diff --git a/src/cli/link.rs b/src/cli/link.rs
index b54be85..9e55503 100644
--- a/src/cli/link.rs
+++ b/src/cli/link.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ pub enum Link {
         store: Store,
     },
 
+    /// List what this repository keeps in the store
+    List {
+        #[command(flatten)]
+        store: Store,
+    },
+
     /// List untracked paths a sandbox would still see
     Check {
         /// Limit the listing to these paths
diff --git a/src/commands/link.rs b/src/commands/link.rs
index e7533d1..534840d 100644
--- a/src/commands/link.rs
+++ b/src/commands/link.rs
@@ -44,24 +44,49 @@ pub fn restore(ctx: &Ctx, paths: &[PathBuf], all: bool, store: Option<&Path>) ->
     let repo = Repo::discover(ctx, store)?;
     let report = Report::new(&repo);
 
-    let paths = match (all, paths) {
-        (true, []) => linked_paths(&repo, &repo.store)?,
+    let stored = match (all, paths) {
+        (true, []) => stored_paths(&repo, &repo.store)?,
         (true, _) => bail!("--all restores everything, so it takes no paths"),
         (false, []) => bail!("name a path to restore, or pass --all"),
-        (false, paths) => paths.to_vec(),
+        (false, paths) => paths.iter().cloned().map(|p| (p, Stored::Linked)).collect(),
     };
 
-    if paths.is_empty() {
-        note!(ctx, "nothing in the store for this repository");
+    // only a linked path can be moved back; the store can hold orphans too
+    let linked: Vec<PathBuf> = stored
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|(_, state)| *state == Stored::Linked)
+        .map(|(path, _)| path.clone())
+        .collect();
+    let skipped = stored.len() - linked.len();
+
+    if linked.is_empty() {
+        match skipped {
+            0 => note!(ctx, "nothing in the store for this repository"),
+            n => note!(
+                ctx,
+                "nothing to restore: {n} path{} in the store {} not linked, see `ahab link list`",
+                if n == 1 { "" } else { "s" },
+                if n == 1 { "is" } else { "are" }
+            ),
+        }
+
         return Ok(());
     }
 
-    if let [path] = paths.as_slice() {
+    if skipped > 0 {
+        note!(
+            ctx,
+            "leaving {skipped} path{} that the store holds but nothing links to",
+            if skipped == 1 { "" } else { "s" }
+        );
+    }
+
+    if let [path] = linked.as_slice() {
         return restore_one(ctx, &repo, path, &report);
     }
 
     let mut failed = 0;
-    for path in &paths {
+    for path in &linked {
         if let Err(e) = restore_one(ctx, &repo, path, &report) {
             note!(ctx, "error: {e:#}");
             failed += 1;
@@ -69,7 +94,7 @@ pub fn restore(ctx: &Ctx, paths: &[PathBuf], all: bool, store: Option<&Path>) ->
     }
 
     if failed > 0 {
-        return Err(anyhow!("{failed} of {} paths failed", paths.len()));
+        return Err(anyhow!("{failed} of {} paths failed", linked.len()));
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -109,9 +134,20 @@ fn restore_one(ctx: &Ctx, repo: &Repo, path: &Path, report: &Report) -> Result<(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+// what the repository looks like from the store's side
+#[derive(PartialEq)]
+enum Stored {
+    // the symlink is there and points at the store, which is the whole point
+    Linked,
+    // nothing is at the path the store holds it for
+    Missing,
+    // something else took the path, so the stored copy is the one nobody reads
+    Taken,
+}
+
 // the store mirrors the repository layout, so walking it finds every path this
-// repository has linked without asking git anything
-fn linked_paths(repo: &Repo, dir: &Path) -> Result<Vec<PathBuf>> {
+// repository has put there without asking git anything
+fn stored_paths(repo: &Repo, dir: &Path) -> Result<Vec<(PathBuf, Stored)>> {
     let mut found = Vec::new();
 
     let entries = match read_dir(dir) {
@@ -127,20 +163,51 @@ fn linked_paths(repo: &Repo, dir: &Path) -> Result<Vec<PathBuf>> {
             .expect("walked out of the store");
         let src = repo.root.join(rel);
 
-        let linked = symlink_metadata_opt(&src)?.is_some_and(|meta| meta.is_symlink())
-            && read_link(&src).is_ok_and(|dest| dest == stored);
+        let state = match symlink_metadata_opt(&src)? {
+            None => Stored::Missing,
+            Some(meta) if !meta.is_symlink() => Stored::Taken,
+            Some(_) if read_link(&src).is_ok_and(|dest| dest == stored) => Stored::Linked,
+            Some(_) => Stored::Taken,
+        };
 
-        if linked {
-            found.push(src);
-        } else if stored.is_dir() {
-            found.extend(linked_paths(repo, &stored)?);
+        // a linked directory is one entry; otherwise the paths inside it are
+        if state == Stored::Linked || !stored.is_dir() {
+            found.push((src, state));
+        } else {
+            found.extend(stored_paths(repo, &stored)?);
         }
     }
 
-    found.sort();
+    found.sort_by(|(a, _), (b, _)| a.cmp(b));
     Ok(found)
 }
 
+// list what the store holds for this repository, the inverse of check
+pub fn list(ctx: &Ctx, store: Option<&Path>) -> Result<()> {
+    let repo = Repo::discover(ctx, store)?;
+    let stored = stored_paths(&repo, &repo.store)?;
+
+    println!("store: {}", repo.store.display());
+
+    if stored.is_empty() {
+        println!("nothing in the store for this repository");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    for (path, state) in stored {
+        let rel = path.strip_prefix(&repo.root).unwrap_or(&path);
+        let verb = match state {
+            Stored::Linked => "linked",
+            Stored::Missing => "missing",
+            Stored::Taken => "shadowed",
+        };
+
+        println!("\t{:<11}{}", format!("{verb}:"), rel.display());
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 struct Report {
     store: PathBuf,
     named: Cell<bool>,
@@ -164,7 +231,6 @@ impl Report {
     }
 }
 
-// list untracked paths not in the store, i.e. what a sandbox can still read
 fn link_one(ctx: &Ctx, repo: &Repo, path: &Path, force: bool, report: &Report) -> Result<()> {
     let src = resolve(path)?;
     let rel = repo.relative(&src)?;
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index b374b37..a8422e3 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ fn run(ctx: &Ctx, command: cli::Commands) -> Result<ExitCode> {
                 force,
                 store,
             } => commands::link::add(ctx, &paths, force, store.root.as_deref()).map(|()| done),
+            cli::Link::List { store } => {
+                commands::link::list(ctx, store.root.as_deref()).map(|()| done)
+            }
             cli::Link::Restore { paths, all, store } => {
                 commands::link::restore(ctx, &paths, all, store.root.as_deref()).map(|()| done)
             }