diff --git a/include/Thresholds.hpp b/include/Thresholds.hpp
index 4a07ca2..3f9aa79 100644
--- a/include/Thresholds.hpp
+++ b/include/Thresholds.hpp
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@
                       const thresholds::Threshold &threshold,
                       std::shared_ptr<sdbusplus::asio::connection> &conn);
 
-void checkThresholds(Sensor *sensor);
+// returns false if a critical threshold has been crossed, true otherwise
+bool checkThresholds(Sensor *sensor);
 void assertThresholds(Sensor *sensor, thresholds::Level level,
                       thresholds::Direction direction, bool assert);
 } // namespace thresholds