diff --git a/src/index.coffee b/src/index.coffee
index 42b7749..988c365 100644
--- a/src/index.coffee
+++ b/src/index.coffee
@@ -73,6 +73,15 @@ class ChainGang extends Events.EventEmitter
 
     if @active then @perform()
 
+  checkStatus: ->
+    i = 1
+    s = []
+    now = new Date
+    for job in @queue
+      s.push "#{i}: #{job.name} @ #{now - job.created}s ago (#{job.requests})"
+      i++
+    s.join "\n"
+
   # Sets up a timer for the given job, if a timeout is set on the chain.
   #
   # job - The new Job instance that is getting the timer.
diff --git a/test/chain_gang_test.coffee b/test/chain_gang_test.coffee
index 9a982b0..3e98fec 100644
--- a/test/chain_gang_test.coffee
+++ b/test/chain_gang_test.coffee
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ job = chain.index.foo
 assert.equal 1, job.requests
 assert.ok job.created?
 
+assert.equal "1: foo @ 0s ago (1)", chain.checkStatus()
+
 # test adding a duplicate item to the queue
 called = false
 chain.add null, 'foo'
@@ -30,6 +32,8 @@ assert.equal false, called
 chain.removeListener 'add', cb
 assert.equal 2, job.requests
 
+assert.equal "1: foo @ 0s ago (2)", chain.checkStatus()
+
 # test adding a 2nd item to the queue
 called = false
 a      =  0