diff --git a/tools/build_release b/tools/build_release
index 65efd11..3521e5f 100755
--- a/tools/build_release
+++ b/tools/build_release
@@ -1,28 +1,32 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 """IPython release build script.
 """
-
 import os
 from shutil import rmtree
 
-from toollib import sh, pjoin, get_ipdir, cd, compile_tree, execfile, sdists, wheels
+from toollib import sh, pjoin, get_ipdir, cd, compile_tree, execfile, sdists, buildwheels
+
+def build_release():
+
+    # Get main ipython dir, this will raise if it doesn't pass some checks
+    ipdir = get_ipdir()
+    cd(ipdir)
 
-# Get main ipython dir, this will raise if it doesn't pass some checks
-ipdir = get_ipdir()
-cd(ipdir)
+    # Load release info
+    execfile(pjoin('IPython', 'core', 'release.py'), globals())
 
-# Load release info
-execfile(pjoin('IPython', 'core', 'release.py'), globals())
+    # Check that everything compiles
+    compile_tree('*')
 
-# Check that everything compiles
-compile_tree('*')
+    # Cleanup
+    for d in ['build', 'dist', pjoin('docs', 'build'), pjoin('docs', 'dist'),
+              pjoin('docs', 'source', 'api', 'generated')]:
+        if os.path.isdir(d):
+            rmtree(d)
 
-# Cleanup
-for d in ['build', 'dist', pjoin('docs', 'build'), pjoin('docs', 'dist'),
-          pjoin('docs', 'source', 'api', 'generated')]:
-    if os.path.isdir(d):
-        rmtree(d)
+    # Build source and binary distros
+    sh(sdists)
+    buildwheels()
 
-# Build source and binary distros
-sh(sdists)
-sh(wheels)
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    build_release()
diff --git a/tools/release b/tools/release
index c6c8909..69e5123 100755
--- a/tools/release
+++ b/tools/release
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import os
 import sys
 
 from toollib import (get_ipdir, pjoin, cd, execfile, sh, archive,
-        sdists, archive_user, archive_dir)
+        sdists, archive_user, archive_dir, buildwheels)
 from gh_api import post_download
 
 # Get main ipython dir, this will raise if it doesn't pass some checks
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ cd(ipdir)
 
 # Upload all files
 sh(sdists)
-for py in ('2', '3'):
-    sh('python%s setupegg.py bdist_wheel' % py)
+
+buildwheels()
 
 if 'upload' not in sys.argv:
     print("`./release upload` to register and release")
diff --git a/tools/toollib.py b/tools/toollib.py
index 7406c2b..1b390c7 100644
--- a/tools/toollib.py
+++ b/tools/toollib.py
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ archive = '%s:%s' % (archive_user, archive_dir)
 # Source dists
 sdists = './setup.py sdist --formats=gztar,zip'
 # Binary dists
-wheels = './setupegg.py bdist_wheel'
+def buildwheels():
+    for py in ('2', '3'):
+        sh('python%s setupegg.py bdist_wheel' % py)
 
 # Utility functions
 def sh(cmd):