Ubuntu main or
+restricted, these either need to be eliminated or need to be promoted to main,
+following \fBhttps://wiki.ubuntu.com/MainInclusionProcess\fR.
+
+There are no options, just run it in a source package directory.
+
+.SH AUTHOR
+.B check\-mir
+was written by Martin Pitt <martin.pitt@ubuntu.com>.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d084c81..5e1117b 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ if os.path.exists(changelog):
 
 scripts = ['404main',
            'backportpackage',
+           'check-mir',
            'check-symbols',
            'dch-repeat',
            'dgetlp',