diff --git a/tools/bzl/setup-intellij.sh b/tools/bzl/setup-intellij.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57df8c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/bzl/setup-intellij.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# This script sets up a 'bazel_external' libraries for maven jars and Auto classes.
+#
+# To use:
+#
+# * Start IntelliJ
+# * Go to "project structure" (Ctrl-Alt-Shift-S),
+# * Go to "Libraries",
+# * Right click "bazel_external"
+# * Select "Add to Module"
+# * Select all modules, click OK
+# * Click "Apply"
+
+mkdir -p .idea/libraries/
+dest=.idea/libraries/bazel_external.xml
+
+cat <<EOF > $dest
+ <component name="libraryTable">
+  <library name="bazel_external">
+    <CLASSES>
+EOF
+
+for jar in $(bazel query --nohost_deps --output=location 'kind(file,deps(kind(java_import,deps(//...))))' | grep 'source file .*jar$' | sed 's|/BUILD:[0-9]*:[0-9]*: source file [^:]*:|/|' ); do
+cat <<EOF  >> $dest
+      <root url="jar://$jar!/" />
+EOF
+done
+
+cat <<EOF >> $dest
+    </CLASSES>
+    <JAVADOC />
+    <SOURCES />
+  </library>
+</component>
+EOF
+
+dest=.idea/libraries/bazel_autogen.xml
+cat <<EOF > $dest
+<component name="libraryTable">
+  <library name="bazel_autogen">
+    <CLASSES />
+    <JAVADOC />
+    <SOURCES>
+EOF
+
+not_found=""
+
+for dep in $(bazel query 'rdeps(//...,//lib/auto:auto-value,1) - //lib/auto:auto-value'); do
+    root=$(echo $dep | sed 's|//\(.*\):\(.*\)|bazel-bin/\1/_javac/\2/lib\2_sourcegenfiles|g')
+    if [[ ! -d $root ]]; then
+        # for some reason, tests don't have the "lib" prefix.
+        root=$(echo $dep | sed 's|//\(.*\):\(.*\)|bazel-bin/\1/_javac/\2/\2_sourcegenfiles|g')
+    fi
+    if [[ ! -d $root ]]; then
+        not_found="$not_found $root"
+    fi
+cat <<EOF  >> $dest
+      <root url="file://\$PROJECT_DIR\$/$root" />
+EOF
+done
+
+cat <<EOF >> $dest
+    </SOURCES>
+  </library>
+</component>
+EOF
+
+
+if [[ -n "$not_found" ]]; then
+    echo "some generated roots were missing. Did you run 'bazel build' yet?"
+fi