diff --git a/notmuch-client.h b/notmuch-client.h
index 0985a7b0..6c84ecc0 100644
--- a/notmuch-client.h
+++ b/notmuch-client.h
@@ -481,6 +481,11 @@ print_status_query (const char *loc,
 		    const notmuch_query_t *query,
 		    notmuch_status_t status);
 
+notmuch_status_t
+print_status_message (const char *loc,
+		      const notmuch_message_t *message,
+		      notmuch_status_t status);
+
 notmuch_status_t
 print_status_database (const char *loc,
 		       const notmuch_database_t *database,
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 8bc2fe4b..01fd8c99 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -20,6 +20,26 @@ print_status_query (const char *loc,
     return status;
 }
 
+notmuch_status_t
+print_status_message (const char *loc,
+		      const notmuch_message_t *message,
+		      notmuch_status_t status)
+{
+    if (status) {
+	const char *msg;
+	notmuch_database_t *notmuch;
+
+	fprintf (stderr, "%s: %s\n", loc,
+		 notmuch_status_to_string (status));
+
+	notmuch = notmuch_message_get_database (message);
+	msg = notmuch_database_status_string (notmuch);
+	if (msg)
+	    fputs (msg, stderr);
+    }
+    return status;
+}
+
 notmuch_status_t
 print_status_database (const char *loc,
 		    const notmuch_database_t *notmuch,