diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 73413c453..4161e1740 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 	h) when reading directory db and checking for deleted, new, or changed stuff, assume all info is sorted (so we can deterimine if its new very quickly without searching through lists of stuff every time).  Also, for new stuff, insert it with insertInListBeforeNode() function, to keep lists sorted.
 	j) when reading new directory db, we should block some signals when manipulating the directorydb, so we don't receive a signal to quit in the middle of an update
 	k) when bg-update, have parent print out new old stuff to log on reading db, not the child
+	l) return a job-id for each update-job, the job id can be polled in status
 
 2) rewrite interface stuff, specifically command list handling etc so its less of a hack and deals with the above update stuff better
 
diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index 551012049..4259b58e7 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
 #define COMMAND_STATUS_ERROR            "error"
 #define COMMAND_STATUS_CROSSFADE	"xfade"
 #define COMMAND_STATUS_AUDIO		"audio"
+#define COMMAND_STATUS_UPDATING_DB	"updating_db"
 
 typedef int (* CommandHandlerFunction)(FILE *, unsigned int *, int, char **);
 
@@ -193,6 +194,8 @@ int commandStatus(FILE * fp, unsigned int * permission, int argArrayLength,
                 myfprintf(fp,"%s: %u:%i:%i\n",COMMAND_STATUS_AUDIO,getPlayerSampleRate(),getPlayerBits(),getPlayerChannels());
         }
 
+	if(isUpdatingDB()) myfprintf(fp,"%s: 1\n",COMMAND_STATUS_UPDATING_DB);
+
         if(getPlayerError()!=PLAYER_ERROR_NOERROR) {
                 myfprintf(fp,"%s: %s\n",COMMAND_STATUS_ERROR,getPlayerErrorStr());
         }
diff --git a/src/directory.c b/src/directory.c
index 16f2c0fa0..7ecc5bd62 100644
--- a/src/directory.c
+++ b/src/directory.c
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ void deleteEmptyDirectoriesInDirectory(Directory * directory);
 
 int addSubDirectoryToDirectory(Directory * directory, char * shortname, char * name);
 
+int isUpdatingDB() {
+	if(directory_updatePid>0) return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 void directory_sigChldHandler(int pid, int status) {
 	if(directory_updatePid==pid) {
 		if(WIFSIGNALED(status) && WTERMSIG(status)!=SIGTERM) {
diff --git a/src/directory.h b/src/directory.h
index 1ad2c1ab5..024790163 100644
--- a/src/directory.h
+++ b/src/directory.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 
 extern char directorydb[MAXPATHLEN+1];
 
+int isUpdatingDB();
+
 void directory_sigChldHandler(int pid, int status);
 
 int updateInit(FILE * fp);