diff --git a/infinitepush/__init__.py b/infinitepush/__init__.py
--- a/infinitepush/__init__.py
+++ b/infinitepush/__init__.py
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@
 
 cmdtable = infinitepushcommands.cmdtable
 revsetpredicate = backupcommands.revsetpredicate
+templatekeyword = backupcommands.templatekeyword
 _scratchbranchmatcher = lambda x: False
 _maybehash = re.compile(r'^[a-f0-9]+$').search
 
diff --git a/infinitepush/backupcommands.py b/infinitepush/backupcommands.py
--- a/infinitepush/backupcommands.py
+++ b/infinitepush/backupcommands.py
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
 cmdtable = {}
 command = registrar.command(cmdtable)
 revsetpredicate = registrar.revsetpredicate()
+templatekeyword = registrar.templatekeyword()
 
 backupbookmarktuple = namedtuple('backupbookmarktuple',
                                  ['hostname', 'reporoot', 'localbookmark'])
@@ -337,6 +338,13 @@
                     candidates.update([p.hex() for p in ctx.parents()])
     return subset & notbackeduprevs
 
+@templatekeyword('backingup')
+def backingup(repo, ctx, **args):
+    """Whether infinitepush is currently backing up commits."""
+    # If the backup lock exists then a backup should be in progress.
+    srcrepo = shareutil.getsrcrepo(repo)
+    return srcrepo.vfs.lexists(_backuplockname)
+
 def smartlogsummary(ui, repo):
     if not ui.configbool('infinitepushbackup', 'enablestatus'):
         return
diff --git a/tests/test-infinitepush-backup-status.t b/tests/test-infinitepush-backup-status.t
--- a/tests/test-infinitepush-backup-status.t
+++ b/tests/test-infinitepush-backup-status.t
@@ -180,3 +180,12 @@
   5 Backup pending changeset
   6 Not backed up changeset 2
   7 Not backed up changeset 3
+
+Test template keyword for when a backup is in progress
+  $ hg log -T '{if(backingup,"Yes","No")}\n' -r .
+  No
+  $ echo fakelock > .hg/infinitepushbackup.lock
+  $ hg log -T '{if(backingup,"Yes","No")}\n' -r .
+  Yes
+  $ rm -f .hg/infinitepushbackup.lock
+