diff --git a/dr.botzo.py b/dr.botzo.py
index cdf0c74..37c8320 100755
--- a/dr.botzo.py
+++ b/dr.botzo.py
@@ -131,14 +131,14 @@ def sub_change_nick(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_un
         connection.privmsg(replypath, 'changed nickname')
 
 #####
-# sub_add_countdown
+# sub_countdown
 # add a countdown item to the bot
 #####
 
-def sub_add_countdown(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked):
+def sub_countdown(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked):
     whats = what.split(' ')
-    if whats[0] == 'countdown' and len(whats) >= 4:
-        if whats[1] == 'add':
+    if whats[0] == 'countdown' and len(whats) >= 2:
+        if whats[1] == 'add' and len(whats) >= 4:
             item = whats[2]
             target = parse(' '.join(whats[3:]), default=datetime.now().replace(tzinfo=tzlocal()))
             if not config.has_section('countdown'):
@@ -146,6 +146,25 @@ def sub_add_countdown(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_
 
             config.set('countdown', item, target.astimezone(tzutc()).isoformat())
             connection.privmsg(replypath, 'added countdown item')
+        else:
+            try:
+                time = parse(config.get('countdown', whats[1]))
+                rdelta = relativedelta(time, datetime.now().replace(tzinfo=tzlocal()))
+                relstr = whats[1] + ' will occur in '
+                if rdelta.years != 0:
+                    relstr += str(rdelta.years) + ' years '
+                if rdelta.months != 0:
+                    relstr += str(rdelta.months) + ' months '
+                if rdelta.days != 0:
+                    relstr += str(rdelta.days) + ' days '
+                if rdelta.hours != 0:
+                    relstr += str(rdelta.hours) + ' hours '
+                if rdelta.minutes != 0:
+                    relstr += str(rdelta.minutes) + ' minutes '
+                if rdelta.seconds != 0:
+                    relstr += str(rdelta.seconds) + ' seconds'
+                connection.privmsg(replypath, relstr)
+            except NoOptionError: pass
 
 #####
 # on_connect
@@ -195,7 +214,7 @@ def on_privmsg(connection, event):
 
     # standard commands
     sub_report_seen(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked)
-    sub_add_countdown(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked)
+    sub_countdown(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked)
 
 #####
 # on_pubmsg
@@ -236,7 +255,7 @@ def on_pubmsg(connection, event):
 
     # standard commands
     sub_report_seen(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked)
-    sub_add_countdown(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked)
+    sub_countdown(connection, event, nick, userhost, replypath, what, admin_unlocked)
 
 #####
 # init