diff --git a/changelog/4993.feature.rst b/changelog/4993.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8e1ff494
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/4993.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+The stepwise plugin reports status information now.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/stepwise.py b/src/_pytest/stepwise.py
index 1efa2e7ca..68e53a31c 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/stepwise.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/stepwise.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
         "--stepwise",
         action="store_true",
         dest="stepwise",
-        help="exit on test fail and continue from last failing test next time",
+        help="exit on test failure and continue from last failing test next time",
     )
     group.addoption(
         "--stepwise-skip",
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ class StepwisePlugin:
         self.session = session
 
     def pytest_collection_modifyitems(self, session, config, items):
-        if not self.active or not self.lastfailed:
+        if not self.active:
+            return
+        if not self.lastfailed:
+            self.report_status = "no previously failed tests, not skipping."
             return
 
         already_passed = []
@@ -54,7 +57,12 @@ class StepwisePlugin:
         # If the previously failed test was not found among the test items,
         # do not skip any tests.
         if not found:
+            self.report_status = "previously failed test not found, not skipping."
             already_passed = []
+        else:
+            self.report_status = "skipping {} already passed items.".format(
+                len(already_passed)
+            )
 
         for item in already_passed:
             items.remove(item)
@@ -94,6 +102,10 @@ class StepwisePlugin:
                 if report.nodeid == self.lastfailed:
                     self.lastfailed = None
 
+    def pytest_report_collectionfinish(self):
+        if self.active and self.config.getoption("verbose") >= 0:
+            return "stepwise: %s" % self.report_status
+
     def pytest_sessionfinish(self, session):
         if self.active:
             self.config.cache.set("cache/stepwise", self.lastfailed)