diff --git a/cli/app/check.go b/cli/app/check.go
index d950fd9f..c802d052 100644
--- a/cli/app/check.go
+++ b/cli/app/check.go
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ package app
 import (
 	"os"
 	"path"
-	"strings"
+	"sort"
 
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/cli/internal"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/autocomplete"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/config"
+	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/formatter"
 	"coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/recipe"
 	recipePkg "coopcloud.tech/abra/pkg/recipe"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -15,9 +16,21 @@ import (
 )
 
 var appCheckCommand = cli.Command{
-	Name:      "check",
-	Aliases:   []string{"chk"},
-	Usage:     "Check if an app is configured correctly",
+	Name:    "check",
+	Aliases: []string{"chk"},
+	Usage:   "Ensure an app is well configured",
+	Description: `
+This command compares env vars in both the app ".env" and recipe ".env.sample"
+file.
+
+The goal is to ensure that recipe ".env.sample" env vars are defined in your
+app ".env" file. Only env var definitions in the ".env.sample" which are
+uncommented, e.g. "FOO=bar" are checked. If an app ".env" file does not include
+these env vars, then "check" will complain.
+
+Recipe maintainers may or may not provide defaults for env vars within their
+recipes regardless of commenting or not (e.g. through the use of
+${FOO:<default>} syntax). "check" does not confirm or deny this for you.`,
 	ArgsUsage: "<domain>",
 	Flags: []cli.Flag{
 		internal.DebugFlag,
@@ -62,19 +75,25 @@ var appCheckCommand = cli.Command{
 			logrus.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		var missing []string
-		for k := range envSample {
-			if _, ok := app.Env[k]; !ok {
-				missing = append(missing, k)
+		var keys []string
+		for key := range envSample {
+			keys = append(keys, key)
+		}
+
+		sort.Strings(keys)
+
+		tableCol := []string{"recipe env sample", "app env"}
+		table := formatter.CreateTable(tableCol)
+
+		for _, key := range keys {
+			if _, ok := app.Env[key]; ok {
+				table.Append([]string{key, "✅"})
+			} else {
+				table.Append([]string{key, "❌"})
 			}
 		}
 
-		if len(missing) > 0 {
-			missingEnvVars := strings.Join(missing, ", ")
-			logrus.Fatalf("%s is missing %s", app.Path, missingEnvVars)
-		}
-
-		logrus.Infof("all necessary environment variables defined for %s", app.Name)
+		table.Render()
 
 		return nil
 	},