diff --git a/scripts/ynh_check_app_version_changed b/scripts/ynh_check_app_version_changed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..641815c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/ynh_check_app_version_changed
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Checks the app version to upgrade with the existing app version and returns:
+# - UPGRADE_APP if the upstream app version has changed
+# - UPGRADE_PACKAGE if only the YunoHost package has changed
+#
+## It stops the current script without error if the package is up-to-date
+#
+# This helper should be used to avoid an upgrade of an app, or the upstream part
+# of it, when it's not needed
+#
+# To force an upgrade, even if the package is up to date,
+# you have to set the variable YNH_FORCE_UPGRADE before.
+# example: sudo YNH_FORCE_UPGRADE=1 yunohost app upgrade MyApp
+
+# usage: ynh_check_app_version_changed
+ynh_check_app_version_changed () {
+  local force_upgrade=${YNH_FORCE_UPGRADE:-0}
+  local package_check=${PACKAGE_CHECK_EXEC:-0}
+
+  # By default, upstream app version has changed
+  local return_value="UPGRADE_APP"
+
+  local current_version=$(ynh_read_manifest "/etc/yunohost/apps/$YNH_APP_INSTANCE_NAME/manifest.json" "version" || echo 1.0)
+  local current_upstream_version="${current_version/~ynh*/}"
+  local update_version=$(ynh_read_manifest "../manifest.json" "version" || echo 1.0)
+  local update_upstream_version="${update_version/~ynh*/}"
+
+  if [ "$current_version" == "$update_version" ] ; then
+      # Complete versions are the same
+      if [ "$force_upgrade" != "0" ]
+      then
+        echo "Upgrade forced by YNH_FORCE_UPGRADE." >&2
+        unset YNH_FORCE_UPGRADE
+      elif [ "$package_check" != "0" ]
+      then
+        echo "Upgrade forced for package check." >&2
+      else
+        ynh_die "Up-to-date, nothing to do" 0
+      fi
+  elif [ "$current_upstream_version" == "$update_upstream_version" ] ; then
+    # Upstream versions are the same, only YunoHost package versions differ
+    return_value="UPGRADE_PACKAGE"
+  fi
+  echo $return_value
+}