diff --git a/utils/gpg.go b/utils/gpg.go
index 9d9674d6..bb637c25 100644
--- a/utils/gpg.go
+++ b/utils/gpg.go
@@ -1,20 +1,36 @@
 package utils
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 // Signer interface describes facility implementing signing of files
 type Signer interface {
+	Init() error
 	SetKey(keyRef string)
 	DetachedSign(source string, destination string) error
 	ClearSign(source string, destination string) error
 }
 
+// Verifier interface describes signature verification factility
+type Verifier interface {
+	InitKeyring() error
+	AddKeyring(keyring string)
+	VerifyDetachedSignature(signature, cleartext io.Reader) error
+	VerifyClearsigned(clearsigned io.Reader) (text *os.File, err error)
+}
+
 // Test interface
 var (
-	_ Signer = &GpgSigner{}
+	_ Signer   = &GpgSigner{}
+	_ Verifier = &GpgVerifier{}
 )
 
 // GpgSigner is implementation of Signer interface using gpg
@@ -27,6 +43,20 @@ func (g *GpgSigner) SetKey(keyRef string) {
 	g.keyRef = keyRef
 }
 
+// Init verifies availability of gpg & presence of keys
+func (g *GpgSigner) Init() error {
+	output, err := exec.Command("gpg", "--list-keys").Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to execute gpg: %s (is gpg installed?)", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(output) == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("looks like there are no keys in gpg, please create one (official manual: http://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual.html)")
+	}
+
+	return err
+}
+
 // DetachedSign signs file with detached signature in ASCII format
 func (g *GpgSigner) DetachedSign(source string, destination string) error {
 	fmt.Printf("Signing file '%s' with gpg, please enter your passphrase when prompted:\n", source)
@@ -51,3 +81,206 @@ func (g *GpgSigner) ClearSign(source string, destination string) error {
 	cmd := exec.Command("gpg", args...)
 	return cmd.Run()
 }
+
+// GpgVerifier is implementation of Verifier interface using gpgv
+type GpgVerifier struct {
+	keyRings []string
+}
+
+func (g *GpgVerifier) InitKeyring() error {
+	err := exec.Command("gpgv", "--version").Run()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to execute gpgv: %s (is gpg installed?)", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(g.keyRings) == 0 {
+		// using default keyring
+		output, err := exec.Command("gpg", "--no-default-keyring", "--keyring", "trustedkeys.gpg", "--list-keys").Output()
+		if err == nil && len(output) == 0 {
+			fmt.Printf("\nLooks like your keyring with trusted keys is empty. You might want to consider importing some keys.\n")
+			fmt.Printf("If you're running Debian or Ubuntu, you might consider importing current archive keys by running:\n\n")
+			fmt.Printf("  gpg --keyring /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg --export | gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring trustedkeys.gpg --import\n")
+			fmt.Printf("\n(for Ubuntu, use /usr/share/keyrings/ubuntu-archive-keyring.gpg)\n\n")
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (g *GpgVerifier) AddKeyring(keyring string) {
+	g.keyRings = append(g.keyRings, keyring)
+}
+
+func (g *GpgVerifier) argsKeyrings() (args []string) {
+	if len(g.keyRings) > 0 {
+		args = make([]string, 0, 2*len(g.keyRings))
+		for _, keyring := range g.keyRings {
+			args = append(args, "--keyring", keyring)
+		}
+	} else {
+		args = []string{"--keyring", "trustedkeys.gpg"}
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+func (g *GpgVerifier) VerifyDetachedSignature(signature, cleartext io.Reader) error {
+	args := g.argsKeyrings()
+
+	sigf, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "aptly-gpg")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(sigf.Name())
+	defer sigf.Close()
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(sigf, signature)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	clearf, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "aptly-gpg")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(clearf.Name())
+	defer clearf.Close()
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(clearf, cleartext)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	args = append(args, sigf.Name(), clearf.Name())
+	cmd := exec.Command("gpgv", args...)
+
+	stderr, err := cmd.StderrPipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer stderr.Close()
+
+	err = cmd.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	buffer := &bytes.Buffer{}
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(io.MultiWriter(os.Stderr, buffer), stderr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	matches := regexp.MustCompile("ID ([0-9A-F]{8})").FindAllStringSubmatch(buffer.String(), -1)
+
+	err = cmd.Wait()
+	if err != nil {
+		if len(g.keyRings) == 0 && len(matches) > 0 {
+			fmt.Printf("\nLooks like some keys are missing in your trusted keyring, you may consider importing them from keyserver:\n\n")
+
+			keyIDs := []string{}
+			for _, match := range matches {
+				keyIDs = append(keyIDs, match[1])
+			}
+			fmt.Printf("gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring trustedkeys.gpg --keyserver keys.gnupg.net --recv-keys %s\n\n",
+				strings.Join(keyIDs, " "))
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("GnuPG verification of detached signature failed: %s", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (g *GpgVerifier) VerifyClearsigned(clearsigned io.Reader) (text *os.File, err error) {
+	args := g.argsKeyrings()
+
+	clearf, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "aptly-gpg")
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(clearf.Name())
+	defer clearf.Close()
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(clearf, clearsigned)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	args = append(args, clearf.Name())
+	cmd := exec.Command("gpgv", args...)
+
+	stderr, err := cmd.StderrPipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer stderr.Close()
+
+	err = cmd.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	buffer := &bytes.Buffer{}
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(io.MultiWriter(os.Stderr, buffer), stderr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	matches := regexp.MustCompile("ID ([0-9A-F]{8})").FindAllStringSubmatch(buffer.String(), -1)
+
+	err = cmd.Wait()
+	if err != nil {
+		if len(g.keyRings) == 0 && len(matches) > 0 {
+			fmt.Printf("\nLooks like some keys are missing in your trusted keyring, you may consider importing them from keyserver:\n\n")
+
+			keyIDs := []string{}
+			for _, match := range matches {
+				keyIDs = append(keyIDs, match[1])
+			}
+			fmt.Printf("gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring trustedkeys.gpg --keyserver keys.gnupg.net --recv-keys %s\n\n",
+				strings.Join(keyIDs, " "))
+		}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("GnuPG verification of clearsigned file failed: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	text, err = ioutil.TempFile("", "aptly-gpg")
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(text.Name())
+
+	args = []string{"--no-default-keyring"}
+	args = append(args, g.argsKeyrings()...)
+	args = append(args, "--decrypt", "--batch", "--output", "-", clearf.Name())
+
+	cmd = exec.Command("gpg", args...)
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	stdout, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer stdout.Close()
+
+	err = cmd.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	_, err = io.Copy(text, stdout)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	err = cmd.Wait()
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("GnuPG extraction of clearsigned file failed: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = text.Seek(0, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return
+}