diff --git a/taskchampion/src/replica.rs b/taskchampion/src/replica.rs
index 271a39436..2b833a323 100644
--- a/taskchampion/src/replica.rs
+++ b/taskchampion/src/replica.rs
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ mod tests {
                     uuid: t.get_uuid(),
                     property: "status".into(),
                     old_value: None,
-                    value: Some("P".into()),
+                    value: Some("pending".into()),
                     timestamp: now,
                 },
                 ReplicaOp::Update {
@@ -294,8 +294,8 @@ mod tests {
                 ReplicaOp::Update {
                     uuid: t.get_uuid(),
                     property: "status".into(),
-                    old_value: Some("P".into()),
-                    value: Some("C".into()),
+                    old_value: Some("pending".into()),
+                    value: Some("completed".into()),
                     timestamp: now,
                 },
             ]
diff --git a/taskchampion/src/task/status.rs b/taskchampion/src/task/status.rs
index fbc4ed866..2b2afb6ba 100644
--- a/taskchampion/src/task/status.rs
+++ b/taskchampion/src/task/status.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
-/// The status of a task.  The default status in "Pending".
-#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Clone)]
+/// The status of a task, as defined by the task data model.
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Clone, strum_macros::Display)]
 pub enum Status {
     Pending,
     Completed,
     Deleted,
+    /// Unknown signifies a status in the task DB that was not
+    /// recognized.  This supports forward-compatibility if a
+    /// new status is added.  Tasks with unknown status should
+    /// be ignored (but not deleted).
+    Unknown(String),
 }
 
 impl Status {
@@ -11,29 +16,20 @@ impl Status {
     /// defaulting to Pending
     pub(crate) fn from_taskmap(s: &str) -> Status {
         match s {
-            "P" => Status::Pending,
-            "C" => Status::Completed,
-            "D" => Status::Deleted,
-            _ => Status::Pending,
+            "pending" => Status::Pending,
+            "completed" => Status::Completed,
+            "deleted" => Status::Deleted,
+            v => Status::Unknown(v.to_string()),
         }
     }
 
     /// Get the 1-character value for this status to use in the TaskMap.
     pub(crate) fn to_taskmap(&self) -> &str {
         match self {
-            Status::Pending => "P",
-            Status::Completed => "C",
-            Status::Deleted => "D",
-        }
-    }
-
-    /// Get the full-name value for this status to use in the TaskMap.
-    pub fn to_string(&self) -> &str {
-        // TODO: should be impl Display
-        match self {
-            Status::Pending => "Pending",
-            Status::Completed => "Completed",
-            Status::Deleted => "Deleted",
+            Status::Pending => "pending",
+            Status::Completed => "completed",
+            Status::Deleted => "deleted",
+            Status::Unknown(v) => v.as_ref(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -44,12 +40,29 @@ mod test {
     use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
 
     #[test]
-    fn test_status() {
-        assert_eq!(Status::Pending.to_taskmap(), "P");
-        assert_eq!(Status::Completed.to_taskmap(), "C");
-        assert_eq!(Status::Deleted.to_taskmap(), "D");
-        assert_eq!(Status::from_taskmap("P"), Status::Pending);
-        assert_eq!(Status::from_taskmap("C"), Status::Completed);
-        assert_eq!(Status::from_taskmap("D"), Status::Deleted);
+    fn to_taskmap() {
+        assert_eq!(Status::Pending.to_taskmap(), "pending");
+        assert_eq!(Status::Completed.to_taskmap(), "completed");
+        assert_eq!(Status::Deleted.to_taskmap(), "deleted");
+        assert_eq!(Status::Unknown("wishful".into()).to_taskmap(), "wishful");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn from_taskmap() {
+        assert_eq!(Status::from_taskmap("pending"), Status::Pending);
+        assert_eq!(Status::from_taskmap("completed"), Status::Completed);
+        assert_eq!(Status::from_taskmap("deleted"), Status::Deleted);
+        assert_eq!(
+            Status::from_taskmap("something-else"),
+            Status::Unknown("something-else".into())
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn display() {
+        assert_eq!(format!("{}", Status::Pending), "Pending");
+        assert_eq!(format!("{}", Status::Completed), "Completed");
+        assert_eq!(format!("{}", Status::Deleted), "Deleted");
+        assert_eq!(format!("{}", Status::Unknown("wishful".into())), "Unknown");
     }
 }