diff --git a/maintenance/code-backports.sh b/maintenance/code-backports.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..13d1427
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maintenance/code-backports.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# silence debug output from VCS
+beQuiet="--quiet"
+#beQuiet=""
+verpath="$1"
+version=`basename "$verpath" | sed s/squid-//`
+vnext=$(( $version + 1 ))
+srcbranch=v$vnext
+
+cd $verpath
+
+# Dev branch does not receive backports
+test -f .BASE && exit 0
+
+# clean the current workspace
+gitCleanWorkspace ()
+{
+  git clean $beQuiet -xdf --exclude="\.BASE"
+  git checkout $beQuiet -- .
+}
+
+if ! test -d .git ; then
+  echo "ERROR: missing git repository"
+  exit 1;
+fi
+if ! test -d ../squid-$vnext ; then
+  echo "ERROR: missing git repository to backport from"
+  exit 1;
+fi
+if test -e ../squid-$vnext/.BASE ; then
+  srcbranch=`cat ../squid-$vnext/.BASE`
+fi
+
+abortAndExit ()
+{
+  git $1 --abort 2>&1 >/dev/null
+  exit 1
+}
+
+abortAndContinue ()
+{
+  git $1 --abort 2>&1 >/dev/null || true
+}
+
+# Prepare backports branch for updates
+git checkout $beQuiet v$version-next-backports 2>/dev/null &&
+  gitCleanWorkspace &&
+    git fetch $beQuiet --all &&
+    git pull $beQuiet origin v$version-next-backports &&
+    git rebase origin/v$version 2>/dev/null &&
+    git push -u origin +v$version-next-backports || abortAndExit rebase
+
+# Find backports to attempt:
+prlist=`gh pr list -L 1 --repo squid-cache/squid --state closed --label backport-to-v$version | wc -l`
+if test "$prlist" -ne 0; then
+  gh pr list --repo squid-cache/squid --state closed --label backport-to-v$version | while read prnum text; do
+    # find a commit in $srcbranch with " (#$prnum)" subject suffix
+    git log --oneline github/$srcbranch --grep=" (#$prnum)\$" | while read sha rest; do
+      msg=`git cherry-pick $beQuiet $sha 2>&1 || abortAndContinue cherry-pick`
+      if ! test -z "$msg" ; then
+        echo "$msg" | grep -E "^error:"
+        unlabel=`echo "$msg" | grep -E "The.previous.cherry-pick.is.now.empty"`
+        if ! test -z "$unlabel" ; then
+            gh pr edit --repo squid-cache/squid $prnum --remove-label backport-to-v$version
+            gh pr comment --repo squid-cache/squid $prnum --body "queued for backport to v$version"
+        fi
+      fi
+      gitCleanWorkspace
+    done
+  done
+  git push $beQuiet 2>&1 >/dev/null || true
+
+  # Create a PR to merge (if needed)
+  if test `git diff github/$srcbranch v$version-next-backports 2>/dev/null | wc -l` -ne 0 ; then
+    git push $beQuiet -u origin +v$version-next-backports >/dev/null || exit 1
+    # skip if there is an existing PR already open awaiting merge
+    prlist=`gh pr list -L 1 --repo squid-cache/squid --head v$version-next-backports | wc -l`
+    if test "$prlist" -eq 0 ; then
+      gh pr create --repo squid-cache/squid --base v$version --title "v$version Next Backports" --body "" || true
+    fi
+  fi
+
+fi
diff --git a/maintenance/code-maintenance.sh b/maintenance/code-maintenance.sh
index 75a1644..7e514c5 100755
--- a/maintenance/code-maintenance.sh
+++ b/maintenance/code-maintenance.sh
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ gitCleanWorkspace ()
   git checkout $beQuiet -- .
 }
 
+abortAndExit ()
+{
+  git "$1" --abort 2>&1 >/dev/null
+  exit 1
+}
+
 runMaintenanceScript ()
 {
   script=$1
@@ -29,18 +35,18 @@ runMaintenanceScript ()
 
   if test -x "$script" ; then
 
-    git checkout $beQuiet $forkPoint 2>/dev/null &&
-      git checkout $beQuiet $branch 2>/dev/null &&
+    git checkout $beQuiet $forkPoint 2>&1 >/dev/null &&
+      git checkout $beQuiet $branch 2>&1 >/dev/null &&
         gitCleanWorkspace &&
-          git rebase github/$forkPoint 2>/dev/null || ( git rebase --abort 2>/dev/null ; exit 1 )
+          git rebase github/$forkPoint 2>&1 >/dev/null || abortAndExit rebase
 
     gitCleanWorkspace &&
       $script >/dev/null || exit 1
 
     # only update modified files. Ignore deleted, added, etc.
-    git status 2>&1 | grep "modified:" | while read a b; do git add $b; done
-    git commit $beQuiet --all -m "$prtitle" || true
-    git push $beQuiet -f --set-upstream origin +$branch || exit 1
+    git status 2>&1 | grep "modified:" | while read a b; do git add $beQuiet $b >/dev/null; done
+    git commit $beQuiet --all -m "$prtitle" >/dev/null || true
+    git push $beQuiet -f --set-upstream origin +$branch >/dev/null || exit 1
     gitCleanWorkspace
 
     if test `git diff $beQuiet $forkPoint $branch 2>/dev/null | wc -l` -ne 0 ; then
@@ -56,7 +62,6 @@ runMaintenanceScript ()
   fi
 }
 
-
 (
   cd $1
   version=`basename "$1" | sed s/squid-//`
@@ -71,20 +76,21 @@ runMaintenanceScript ()
     exit 1;
   fi
 
-  git fetch $beQuiet --all
+  git fetch $beQuiet --all >/dev/null
   gitCleanWorkspace
 
-  git pull $beQuiet --all
+  # Update version branch to match github
+  git checkout $beQuiet $forkPoint >/dev/null
+
+  git pull $beQuiet --all >/dev/null
   gitCleanWorkspace
 
-  # Update version branch to match github
-  git checkout $beQuiet $forkPoint
   # ON CONFLICTS: abort
-  git rebase github/$forkPoint || ( git rebase --abort ; exit 1 )
+  git rebase github/$forkPoint >/dev/null || abortAndExit rebase
   gitCleanWorkspace
 
-  git push $beQuiet -f --set-upstream origin +$forkPoint 2>&1
-  git push $beQuiet --tags github
+  git push $beQuiet -f --set-upstream origin +$forkPoint 2>&1 >/dev/null
+  git push $beQuiet --tags github 2>&1 >/dev/null
   gitCleanWorkspace
 
   runMaintenanceScript ./bootstrap.sh v$version-bootstrap "Bootstrapped"