diff --git a/docs/helpers/identify_envvar_placeholder_names.sh b/docs/helpers/identify_envvar_placeholder_names.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..37f828dd217
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/helpers/identify_envvar_placeholder_names.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# this script can run from everywhere in the ocis repo because it uses git grep
+
+# The following grep will filter out every line containing an `env` annotation AND
+# containing a non semver `introductionVersion` annotation that is used as placeholder.
+# note that invalid `introductionVersion` annotations are already covered via:
+# /.make/check-env-var-annotations.sh as part of the CI
+
+RED=$(echo -e "\033[0;31m")
+GREEN=$(echo -e "\033[0;32m")
+NORM=$(echo -e "\033[0m")
+
+
+# build the correct regex
+IV_REGEX='(?:introductionVersion:\")(?!pre5\.0)(?:[^\d].*?\")'
+IV_NAME=introductionVersion
+
+RV_REGEX='(?:removalVersion:\")(?!pre5\.0)(?:[^\d].*?\")'
+RV_NAME=removalVersion
+
+EXCLUDE_PATHS='_test.go|vendor/'
+
+# create a here doc function to be printed when the option is selected
+# note that tabs are used intentionally. they are removed by cat but are required to make the code readable. 
+print_version_examples() {
+	cat <<-EOL
+		  ${GREEN}Valid $1 examples:${NORM}
+
+		  $1:"releaseX"  # acceptable alphabetical version
+		  $1:"Addams"    # another alphabetical example such as a release name
+		  $1:"Addams.8"  # another alphabetical example such as a release name plus a version
+		  $1:"%%NEXT%%"  # a dummy placeholder as release name
+
+		  See the dev docs for more details: https://owncloud.dev/services/general-info/envvars/envvar-naming-scopes/
+	EOL
+}
+
+# ask what the script should search for
+echo "Select one of the following keys to search for:"
+echo
+echo "  1) introductionVersion"
+echo "  2) removalVersion"
+echo "  3) Print valid matching search pattern examples"
+echo
+read -s -n 1 n
+case $n in
+  1) USEREGEX="${IV_REGEX}"
+     NAME="${IV_NAME}"
+     ;;
+  2) USEREGEX="${RV_REGEX}"
+     NAME="${RV_NAME}"
+     ;;
+  3) echo
+     print_version_examples "${IV_NAME}"
+     echo
+     print_version_examples "${RV_NAME}"
+     echo
+     exit
+     ;;
+  *) echo "Invalid option"
+     exit
+     ;;
+esac
+
+# query the code
+QS=$(git grep -n "env:" -- '*.go' | grep -v -E "${EXCLUDE_PATHS}" | grep --color=always -P "${USEREGEX}")
+
+# count the results found
+RESULTS_COUNT=$(echo "${QS}"|wc -l)
+
+# add a new line after each hit, eol identified via "´ which only appears at the end of each envvar string definition
+QUERY_RESULT=$(echo "${QS}" | sed "s#\"\`#\"\`\n#g")
+
+echo "Checking ${NAME} annotations"
+
+if [ "${QUERY_RESULT}" != "" ] && [ "${RESULTS_COUNT}" -gt 0 ]; then
+  echo
+  echo "==============================================================================================="
+  echo ${GREEN}"The following items contain placeholder ${NAME} annotation(s):"${NORM}
+  echo "==============================================================================================="
+  echo
+  echo "$QUERY_RESULT"
+  echo
+  echo ${GREEN}"${RESULTS_COUNT} items found"${NORM}
+  echo
+else
+  echo ${GREEN}"No matching placeholders for ${NAME} annotations found."${NORM}
+  echo
+fi