diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua b/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua
index 597933b..c5cdca2 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua
@@ -464,10 +464,8 @@ function M.add_to_rtp(plugin)
   local rtp = vim.api.nvim_get_runtime_file("", true)
   local idx_dir, idx_after
 
-  local is_win = jit.os:find("Windows")
-
   for i, path in ipairs(rtp) do
-    if is_win then
+    if Util.is_win then
       path = Util.norm(path)
     end
     if path == Config.me then
diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/meta.lua b/lua/lazy/core/meta.lua
index 6978d96..4645f1b 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/meta.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/meta.lua
@@ -33,9 +33,7 @@ function M:load_pkgs()
   if not Config.options.pkg.enabled then
     return
   end
-  local have_rockspec = false
   for _, pkg in ipairs(Pkg.get()) do
-    have_rockspec = have_rockspec or pkg.source == "rockspec"
     local meta, fragment = self:add(pkg.spec)
     if meta and fragment then
       meta._.pkg = pkg
@@ -48,12 +46,6 @@ function M:load_pkgs()
       self.pkgs[pkg.dir] = fragment.id
     end
   end
-  if have_rockspec then
-    local hererocks = Pkg.hererocks()
-    if hererocks then
-      self:add(hererocks)
-    end
-  end
 end
 
 --- Remove a plugin and all its fragments.
diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua b/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
index cfc7b62..8c746a9 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
@@ -335,6 +335,20 @@ function M.load()
     lazy._.loaded = {}
   end
 
+  -- add hererocks when enabled and needed
+  if Config.options.rocks.hererocks then
+    for _, plugin in pairs(Config.spec.plugins) do
+      if plugin.build == "rockspec" then
+        Config.spec.meta:add({
+          "luarocks/hererocks",
+          build = "rockspec",
+          lazy = true,
+        })
+        break
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   local existing = Config.plugins
   Config.plugins = Config.spec.plugins
   -- copy state. This wont do anything during startup
diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/util.lua b/lua/lazy/core/util.lua
index 9a65a85..f42cf6a 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/util.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/util.lua
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ local M = {}
 
 ---@type LazyProfile[]
 M._profiles = { { name = "lazy" } }
+M.is_win = jit.os:find("Windows")
 
 ---@param data (string|{[string]:string})?
 ---@param time number?
diff --git a/lua/lazy/health.lua b/lua/lazy/health.lua
index c0a8981..3199f75 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/health.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/health.lua
@@ -8,23 +8,62 @@ local start = vim.health.start or vim.health.report_start
 local ok = vim.health.ok or vim.health.report_ok
 local warn = vim.health.warn or vim.health.report_warn
 local error = vim.health.error or vim.health.report_error
+local info = vim.health.info or vim.health.report_info
+
+---@class LazyHealth
+---@field error? fun(msg:string)
+---@field warn? fun(msg:string)
+---@field ok? fun(msg:string)
+
+---@class LazyHealthHave : LazyHealth
+---@field version? string
+---@field version_pattern? string
+---@field optional? boolean
+
+---@param cmd string|string[]
+---@param opts? LazyHealthHave
+function M.have(cmd, opts)
+  opts = vim.tbl_extend("force", {
+    error = error,
+    warn = warn,
+    ok = ok,
+    version = "--version",
+  }, opts or {})
+
+  cmd = type(cmd) == "table" and cmd or { cmd }
+  ---@cast cmd string[]
+  ---@type string?
+  local found
+  for _, c in ipairs(cmd) do
+    if vim.fn.executable(c) == 1 then
+      local version = vim.fn.system(c .. " " .. opts.version) or ""
+      version = vim.trim(vim.split(version, "\n")[1])
+      version = version:gsub("^%s*" .. vim.pesc(c) .. "%s*", "")
+      if opts.version_pattern and not version:find(opts.version_pattern, 1, true) then
+        opts.warn(("`%s` version `%s` needed, but found `%s`"):format(c, opts.version_pattern, version))
+      else
+        found = ("{%s} `%s`"):format(c, version)
+        break
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  if found then
+    opts.ok(found)
+    return true
+  else
+    (opts.optional and opts.warn or opts.error)(
+      ("{%s} %snot installed"):format(
+        table.concat(cmd, "} or {"),
+        opts.version_pattern and "version `" .. opts.version_pattern .. "` " or ""
+      )
+    )
+  end
+end
 
 function M.check()
   start("lazy.nvim")
 
-  if vim.fn.executable("git") == 1 then
-    ok("'git' installed")
-  else
-    error("'git' not installed?")
-  end
-
-  if Config.options.rocks.enabled then
-    if vim.fn.executable("luarocks") == 1 then
-      ok("'luarocks' installed")
-    else
-      error("'luarocks' not installed. Either install it or set opts.rocks.enabled = false")
-    end
-  end
+  M.have("git")
 
   local sites = vim.opt.packpath:get()
   local default_site = vim.fn.stdpath("data") .. "/site"
@@ -45,7 +84,7 @@ function M.check()
     ok("no existing packages found by other package managers")
   end
 
-  for _, name in ipairs({ "packer", "plugged", "paq" }) do
+  for _, name in ipairs({ "packer", "plugged", "paq", "pckr", "mini.deps" }) do
     for _, path in ipairs(vim.opt.rtp:get()) do
       if path:find(name, 1, true) then
         error("Found paths on the rtp from another plugin manager `" .. name .. "`")
@@ -82,6 +121,18 @@ function M.check()
       end
     end
   end
+
+  start("luarocks")
+  if Config.options.rocks.enabled then
+    if Config.options.rocks.hererocks then
+      info("checking `hererocks` installation")
+    else
+      info("checking `luarocks` installation")
+    end
+    require("lazy.pkg.rockspec").check({ error = error, warn = warn, ok = ok })
+  else
+    ok("luarocks disabled")
+  end
 end
 
 ---@param plugin LazyPlugin
diff --git a/lua/lazy/manage/task/init.lua b/lua/lazy/manage/task/init.lua
index d86ef5f..df8e792 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/manage/task/init.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/manage/task/init.lua
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ local Process = require("lazy.manage.process")
 ---@field output string
 ---@field status string
 ---@field error? string
+---@field warn? string
 ---@field private _task fun(task:LazyTask)
 ---@field private _running LazyPluginState[]
 ---@field private _started? number
@@ -74,6 +75,30 @@ function Task:start()
   self:_check()
 end
 
+---@param msg string|string[]
+---@param severity? vim.diagnostic.Severity
+function Task:notify(msg, severity)
+  local var = severity == vim.diagnostic.severity.ERROR and "error"
+    or severity == vim.diagnostic.severity.WARN and "warn"
+    or "output"
+  msg = type(msg) == "table" and table.concat(msg, "\n") or msg
+  ---@cast msg string
+  ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: no-unknown
+  self[var] = self[var] and (self[var] .. "\n" .. msg) or msg
+  self.status = msg
+  vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds("User", { pattern = "LazyRender", modeline = false })
+end
+
+---@param msg string|string[]
+function Task:notify_error(msg)
+  self:notify(msg, vim.diagnostic.severity.ERROR)
+end
+
+---@param msg string|string[]
+function Task:notify_warn(msg)
+  self:notify(msg, vim.diagnostic.severity.WARN)
+end
+
 ---@param fn async fun()
 function Task:async(fn)
   local co = coroutine.create(fn)
diff --git a/lua/lazy/manage/task/plugin.lua b/lua/lazy/manage/task/plugin.lua
index cfdf8e0..cb426ec 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/manage/task/plugin.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/manage/task/plugin.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 local Config = require("lazy.core.config")
 local Loader = require("lazy.core.loader")
+local Rocks = require("lazy.pkg.rockspec")
 local Util = require("lazy.util")
 
 ---@type table<string, LazyTaskDef>
@@ -16,52 +17,6 @@ end
 
 local B = {}
 
----@param task LazyTask
-function B.rockspec(task)
-  ---@type table<string, string>
-  local env = {}
-
-  local luarocks = "luarocks"
-  if Config.options.rocks.hererocks then
-    local is_win = jit.os:find("Windows")
-    local sep = is_win and ";" or ":"
-    local hererocks = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/hererocks/bin"
-    if is_win then
-      hererocks = hererocks:gsub("/", "\\")
-    end
-    local path = vim.split(vim.env.PATH, sep)
-    table.insert(path, 1, hererocks)
-    env = {
-      PATH = table.concat(path, sep),
-    }
-    if is_win then
-      luarocks = luarocks .. ".bat"
-    end
-    local plugin = Config.plugins.hererocks
-    -- hererocks is still building, so skip for now
-    if plugin and plugin._.build then
-      return
-    end
-  end
-
-  local root = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/" .. task.plugin.name
-  task:spawn(luarocks, {
-    args = {
-      "--tree",
-      root,
-      "--server",
-      Config.options.rocks.server,
-      "--dev",
-      "--lua-version",
-      "5.1",
-      "make",
-      "--force-fast",
-    },
-    cwd = task.plugin.dir,
-    env = env,
-  })
-end
-
 ---@param task LazyTask
 ---@param build string
 function B.cmd(task, build)
@@ -114,7 +69,7 @@ M.build = {
             build(self.plugin)
           end)
         elseif build == "rockspec" then
-          B.rockspec(self)
+          Rocks.build(self)
         elseif build:sub(1, 1) == ":" then
           B.cmd(self, build)
         elseif build:match("%.lua$") then
diff --git a/lua/lazy/pkg/init.lua b/lua/lazy/pkg/init.lua
index 3a7dd4c..b9620ca 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/pkg/init.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/pkg/init.lua
@@ -112,32 +112,6 @@ local function _load()
   Util.track()
 end
 
----@return LazyPluginSpec?, string?
-function M.hererocks()
-  if not (Config.options.rocks.enabled and Config.options.rocks.hererocks) then
-    return
-  end
-
-  local root = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/hererocks"
-
-  local cmd = {
-    "python",
-    "hererocks.py",
-    "--verbose",
-    "-l",
-    "5.1",
-    "-r",
-    "latest",
-    root,
-  }
-
-  return {
-    "luarocks/hererocks",
-    lazy = true,
-    build = table.concat(cmd, " "),
-  }, root
-end
-
 ---@param dir string
 ---@return LazyPkg?
 ---@overload fun():LazyPkg[]
diff --git a/lua/lazy/pkg/rockspec.lua b/lua/lazy/pkg/rockspec.lua
index 0eba34c..abbd0ba 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/pkg/rockspec.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/pkg/rockspec.lua
@@ -1,31 +1,8 @@
 --# selene:allow(incorrect_standard_library_use)
 local Config = require("lazy.core.config")
+local Health = require("lazy.health")
 local Util = require("lazy.util")
 
-local M = {}
-
-M.dev_suffix = "-1.rockspec"
-M.skip = { "lua" }
-
-M.rewrites = {
-  ["plenary.nvim"] = { "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim", lazy = true },
-}
-
----@param plugin LazyPlugin
-function M.deps(plugin)
-  local root = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/" .. plugin.name
-  local manifest_file = root .. "/lib/luarocks/rocks-5.1/manifest"
-  local manifest = {}
-  pcall(function()
-    local load, err = loadfile(manifest_file, "t", manifest)
-    if not load then
-      error(err)
-    end
-    load()
-  end)
-  return vim.tbl_keys(manifest.repository or {})
-end
-
 ---@class RockSpec
 ---@field rockspec_format string
 ---@field package string
@@ -33,6 +10,190 @@ end
 ---@field dependencies string[]
 ---@field build? {build_type?: string, modules?: any[]}
 
+---@class RockManifest
+---@field repository table<string, any>
+
+local M = {}
+
+M.dev_suffix = "-1.rockspec"
+M.skip = { "lua" }
+M.rewrites = {
+  ["plenary.nvim"] = { "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim", lazy = true },
+}
+M.python = { "python3", "python" }
+
+---@class HereRocks
+M.hererocks = {}
+
+---@param task LazyTask
+function M.hererocks.build(task)
+  local root = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/hererocks"
+
+  ---@param p string
+  local python = vim.tbl_filter(function(p)
+    return vim.fn.executable(p) == 1
+  end, M.python)[1]
+
+  task:spawn(python, {
+    args = {
+      "hererocks.py",
+      "--verbose",
+      "-l",
+      "5.1",
+      "-r",
+      "latest",
+      root,
+    },
+    cwd = task.plugin.dir,
+  })
+end
+
+---@param bin string
+function M.hererocks.bin(bin)
+  local hererocks = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/hererocks/bin"
+  if Util.is_win then
+    bin = bin .. ".bat"
+  end
+  return Util.norm(hererocks .. "/" .. bin)
+end
+
+-- check if hererocks is building
+---@return boolean?
+function M.hererocks.building()
+  return vim.tbl_get(Config.plugins.hererocks or {}, "_", "build")
+end
+
+---@param opts? LazyHealth
+function M.check(opts)
+  opts = vim.tbl_extend("force", {
+    error = Util.error,
+    warn = Util.warn,
+    ok = function() end,
+  }, opts or {})
+
+  local ok = false
+  if Config.options.rocks.hererocks then
+    if M.hererocks.building() then
+      ok = true
+    else
+      ok = Health.have(M.python, opts)
+      ok = Health.have(M.hererocks.bin("luarocks")) and ok
+      ok = Health.have(
+        M.hererocks.bin("lua"),
+        vim.tbl_extend("force", opts, {
+          version = "-v",
+          version_pattern = "5.1",
+        })
+      ) and ok
+    end
+  else
+    ok = Health.have("luarocks", opts)
+    ok = (
+      Health.have(
+        { "lua5.1", "lua" },
+        vim.tbl_extend("force", opts, {
+          version = "-v",
+          version_pattern = "5.1",
+        })
+      )
+    ) and ok
+  end
+  return ok
+end
+
+---@param task LazyTask
+function M.build(task)
+  if
+    not M.check({
+      error = function(msg)
+        task:notify_error(msg:gsub("[{}]", "`"))
+      end,
+      warn = function(msg)
+        task:notify_warn(msg)
+      end,
+      ok = function(msg) end,
+    })
+  then
+    task:notify_warn({
+      "",
+      "This plugin requires `luarocks`. Try one of the following:",
+      " - fix your `luarocks` installation",
+      Config.options.rocks.hererocks and " - disable *hererocks* with `opts.rocks.hererocks = false`"
+        or " - enable `hererocks` with `opts.rocks.hererocks = true`",
+      " - disable `luarocks` support completely with `opts.rocks.enabled = false`",
+    })
+    return
+  end
+
+  if task.plugin.name == "hererocks" then
+    return M.hererocks.build(task)
+  end
+
+  local env = {}
+  local luarocks = "luarocks"
+  if Config.options.rocks.hererocks then
+    -- hererocks is still building, so skip for now
+    -- a new build will happen in the next round
+    if M.hererocks.building() then
+      return
+    end
+
+    local sep = Util.is_win and ";" or ":"
+    local hererocks = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/hererocks/bin"
+    if Util.is_win then
+      hererocks = hererocks:gsub("/", "\\")
+    end
+    local path = vim.split(vim.env.PATH, sep)
+    table.insert(path, 1, hererocks)
+    env = {
+      PATH = table.concat(path, sep),
+    }
+    if Util.is_win then
+      luarocks = luarocks .. ".bat"
+    end
+  end
+
+  local root = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/" .. task.plugin.name
+  task:spawn(luarocks, {
+    args = {
+      "--tree",
+      root,
+      "--server",
+      Config.options.rocks.server,
+      "--dev",
+      "--lua-version",
+      "5.1",
+      "make",
+      "--force-fast",
+    },
+    cwd = task.plugin.dir,
+    env = env,
+  })
+end
+
+---@param file string
+---@return table?
+function M.parse(file)
+  local ret = {}
+  return pcall(function()
+    loadfile(file, "t", ret)()
+  end) and ret or nil
+end
+
+---@param plugin LazyPlugin
+function M.deps(plugin)
+  local root = Config.options.rocks.root .. "/" .. plugin.name
+  ---@type RockManifest?
+  local manifest = M.parse(root .. "/lib/luarocks/rocks-5.1/manifest")
+  return manifest and vim.tbl_keys(manifest.repository or {})
+end
+
+---@param file string
+---@return RockSpec?
+function M.rockspec(file)
+  return M.parse(file)
+end
+
 ---@param plugin LazyPlugin
 ---@return LazyPkgSpec?
 function M.get(plugin)
@@ -56,14 +217,7 @@ function M.get(plugin)
     return
   end
 
-  ---@type RockSpec?
-  ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: missing-fields
-  local rockspec = {}
-  local load, err = loadfile(rockspec_file, "t", rockspec)
-  if not load then
-    error(err)
-  end
-  load()
+  local rockspec = M.rockspec(rockspec_file)
 
   if not rockspec then
     return
diff --git a/lua/lazy/view/colors.lua b/lua/lazy/view/colors.lua
index 83269f9..e55c56b 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/view/colors.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/view/colors.lua
@@ -31,18 +31,20 @@ M.colors = {
   ButtonActive = "Visual",
   TaskOutput = "MsgArea", -- task output
   TaskError = "ErrorMsg", -- task errors
+  TaskWarning = "WarningMsg", -- task errors
   Dir = "@markup.link", -- directory
   Url = "@markup.link", -- url
+  Bold = { bold = true },
+  Italic = { italic = true },
 }
 
 M.did_setup = false
 
 function M.set_hl()
   for hl_group, link in pairs(M.colors) do
-    vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, "Lazy" .. hl_group, {
-      link = link,
-      default = true,
-    })
+    local hl = type(link) == "table" and link or { link = link }
+    hl.default = true
+    vim.api.nvim_set_hl(0, "Lazy" .. hl_group, hl)
   end
 end
 
@@ -54,6 +56,11 @@ function M.setup()
   M.did_setup = true
 
   M.set_hl()
+  vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("VimEnter", {
+    callback = function()
+      M.set_hl()
+    end,
+  })
   vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd("ColorScheme", {
     callback = function()
       M.set_hl()
diff --git a/lua/lazy/view/render.lua b/lua/lazy/view/render.lua
index 7d91dd8..61faca1 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/view/render.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/view/render.lua
@@ -394,6 +394,11 @@ function M:diagnostics(plugin)
         message = task.name .. " failed",
         severity = vim.diagnostic.severity.ERROR,
       })
+    elseif task.warn then
+      self:diagnostic({
+        message = task.name .. " warning",
+        severity = vim.diagnostic.severity.WARN,
+      })
     end
   end
 end
@@ -434,6 +439,22 @@ function M:plugin(plugin)
     { name = plugin.name, from = plugin_start, to = self:row() - 1, kind = plugin._.kind }
 end
 
+---@param str string
+---@param hl? string|Extmark
+---@param opts? {indent?: number, prefix?: string, wrap?: boolean}
+function M:markdown(str, hl, opts)
+  local lines = vim.split(str, "\n")
+  for _, line in ipairs(lines) do
+    self:append(line, hl, opts):highlight({
+      ["`.-`"] = "@markup.raw.markdown_inline",
+      ["%*.-%*"] = "LazyItalic",
+      ["%*%*.-%*%*"] = "LazyBold",
+      ["^%s*-"] = "Special",
+    })
+    self:nl()
+  end
+end
+
 ---@param plugin LazyPlugin
 function M:tasks(plugin)
   for _, task in ipairs(plugin._.tasks or {}) do
@@ -443,13 +464,16 @@ function M:tasks(plugin)
       self:nl()
     end
     if task.error then
-      self:append(vim.trim(task.error), "LazyTaskError", { indent = 6 })
-      self:nl()
-    elseif task.name == "log" then
+      self:markdown(task.error, "LazyTaskError", { indent = 6 })
+    end
+    if task.warn then
+      self:markdown(task.warn, "LazyTaskWarning", { indent = 6 })
+    end
+    if not task.error and not task.warn and task.name == "log" then
       self:log(task)
-    elseif self.view:is_selected(plugin) and task.output ~= "" and task.output ~= task.error then
-      self:append(vim.trim(task.output), "LazyTaskOutput", { indent = 6 })
-      self:nl()
+    end
+    if self.view:is_selected(plugin) or (task.error or task.warn) then
+      self:markdown(vim.trim(task.output), "LazyTaskOutput", { indent = 6 })
     end
   end
 end
@@ -512,7 +536,7 @@ function M:details(plugin)
     end
   end
   local rocks = require("lazy.pkg.rockspec").deps(plugin)
-  if not vim.tbl_isempty(rocks) then
+  if rocks then
     table.insert(props, { "rocks", vim.inspect(rocks) })
   end