diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5066805..d42f2af 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -264,4 +264,12 @@ This is especially useful for autocompletion. For example, adding this line to t
 
 ```
 complete -W "$(bartib projects)" bartib
+```
+
+#### Check bartib file
+
+Checks the bartib file for lines that it can not parse as activities:
+
+```
+bartib check
 ```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/controller/list.rs b/src/controller/list.rs
index 6a4ce9a..a80db79 100644
--- a/src/controller/list.rs
+++ b/src/controller/list.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,32 @@ pub fn list(file_name: &str, filter: getter::ActivityFilter, do_group_activities
     Ok(())
 }
 
+// prints all errors that occured when reading the bartib file
+pub fn check(file_name: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let file_content = bartib_file::get_file_content(file_name)?;
+
+    let number_of_errors = file_content.iter()
+        .filter(|line| line.activity.is_err())
+        .count();
+
+    if number_of_errors == 0 {
+        println!("All lines in the file have been successfully parsed as activities.");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    println!("Found {} line(s) with parsing errors", number_of_errors);
+
+    file_content.iter()
+        .filter(|line| line.activity.is_err() && line.plaintext.is_some())
+        .for_each(|line| {
+            if let Err(e) = &line.activity {
+                println!("\n{}\n  -> {} (Line: {})", line.plaintext.as_ref().unwrap(), e.to_string(), line.line_number.unwrap_or(0));
+            }
+        });
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 // lists all projects
 pub fn list_projects(file_name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     let file_content = bartib_file::get_file_content(file_name)?;
diff --git a/src/data/bartib_file.rs b/src/data/bartib_file.rs
index 6f8b503..7071955 100644
--- a/src/data/bartib_file.rs
+++ b/src/data/bartib_file.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ pub enum LineStatus {
 pub struct Line {
     // the plaintext of the line as it has been read from the file
     // we save this to be able write untouched lines back to file without chaning them
-    plaintext: String,
+    pub plaintext: Option<String>,
+    // the line number
+    pub line_number: Option<usize>,
     // the result of parsing this line to a activity
     pub activity: Result<activity::Activity, activity::ActivityError>,
     // the status of this activity
@@ -26,9 +28,10 @@ pub struct Line {
 
 impl Line {
     // creates a new line struct from plaintext
-    pub fn new(plaintext: &str) -> Line {
+    pub fn new(plaintext: &str, line_number: usize) -> Line {
         Line {
-            plaintext: plaintext.trim().to_string(),
+            plaintext: Some(plaintext.trim().to_string()),
+            line_number: Some(line_number),
             activity: activity::Activity::from_str(plaintext),
             status: LineStatus::Unchanged,
         }
@@ -37,7 +40,8 @@ impl Line {
     // creates a new line from an existing activity
     pub fn for_activity(activity: activity::Activity) -> Line {
         Line {
-            plaintext: "".to_string(),
+            plaintext: None,
+            line_number: None,
             activity: Ok(activity),
             status: LineStatus::Changed,
         }
@@ -58,7 +62,8 @@ pub fn get_file_content(file_name: &str) -> Result<Vec<Line>> {
     let lines = reader
         .lines()
         .filter_map(|line_result| line_result.ok())
-        .map(|line| Line::new(&line))
+        .enumerate()
+        .map(|(line_number, line)| Line::new(&line, line_number.saturating_add(1)))
         .collect();
 
     Ok(lines)
@@ -69,8 +74,14 @@ pub fn write_to_file(file_name: &str, file_content: &[Line]) -> Result<(), io::E
     let file_handler = get_bartib_file_writable(file_name)?;
 
     for line in file_content {
-        match line.status {
-            LineStatus::Unchanged => writeln!(&file_handler, "{}", line.plaintext)?,
+        match &line.status {
+            LineStatus::Unchanged => {
+                if let Some(plaintext) = &line.plaintext {
+                    writeln!(&file_handler, "{}", plaintext)?
+                } else {
+                    write!(&file_handler, "{}", line.activity.as_ref().unwrap())?
+                }
+            },
             LineStatus::Changed => write!(&file_handler, "{}", line.activity.as_ref().unwrap())?,
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index fca3d5e..bcffd2d 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
                         .takes_value(true),
                 ),
         )
+        .subcommand(SubCommand::with_name("check").about("checks file and reports parsing errors"))
         .get_matches();
 
     let file_name = matches.value_of("file")
@@ -284,6 +285,7 @@ fn run_subcommand(matches: &ArgMatches, file_name: &str) -> Result<()> {
             let optional_editor_command = sub_m.value_of("editor");
             bartib::controller::manipulation::start_editor(file_name, optional_editor_command)
         }
+        ("check", Some(_)) => bartib::controller::list::check(file_name),
         _ => bail!("Unknown command"),
     }
 }