diff --git a/scripts/release/publish.ts b/scripts/release/publish.ts
index 6301241ed7..2590e96e52 100644
--- a/scripts/release/publish.ts
+++ b/scripts/release/publish.ts
@@ -136,9 +136,15 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
   const family = releaseFamily(values.family)
   const directory = resolve(process.cwd(), values.from)
 
+  // Every entry in the order settles as either published or already present, so
+  // one counter answers "how far along is this run" for whoever is watching a
+  // release that takes minutes per family.
+  const order = readPublishOrder(directory)
+  const total = String(order.length)
   let published = 0
   let skipped = 0
-  for (const filename of readPublishOrder(directory)) {
+  for (const [index, filename] of order.entries()) {
+    const progress = `[${String(index + 1)}/${total}]`
     const tarball = join(directory, filename)
     const { name, version } = packedIdentity(tarball)
     const state = registryState(name, version)
@@ -151,7 +157,7 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
           + '\nBump the version, or investigate why the build is not reproducible.',
         )
       }
-      console.log(`release publish: ${name}@${version} already published, skipping`)
+      console.log(`release publish: ${progress} ${name}@${version} already published, skipping`)
       skipped += 1
       continue
     }
@@ -159,11 +165,14 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
     // only skips does not wait at all.
     if (published > 0) await sleep(PUBLISH_SPACING_MS)
     await publishTarball(tarball, name, version)
-    console.log(`release publish: ${name}@${version} published`)
+    console.log(`release publish: ${progress} ${name}@${version} published`)
     published += 1
   }
 
-  console.log(`release publish: family ${family.id}, ${String(published)} published, ${String(skipped)} already present`)
+  console.log(
+    `release publish: family ${family.id}, ${total} member(s),`
+    + ` ${String(published)} published, ${String(skipped)} already present`,
+  )
 }
 
 if (isEntry(import.meta.url)) await main()