diff --git a/tools/run_tests/jobset.py b/tools/run_tests/jobset.py
index d3a46b63e14ee705c82dbc8d284bb49a97cf582c..7e1ec366f96edea0f6c2cb1dc13cf387db5de576 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/jobset.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/jobset.py
@@ -39,6 +39,36 @@ _RUNNING = object()
 _KILLED = object()
 
 
+_COLORS = {
+    'red': 31,
+    'green': 32,
+    'yellow': 33,
+    }
+
+
+_BEGINNING_OF_LINE = '\x1b[0G'
+_CLEAR_LINE = '\x1b[2K'
+
+
+_TAG_COLOR = {
+    'FAILED': 'red',
+    'PASSED': 'green',
+    'START': 'yellow',
+    'WAITING': 'yellow',
+    }
+
+
+def message(tag, message, explanatory_text=None):
+  sys.stdout.write('%s%s\x1b[%dm%s\x1b[0m: %s%s' % (
+      _BEGINNING_OF_LINE,
+      _CLEAR_LINE,
+      _COLORS[_TAG_COLOR[tag]],
+      tag,
+      message,
+      '\n%s\n' % explanatory_text if explanatory_text is not None else ''))
+  sys.stdout.flush()
+
+
 class Job(object):
   """Manages one job."""
 
@@ -49,9 +79,7 @@ class Job(object):
                                      stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
                                      stdout=self._tempfile)
     self._state = _RUNNING
-    sys.stdout.write('\x1b[0G\x1b[2K\x1b[33mSTART\x1b[0m: %s' %
-                     self._cmdline)
-    sys.stdout.flush()
+    message('START', self._cmdline)
 
   def state(self):
     """Poll current state of the job. Prints messages at completion."""
@@ -60,16 +88,10 @@ class Job(object):
         self._state = _FAILURE
         self._tempfile.seek(0)
         stdout = self._tempfile.read()
-        sys.stdout.write('\x1b[0G\x1b[2K\x1b[31mFAILED\x1b[0m: %s'
-                         ' [ret=%d]\n'
-                         '%s\n' % (
-                             self._cmdline, self._process.returncode, stdout))
-        sys.stdout.flush()
+        message('FAILED', '%s [ret=%d]' % (self._cmdline, self._process.returncode), stdout)
       else:
         self._state = _SUCCESS
-        sys.stdout.write('\x1b[0G\x1b[2K\x1b[32mPASSED\x1b[0m: %s' %
-                         self._cmdline)
-        sys.stdout.flush()
+        message('PASSED', '%s' % self._cmdline)
     return self._state
 
   def kill(self):
@@ -107,7 +129,8 @@ class Jobset(object):
         dead.add(job)
       for job in dead:
         self._running.remove(job)
-      if not dead: return
+      if dead: return
+      message('WAITING', '%d jobs left' % len(self._running))
       time.sleep(0.1)
 
   def cancelled(self):