diff --git a/pmb/config/init.py b/pmb/config/init.py
index 594af7ca..4d6931e3 100644
--- a/pmb/config/init.py
+++ b/pmb/config/init.py
@@ -419,10 +419,8 @@ def frontend(args):
         # Do not zap any existing packages or cache_http directories
         pmb.chroot.zap(args, confirm=False)
 
-    logging.info(
-        "WARNING: The applications in the chroots do not get updated automatically.")
-    logging.info("Run 'pmbootstrap zap' to delete all chroots once a day before"
-                 " working with pmbootstrap!")
-    logging.info("It only takes a few seconds, and all packages are cached.")
-
+    logging.info("WARNING: The chroots and git repositories in the work dir do"
+                 " not get updated automatically.")
+    logging.info("Run 'pmbootstrap status' once a day before working with"
+                 " pmbootstrap to make sure that everything is up-to-date.")
     logging.info("Done!")
diff --git a/pmb/helpers/frontend.py b/pmb/helpers/frontend.py
index 4281f164..b0865f6d 100644
--- a/pmb/helpers/frontend.py
+++ b/pmb/helpers/frontend.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import pmb.helpers.repo
 import pmb.helpers.repo_missing
 import pmb.helpers.run
 import pmb.helpers.aportupgrade
+import pmb.helpers.status
 import pmb.install
 import pmb.parse
 import pmb.qemu
@@ -427,3 +428,8 @@ def lint(args):
 
     for package in packages:
         pmb.helpers.lint.check(args, package)
+
+
+def status(args):
+    if not pmb.helpers.status.print_status(args, args.details):
+        sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/pmb/helpers/status.py b/pmb/helpers/status.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..df7bb655
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmb/helpers/status.py
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Copyright 2020 Oliver Smith
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+import logging
+
+import pmb.config.workdir
+
+
+def print_checks_chroots_outdated(args, details):
+    """ Check if chroots were zapped recently.
+        :param details: if True, print each passing check instead of a summary
+        :returns: list of unresolved checklist items """
+    if pmb.config.workdir.chroots_outdated(args):
+        logging.info("[NOK] Chroots not zapped recently")
+        return ["Run 'pmbootststrap zap' to delete possibly outdated chroots"]
+    elif details:
+        logging.info("[OK ] Chroots zapped recently (or non-existing)")
+    return []
+
+
+def print_checks(args, details):
+    """ :param details: if True, print each passing check instead of a summary
+        :returns: True if all checks passed, False otherwise """
+    logging.info("*** CHECKS ***")
+    checklist = []
+    checklist += print_checks_chroots_outdated(args, details)
+
+    # All OK
+    if not checklist:
+        if not details:
+            logging.info("All checks passed! \\o/")
+        logging.info("")
+        return True
+
+    # Some NOK: print checklist
+    logging.info("")
+    logging.info("*** CHECKLIST ***")
+    for item in checklist:
+        logging.info("- " + item)
+    logging.info("- Run 'pmbootstrap status' to verify that all is resolved")
+    return False
+
+
+def print_status(args, details=False):
+    """ :param details: if True, print each passing check instead of a summary
+        :returns: True if all checks passed, False otherwise """
+    ret = print_checks(args, details)
+
+    return ret
diff --git a/pmb/parse/arguments.py b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
index dcc305aa..647ac096 100644
--- a/pmb/parse/arguments.py
+++ b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
@@ -274,6 +274,14 @@ def arguments_lint(subparser):
     add_packages_arg(lint, nargs="*")
 
 
+def arguments_status(subparser):
+    ret = subparser.add_parser("status",
+                               help="quick health check for the work dir")
+    ret.add_argument("--details", action="store_true",
+                     help="list passing checks in detail, not as summary")
+    return ret
+
+
 def package_completer(prefix, action, parser, parsed_args):
     args = parsed_args
     pmb.config.merge_with_args(args)
@@ -387,6 +395,7 @@ def arguments():
     arguments_aportupgrade(sub)
     arguments_newapkbuild(sub)
     arguments_lint(sub)
+    arguments_status(sub)
 
     # Action: log
     log = sub.add_parser("log", help="follow the pmbootstrap logfile")
diff --git a/test/test_helpers_status.py b/test/test_helpers_status.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..591fd79a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_helpers_status.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# Copyright 2020 Oliver Smith
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+""" Test pmb/helpers/status.py """
+import pytest
+import sys
+
+import pmb_test  # noqa
+import pmb.config
+import pmb.config.workdir
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def args(request):
+    import pmb.parse
+    sys.argv = ["pmbootstrap", "init"]
+    args = pmb.parse.arguments()
+    args.log = args.work + "/log_testsuite.txt"
+    pmb.helpers.logging.init(args)
+    request.addfinalizer(args.logfd.close)
+    return args
+
+
+def test_pmbootstrap_status(args, tmpdir):
+    """ High level testing of 'pmbootstrap status': run it twice, once with
+        a fine workdir, and once where one check is failing. """
+    # Prepare empty workdir
+    work = str(tmpdir)
+    with open(work + "/version", "w") as handle:
+        handle.write(str(pmb.config.work_version))
+
+    # "pmbootstrap status" succeeds (pmb.helpers.run.user verifies exit 0)
+    pmbootstrap = pmb.config.pmb_src + "/pmbootstrap.py"
+    pmb.helpers.run.user(args, [pmbootstrap, "-w", work, "status",
+                                "--details"])
+
+    # Mark chroot_native as outdated
+    with open(work + "/workdir.cfg", "w") as handle:
+        handle.write("[chroot-init-dates]\nnative = 1234\n")
+
+    # "pmbootstrap status" fails
+    ret = pmb.helpers.run.user(args, [pmbootstrap, "-w", work, "status"],
+                               check=False)
+    assert ret == 1