diff --git a/notmuch-client.h b/notmuch-client.h
index 18e6c60b..b3d0b668 100644
--- a/notmuch-client.h
+++ b/notmuch-client.h
@@ -462,6 +462,11 @@ print_status_query (const char *loc,
 		    const notmuch_query_t *query,
 		    notmuch_status_t status);
 
+notmuch_status_t
+print_status_database (const char *loc,
+		       const notmuch_database_t *database,
+		       notmuch_status_t status);
+
 #include "command-line-arguments.h"
 
 extern char *notmuch_requested_db_uuid;
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 8fa81cbf..45d3fb4e 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -19,3 +19,20 @@ print_status_query (const char *loc,
     }
     return status;
 }
+
+notmuch_status_t
+print_status_database (const char *loc,
+		    const notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
+		    notmuch_status_t status)
+{
+    if (status) {
+	const char *msg;
+
+	fprintf (stderr, "%s: %s\n", loc,
+		 notmuch_status_to_string (status));
+	msg = notmuch_database_status_string (notmuch);
+	if (msg)
+	    fputs (msg, stderr);
+    }
+    return status;
+}