diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e7b8cb9..3be277f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ The following environment settings can be used to troubleshoot unexpected behavi
 * `XDEBUG_HANDLER_DEBUG=2` As above, but additionally saves the temporary ini file and reports its location in a status message.
 
 ### Extending the library
-The API is defined by classes and their accessible elements that are not annotated as @internal. The main class has two protected methods that can be overridden to provide additional functionality:
+The API is defined by classes and their accessible elements that are not annotated as @internal. The main class has four protected methods, two of which can be overridden to provide additional functionality:
 
 #### _requiresRestart(bool $default): bool_
 By default the process will restart if Xdebug is loaded and not running with `xdebug.mode=off`. Extending this method allows an application to decide, by returning a boolean (or equivalent) value.
@@ -272,6 +272,16 @@ Remember to finish with `parent::restart($command)`.
 
 ---
 
+#### _outputError(string $message): void_
+Outputs an error status message. This will be logged at WARNING level and output to STDERR. See [setLogger](#setloggerloggerinterface-logger-self) and  [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) for more information.
+
+---
+
+#### _outputInfo(string $message): void_
+Output an informational status message. This will be logged at DEBUG level and output to STDERR. See [setLogger](#setloggerloggerinterface-logger-self) and  [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) for more information.
+
+---
+
 #### Example
 This example demonstrates two ways to extend basic functionality:
 
@@ -296,6 +306,11 @@ class MyRestarter extends XdebugHandler
 
         $this->required = (bool) ini_get('phar.readonly');
 
+        if ($this->required) {
+            // Output a status message
+            $this->outputInfo('phar.readonly=1 detected, restart required');
+        }
+
         return $this->required || $default;
     }
 
@@ -306,6 +321,9 @@ class MyRestarter extends XdebugHandler
             $content = file_get_contents($this->tmpIni);
             $content .= 'phar.readonly=0'.PHP_EOL;
             file_put_contents($this->tmpIni, $content);
+
+            // Output a status message
+            $this->outputInfo('phar.readonly=0 added to temporary ini file');
         }
 
         parent::restart($command);
diff --git a/src/Status.php b/src/Status.php
index ef64a7c..8673813 100644
--- a/src/Status.php
+++ b/src/Status.php
@@ -83,13 +83,18 @@ public function setLogger(LoggerInterface $logger): void
     }
 
     /**
-     * Checking status messages
+     * Using and Checking status messages
      */
-    public function reportCheck(): void
+    public function reportCheck(string $class): void
     {
-        if ($this->active) {
-            $this->output('Checking '.$this->envAllowXdebug);
+        if (!$this->active) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if ($class !== XdebugHandler::class) {
+            $this->output(sprintf('Using extending class (%s)', $class));
         }
+        $this->output('Checking '.$this->envAllowXdebug);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/XdebugHandler.php b/src/XdebugHandler.php
index 6d13dfd..f7d6e0d 100644
--- a/src/XdebugHandler.php
+++ b/src/XdebugHandler.php
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ public function setPersistent(): self
      */
     public function check(): void
     {
-        $this->statusWriter->reportCheck();
+        $this->statusWriter->reportCheck(get_class($this));
         $envArgs = explode('|', (string) getenv($this->envAllowXdebug));
 
         if (!((bool) $envArgs[0]) && $this->requiresRestart(self::$xdebugActive)) {
@@ -260,6 +260,28 @@ public static function isXdebugActive(): bool
         return self::$xdebugActive;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Allows an extending class to output an error status message
+     *
+     * This will be logged at WARNING level if a logger has been set and output
+     * to STDERR if XDEBUG_HANDLER_DEBUG=1.
+     */
+    protected function outputError(string $message): void
+    {
+        $this->statusWriter->error(trim($message));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Allows an extending class to output an informational status message
+     *
+     * This will be logged at DEBUG level if a logger has been set and output to
+     * STDERR if XDEBUG_HANDLER_DEBUG=1.
+     */
+    protected function outputInfo(string $message): void
+    {
+        $this->statusWriter->info(trim($message));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Allows an extending class to decide if there should be a restart
      *
diff --git a/tests/App/Framework/MessageProvider.php b/tests/App/Framework/MessageProvider.php
index f7b7beb..ab50876 100644
--- a/tests/App/Framework/MessageProvider.php
+++ b/tests/App/Framework/MessageProvider.php
@@ -15,10 +15,13 @@
 
 class MessageProvider
 {
+    /** @var bool */
+    private $extended = false;
+
     /** @var array<string, string[]> */
     private $items = [];
 
-    public function __construct(string $envAllow)
+    public function __construct(string $envAllow, bool $extended)
     {
         // type: array of phrases to check for
         $this->items = [
@@ -36,18 +39,34 @@ public function __construct(string $envAllow)
             'allow-mode'    => ['No restart', $envAllow.'=', 'Allowed by xdebug.mode'],
             'error'         => ['No restart'],
         ];
+
+        if ($extended) {
+            $this->extended = true;
+            $first = ['extend' => ['Using extending class']];
+            $this->items = array_merge($first, $this->items);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
      * @param string[] $types
+     * @param array<string, string[]> $extras
      * @return array<string, string[]>
      */
-    public function compose(array $types): array
+    public function compose(array $types, ?array $extras = null): array
     {
         $result = [];
 
+        if ($this->extended && ($types[0] ?? null) === 'check') {
+            array_unshift($types, 'extend');
+        }
+
         foreach ($types as $key) {
             if (!isset($this->items[$key])) {
+                // Look for extras
+                if (isset($extras[$key]) && is_array($extras[$key])) {
+                    $result[$key] = $extras[$key];
+                    continue;
+                }
                 throw new \LogicException('Message type not found: '.$key);
             }
             $result[$key] = $this->items[$key];
diff --git a/tests/App/Helpers/FunctionalTestCase.php b/tests/App/Helpers/FunctionalTestCase.php
index 3dc5a4a..0b5acad 100644
--- a/tests/App/Helpers/FunctionalTestCase.php
+++ b/tests/App/Helpers/FunctionalTestCase.php
@@ -102,6 +102,31 @@ protected function checkExpectedMessage(ProcessLog $log, int $index, string $exp
     protected function createMessageProvider(string $script): MessageProvider
     {
         $envAllow = $this->runner->getEnvAllow($script);
-        return new MessageProvider($envAllow);
+        $extended = strpos($script, '-extend-') !== false;
+        return new MessageProvider($envAllow, $extended);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Modify the types array based on the specified operation
+     *
+     * @param string[] $types
+     */
+    protected function modifyTypes(array &$types, string $type, string $operation, string $newType): void
+    {
+        $index = array_search($type, $types, true);
+
+        if (!is_int($index)) {
+           throw new \LogicException('Type not found: '.$type);
+        }
+
+        if ($operation === 'replace') {
+            $types[$index] = $newType;
+        } elseif ($operation === 'insert-after') {
+            array_splice($types, $index + 1, 0, $newType);
+        } elseif ($operation === 'insert-before') {
+            array_splice($types, $index, 0, $newType);
+        } else {
+            throw new \LogicException('Unknown operation: '.$operation);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/App/Helpers/RestarterIni.php b/tests/App/Helpers/RestarterIni.php
index 00ca87d..61bf21e 100644
--- a/tests/App/Helpers/RestarterIni.php
+++ b/tests/App/Helpers/RestarterIni.php
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ protected function requiresRestart(bool $default): bool
     {
         $this->required = (bool) ini_get('phar.readonly');
 
+        if ($this->required) {
+            $this->outputInfo('phar.readonly=1 detected, restart required');
+        }
+
         return $default || $this->required;
 
     }
@@ -39,6 +43,7 @@ protected function restart(array $command): void
             $content = file_get_contents((string) $this->tmpIni);
             $content .= 'phar.readonly = 0'.PHP_EOL;
             file_put_contents((string) $this->tmpIni, $content);
+            $this->outputInfo('phar.readonly=0 added to temporary ini file');
         }
 
         parent::restart($command);
diff --git a/tests/AppNoXdebugTest.php b/tests/AppNoXdebugTest.php
index 843179b..0891c91 100644
--- a/tests/AppNoXdebugTest.php
+++ b/tests/AppNoXdebugTest.php
@@ -55,15 +55,20 @@ public function testForcedRestartWithNoXdebug(): void
 
         $logs = $this->runner->run($script, $options);
 
+        // use types to compose the message
         $provider = $this->createMessageProvider($script);
         [$mainTypes, $childTypes] = $provider->getRestartTypes();
+        $extras = [];
 
-        $index = array_search('loaded', $mainTypes, true);
-        if (is_int($index)) {
-            $mainTypes[$index] = 'not-loaded';
-        }
+        $this->modifyTypes($mainTypes, 'check', 'insert-after', 'info1');
+        $extras['info1'] = ['phar.readonly=1 detected, restart required'];
+
+        $this->modifyTypes($mainTypes, 'loaded', 'insert-after', 'info2');
+        $extras['info2'] = ['phar.readonly=0 added to temporary ini file'];
+
+        $this->modifyTypes($mainTypes, 'loaded', 'replace', 'not-loaded');
 
-        $main = $provider->compose($mainTypes);
+        $main = $provider->compose($mainTypes, $extras);
         $child = $provider->compose($childTypes);
         $this->checkRestart($logs, $main, $child);
 
diff --git a/tests/AppRestartTest.php b/tests/AppRestartTest.php
index 5456ac6..de53969 100644
--- a/tests/AppRestartTest.php
+++ b/tests/AppRestartTest.php
@@ -146,8 +146,19 @@ public function testRestartWithIniChange(): void
 
         $logs = $this->runner->run($script, $options);
 
+        // use types to compose the message
         $provider = $this->createMessageProvider($script);
-        [$main, $child] = $provider->getRestartMessages();
+        [$mainTypes, $childTypes] = $provider->getRestartTypes();
+        $extras = [];
+
+        $this->modifyTypes($mainTypes, 'check', 'insert-after', 'info1');
+        $extras['info1'] = ['phar.readonly=1 detected, restart required'];
+
+        $this->modifyTypes($mainTypes, 'loaded', 'insert-after', 'info2');
+        $extras['info2'] = ['phar.readonly=0 added to temporary ini file'];
+
+        $main = $provider->compose($mainTypes, $extras);
+        $child = $provider->compose($childTypes);
         $this->checkRestart($logs, $main, $child);
 
         // check child