diff --git a/tests/test_start_script_option_audit.py b/tests/test_start_script_option_audit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f89f861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_start_script_option_audit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import sys
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+
+sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "tools"))
+
+from start_script_option_audit import build
+
+
+class StartScriptOptionAuditTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_detects_undocumented_option(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            root = Path(tmpdir)
+            (root / "start_mxexporter.sh").write_text(
+                "    --port|-p=<port> Specific port, default: non-standard\n"
+                "    --help|-h Display help-message\n"
+                "    --help|-h)\n"
+                "    --port=*|-p=*)\n"
+                "    --pid=*)\n",
+                encoding="utf-8",
+            )
+
+            report = build(root)
+
+        self.assertEqual(report["undocumented_options"], ["--pid"])
+        self.assertEqual(report["stale_documentation"], [])
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tools/start_script_option_audit.py b/tools/start_script_option_audit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0a943b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/start_script_option_audit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Compare documented and implemented start_mxexporter.sh options."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+TOKEN_RE = re.compile(r"--[A-Za-z0-9-]+|-[A-Za-z0-9]+")
+
+
+def parse_documented(text: str) -> set[str]:
+    items = set()
+    for raw_line in text.splitlines():
+        line = raw_line.strip()
+        if not line.startswith("--") or line.endswith(")") or ":)" in line:
+            continue
+        definition = line.split(maxsplit=1)[0]
+        items.update(TOKEN_RE.findall(definition))
+    return items
+
+
+def parse_implemented(text: str) -> set[str]:
+    items = set()
+    for raw_line in text.splitlines():
+        line = raw_line.strip()
+        if not line.endswith(")") or not line.startswith("-"):
+            continue
+        items.update(TOKEN_RE.findall(line))
+    return items
+
+
+def build(repo_root: Path) -> dict[str, object]:
+    script_text = (repo_root / "start_mxexporter.sh").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    documented = parse_documented(script_text)
+    implemented = parse_implemented(script_text)
+    return {
+        "documented_count": len(documented),
+        "implemented_count": len(implemented),
+        "undocumented_options": sorted(implemented - documented),
+        "stale_documentation": sorted(documented - implemented),
+    }
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
+    parser.add_argument("--repo-root", type=Path, default=Path("."))
+    parser.add_argument("--output", type=Path)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    text = json.dumps(build(args.repo_root), indent=2, ensure_ascii=False)
+    if args.output:
+        args.output.write_text(text + "\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    else:
+        print(text)
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())