diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index cbc439ba4..9dd0b1529 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+Version 17.12.5
+---------------
+    * Add a stat for number of BUILD files currently parsing (#3290)
+
 Version 17.12.4
 ---------------
     * Reverted back to arcat v1.0.2 while we work out behavioural issues
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index e14324392..a93455c71 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-17.12.4
+17.12.5
diff --git a/src/core/state.go b/src/core/state.go
index f98cce26c..da61ef2a2 100644
--- a/src/core/state.go
+++ b/src/core/state.go
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ type stateProgress struct {
 	numActive  int64
 	numPending int64
 	numDone    int64
+	numParses  atomic.Int64
 	mutex      sync.Mutex
 	closeOnce  sync.Once
 	resultOnce sync.Once
@@ -370,6 +371,11 @@ func (state *BuildState) AddPendingTest(target *BuildTarget) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Parses returns the number of current parse tasks
+func (state *BuildState) Parses() *atomic.Int64 {
+	return &state.progress.numParses
+}
+
 func (state *BuildState) addPendingTest(target *BuildTarget, numRuns int) {
 	atomic.AddInt64(&state.progress.numPending, int64(numRuns))
 	go func() {
diff --git a/src/output/interactive_display.go b/src/output/interactive_display.go
index c642238b3..503fcdd23 100644
--- a/src/output/interactive_display.go
+++ b/src/output/interactive_display.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ type plainDisplay struct {
 
 func (d *plainDisplay) Update(targets []buildingTarget) {
 	localbusy, remotebusy := countActive(targets)
-	log.Notice("Build running for %s, %d / %d tasks done, %s busy", time.Since(d.state.StartTime).Round(time.Second), d.state.NumDone(), d.state.NumActive(), pluralise(localbusy+remotebusy, "worker", "workers"))
+	log.Notice("Build running for %s, %d / %d tasks done, %s busy, parsing %d BUILD files", time.Since(d.state.StartTime).Round(time.Second), d.state.NumDone(), d.state.NumActive(), pluralise(localbusy+remotebusy, "worker", "workers"), d.state.Parses().Load())
 }
 
 func countActive(targets []buildingTarget) (local int, remote int) {
diff --git a/src/plz/plz.go b/src/plz/plz.go
index fac5e036f..0eba00951 100644
--- a/src/plz/plz.go
+++ b/src/plz/plz.go
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ func Run(targets, preTargets []core.BuildLabel, state *core.BuildState, config *
 	go func() {
 		for task := range parses {
 			go func(task core.ParseTask) {
+				state.Parses().Add(1)
 				parse.Parse(state, task.Label, task.Dependent, task.Mode)
+				state.Parses().Add(-1)
 				state.TaskDone()
 			}(task)
 		}