diff --git a/include/scratchpad.h b/include/scratchpad.h
index 241653c0d..b24ffc080 100644
--- a/include/scratchpad.h
+++ b/include/scratchpad.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ void scratchpad_move(Con *con);
  * can press the same key to quickly look something up).
  *
  */
-void scratchpad_show(Con *con);
+bool scratchpad_show(Con *con);
 
 /**
  * When starting i3 initially (and after each change to the connected outputs),
diff --git a/src/commands.c b/src/commands.c
index d6733a30f..4c03ba32a 100644
--- a/src/commands.c
+++ b/src/commands.c
@@ -1825,19 +1825,20 @@ void cmd_move_scratchpad(I3_CMD) {
 void cmd_scratchpad_show(I3_CMD) {
     DLOG("should show scratchpad window\n");
     owindow *current;
+    bool result = false;
 
     if (match_is_empty(current_match)) {
-        scratchpad_show(NULL);
+        result = scratchpad_show(NULL);
     } else {
         TAILQ_FOREACH(current, &owindows, owindows) {
             DLOG("matching: %p / %s\n", current->con, current->con->name);
-            scratchpad_show(current->con);
+            result |= scratchpad_show(current->con);
         }
     }
 
     cmd_output->needs_tree_render = true;
-    // XXX: default reply for now, make this a better reply
-    ysuccess(true);
+
+    ysuccess(result);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/scratchpad.c b/src/scratchpad.c
index 95154014c..2774396f0 100644
--- a/src/scratchpad.c
+++ b/src/scratchpad.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ void scratchpad_move(Con *con) {
  * can press the same key to quickly look something up).
  *
  */
-void scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
+bool scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
     DLOG("should show scratchpad window %p\n", con);
     Con *__i3_scratch = workspace_get("__i3_scratch", NULL);
     Con *floating;
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
         floating->scratchpad_state != SCRATCHPAD_NONE) {
         DLOG("Focused window is a scratchpad window, hiding it.\n");
         scratchpad_move(focused);
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     /* If the current con or any of its parents are in fullscreen mode, we
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ void scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
                  * window inside this scratch container in order to
                  * keep the focus the same within this container */
             con_activate(con_descend_tiling_focused(walk_con));
-            return;
+            return true;
         }
     }
 
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ void scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
             DLOG("Found a visible scratchpad window on another workspace,\n");
             DLOG("moving it to this workspace: con = %p\n", walk_con);
             con_move_to_workspace(walk_con, focused_ws, true, false, false);
-            return;
+            return true;
         }
     }
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ void scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
      * is actually in the scratchpad */
     if (con && con->parent->scratchpad_state == SCRATCHPAD_NONE) {
         DLOG("Window is not in the scratchpad, doing nothing.\n");
-        return;
+        return false;
     }
 
     /* If this was 'scratchpad show' with criteria, we check if it matches a
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ void scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
         if (current == active) {
             DLOG("Window is a scratchpad window, hiding it.\n");
             scratchpad_move(con);
-            return;
+            return true;
         }
     }
 
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ void scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
         if (!con) {
             LOG("You don't have any scratchpad windows yet.\n");
             LOG("Use 'move scratchpad' to move a window to the scratchpad.\n");
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
     } else {
         /* We used a criterion, so we need to do what follows (moving,
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ void scratchpad_show(Con *con) {
     }
 
     con_activate(con_descend_focused(con));
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/testcases/t/185-scratchpad.t b/testcases/t/185-scratchpad.t
index 147890e1f..efb5d002c 100644
--- a/testcases/t/185-scratchpad.t
+++ b/testcases/t/185-scratchpad.t
@@ -471,4 +471,50 @@ is(scalar @$nodes, 0, 'no window on current ws anymore');
 
 is($scratch_nodes[0]->{scratchpad_state}, 'changed', 'scratchpad_state changed');
 
+################################################################################
+# 15: Verify that 'scratchpad show' returns correct info.
+################################################################################
+
+kill_all_windows;
+
+my $result = cmd 'scratchpad show';
+is($result->[0]->{success}, 0, 'no scratchpad window and call to scratchpad failed');
+
+open_window;
+cmd 'move scratchpad';
+$result = cmd 'scratchpad show';
+is($result->[0]->{success}, 1, 'call to scratchpad succeeded');
+$result = cmd 'scratchpad show';
+is($result->[0]->{success}, 1, 'call to scratchpad succeeded');
+
+kill_all_windows;
+$result = cmd 'scratchpad show';
+is($result->[0]->{success}, 0, 'call to scratchpad failed');
+
+################################################################################
+# 16: Verify that 'scratchpad show' with the criteria returns correct info.
+################################################################################
+
+open_window(name => "scratch-match");
+cmd 'move scratchpad';
+
+$result = cmd '[title="scratch-match"] scratchpad show';
+is($result->[0]->{success}, 1, 'call to scratchpad with the criteria succeeded');
+
+$result = cmd '[title="nomatch"] scratchpad show';
+is($result->[0]->{success}, 0, 'call to scratchpad with non-matching criteria failed');
+
+################################################################################
+# 17: Open a scratchpad window on a workspace, switch to another workspace and
+# call 'scratchpad show' again. Verify that it returns correct info.
+################################################################################
+
+fresh_workspace;
+open_window;
+cmd 'move scratchpad';
+
+fresh_workspace;
+$result = cmd 'scratchpad show';
+is($result->[0]->{success}, 1, 'call to scratchpad in another workspace succeeded');
+
 done_testing;