diff --git a/doc/monitoring.rst b/doc/monitoring.rst
index 0a1d9c5..eb449bf 100644
--- a/doc/monitoring.rst
+++ b/doc/monitoring.rst
@@ -161,15 +161,16 @@ There are some additional settings available:
     | *mtime*: replaced by modification time, a datetime object.
     | *hours*: replaced by the number of hours since last update, a float.
     | *age*: replaced by time since last update, a string.
-    | *overdue*: is the back-up overdue.
+    | *overdue*: is the back-up overdue, a boolean.
+    | *locked*: is the back-up currently active, a boolean.
 
     The message is a Python formatted string, and so the various fields can include
     formatting directives.  For example:
 
     - strings than include field width and justification, ex. {host:>20}
     - floats can include width, precision and form, ex. {hours:0.1f}
-    - datetime can include Arrow formats, ex: {mtime:DD MMM YY @ H:mm A}
-    - overdue can include true/false strings: {overdue:PAST DUE!/current}
+    - datetimes can include Arrow formats, ex: {mtime:DD MMM YY @ H:mm A}
+    - booleans can include true/false strings: ex. {overdue:PAST DUE!/current}
 
 To run the program interactively, just make sure *emborg-overdue* has been 
 installed and is on your path. Then type:
diff --git a/doc/releases.rst b/doc/releases.rst
index 50e7115..9aa5ccd 100644
--- a/doc/releases.rst
+++ b/doc/releases.rst
@@ -6,6 +6,15 @@ Latest development release
 | Version: 1.40.1
 | Released: 2024-11-03
 
+1.41 (2024-11-??)
+-----------------
+- When *Emborg* encounters an error when operating on a composite configuration 
+  it will terminate the problematic configuration and move to the next.  
+  Previously it would exit without attempting the remaining configs.
+- :ref:`emborg-overdue <emborg_overdue>` can now run an *emborg-overdue* process 
+  on a remote host and include the results in its report.
+- message templates for :ref:`emborg-overdue <emborg_overdue>` can now contain 
+  the ``locked`` field.
 - Allow location of config and data directory to be overridden with 
   `XDG_CONFIG_HOME` and `XDG_DATA_HOME` environment variables.  This replaces an 
   earlier behavior that simply treated `~/.config/` as the configuration 
@@ -18,15 +27,6 @@ Latest development release
     a Linux system you will now have to set `XDG_CONFIG_HOME` to 
     `$HOME/.config`.
 
-1.41 (2024-11-??)
------------------
-
-- When *Emborg* encounters an error when operating on a composite configuration 
-  it will terminate the problematic configuration and move to the next.  
-  Previously it would exit without attempting the remaining configs.
-- :ref:`emborg-overdue <emborg_overdue>` can now run an *emborg-overdue* process 
-  on a remote host and include the result in its report.
-
 
 1.40 (2024-08-05)
 -----------------
diff --git a/emborg/overdue.py b/emborg/overdue.py
index 8eb7ab6..6860e70 100644
--- a/emborg/overdue.py
+++ b/emborg/overdue.py
@@ -35,14 +35,15 @@
     mtime: replaced by modification time, a datetime object.
     hours: replaced by the number of hours since last update, a float.
     age: replaced by time since last update, a string.
-    overdue: is the back-up overdue.
+    overdue: is the back-up overdue, a boolean.
+    locked: is the back-up currently active, a boolean.
 
 The status message is a Python formatted string, and so the various fields can include
 formatting directives.  For example:
 - strings than include field width and justification, ex. {host:>20}
 - floats can include width, precision and form, ex. {hours:0.1f}
-- datetime can include Arrow formats, ex: {mtime:DD MMM YY @ H:mm A}
-- overdue can include true/false strings: {overdue:PAST DUE!/current}
+- datetimes can include Arrow formats, ex: {mtime:DD MMM YY @ H:mm A}
+- boolean can include true/false strings, ex: {overdue:PAST DUE!/current}
 """
 
 # License {{{1
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@
         overdue: {overdue}
 """, strip_nl='l')
 
-terse_status_message = "{host}: {age} ago{overdue: — PAST DUE}"
+terse_status_message = "{host}: {age} ago{locked: (currently active)}{overdue: — PAST DUE}"
 
 mail_status_message = dedent("""
     Backup of {host} is overdue:
@@ -138,6 +139,14 @@ def get_local_data(path, host, max_age):
         if len(paths) > 1:
             raise Error("too many sentinel files.", *paths, sep="\n    ")
         path = paths[0]
+        locked = list(path.glob("lock.*"))
+    else:
+        if path.name.endswith('.latest.nt'):
+            lockfile = path.name.replace('.latest.nt', '.lock')
+            locked = to_path(path.parent, lockfile).exists()
+        else:
+            warn('local paths should end with ‘.latest.nt’.', culprit=host)
+            locked = False
     mtime = arrow.get(path.stat().st_mtime)
     if path.suffix == '.nt':
         latest = read_latest(path)
@@ -147,9 +156,10 @@ def get_local_data(path, host, max_age):
     delta = now - mtime
     hours = 24 * delta.days + delta.seconds / 3600
     overdue = truth(hours > max_age)
+    locked = truth(locked)
     yield dict(
-        host=host, path=path, mtime=mtime,
-        hours=hours, max_age=max_age, overdue=overdue
+        host=host, path=path, mtime=mtime, hours=hours, max_age=max_age,
+        overdue=overdue, locked=locked
     )
 
 # get_remote_data {{{2
@@ -168,6 +178,10 @@ def get_remote_data(name, path):
                 repo_data['hours'] = float(repo_data['hours'])
             if 'max_age' in repo_data:
                 repo_data['max_age'] = float(repo_data['max_age'])
+            if 'locked' in repo_data:
+                repo_data['locked'] = truth(repo_data['locked'] == 'yes')
+            else:
+                repo_data['locked'] = truth(False)
             yield repo_data
     except Error as e:
         e.report(culprit=host)