diff --git a/amonit/check/matrix.py b/amonit/check/matrix.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..289f6149aaf2f1425ef67f24ce275e9e52da034a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/amonit/check/matrix.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import os
+import json
+
+from amonit import util
+from matrix_client import client as matrix_client
+from matrix_client import room as matrix_room
+
+
+def send_then_receive(context, account_from, account_to, roomid):
+    """ Send a message using Matrix, then check that it is received.
+    This is useful either on a single server or across homeservers to
+    check that federation work properly.
+
+    The canary is first sent, then looked for in the next execution.
+    """
+    result = {"up": False, "message": ""}
+    if "canary" in context:
+        canary = context["canary"]
+        try:
+            client_from = matrix_client.MatrixHttpApi(
+                account_from["hs"], token=account_from["token"]
+            )
+            filter = json.dumps(
+                {"room":{"rooms":[roomid]}})
+            if "next_batch" in context:
+                since = context["next_batch"]
+                sync = client_from.sync(since=since, filter=filter)
+            else:
+                sync = client_from.sync(filter=filter)
+            result["next_batch"] = sync["next_batch"]
+            events = sync["rooms"]["join"][roomid]["timeline"]["events"]
+            for event in events:
+                if event["content"].get("body", "") == canary:
+                    result["up"] = True
+        except Exception as error:
+            result = {"up": False, "message": str(error)}
+    # Then drop a new canary
+    canary = os.urandom(8).hex()
+    client_to = matrix_client.MatrixHttpApi(
+        account_to["hs"], token=account_to["token"]
+    )
+    client_to.send_message(roomid, canary)
+    result["canary"] = canary
+    return result
+