diff --git a/alrmrc b/alrmrc
index 592d062..28a6c88 100644
--- a/alrmrc
+++ b/alrmrc
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ monitor group webservers
 		check ping # or the end of a line
 		check ping # checks are not named, so multiple is okay
 
-monitor host gateway address 10.11.135.100
+monitor host gateway address 10.79.37.200
+	check ping
 
-monitor host database
+# Hosts without any checks will always be successful
+monitor host database address 10.11.135.103
diff --git a/check/check_ping.go b/check/check_ping.go
index c25f5a1..85b1434 100644
--- a/check/check_ping.go
+++ b/check/check_ping.go
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 package check
 
+import (
+	"fmt"
+)
+
 type CheckPing struct {
 	Type string
 	Address string
 }
 
 func (c *CheckPing) Check() error {
+	fmt.Printf("Pinging %s .. \n", c.Address)
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/config/group.go b/config/group.go
index 7e46185..9b32648 100644
--- a/config/group.go
+++ b/config/group.go
@@ -22,3 +22,15 @@ func (ag *AlrmGroup) NewHost(name string) (*AlrmHost, error) {
 	ag.Hosts[name] = host
 	return host, nil
 }
+
+func (ag *AlrmGroup) Check() error {
+	for _, host := range ag.Hosts {
+		for _, chk := range host.Checks {
+			err := chk.Check()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 07c5e98..cabe3fb 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -44,15 +44,39 @@ func main() {
 			}
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "%s\n", string(o))
 
-		case "", "config":
+		case "check", "config", "":
 			_, err := config.ReadConfig(*cfgPath, *debuglvl)
 			if err != nil {
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s\n", err.Error())
 				os.Exit(1)
 			}
-
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "Config is OK.\n")
-			os.Exit(0)
+
+		case "test":
+			cfg, err := config.ReadConfig(*cfgPath, *debuglvl)
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s\n", err.Error())
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+
+			tn := flag.Arg(1)
+			if tn == "" {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "test requires a host or group\n")
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+
+			group, exists := cfg.Groups[tn]
+			if !exists {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "group or host is not defined\n")
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+
+			err = group.Check()
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Check failed: %s\n", err.Error())
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "Check successful\n")
 
 		default:
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Unknown command: %s\n", command)