diff --git a/akvo/iati/checks/fields/status.py b/akvo/iati/checks/fields/status.py
index cf1716ded8..b768905efb 100644
--- a/akvo/iati/checks/fields/status.py
+++ b/akvo/iati/checks/fields/status.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ def status(project):
     :param project: Project object
     :return: All checks passed boolean, [Check results]
     """
-    if project.status:
+    if project.iati_status:
         return True, [(u'success', u'has status')]
 
     else:
diff --git a/akvo/iati/exports/elements/activity_status.py b/akvo/iati/exports/elements/activity_status.py
index f4f51ced84..71b05a7dac 100644
--- a/akvo/iati/exports/elements/activity_status.py
+++ b/akvo/iati/exports/elements/activity_status.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from lxml import etree
 
 STATUS_TO_CODE = {
-    'N': '6',
+    'N': '0',
     'H': '1',
     'A': '2',
     'C': '3',
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ def activity_status(project):
     :param project: Project object
     :return: A list of Etree elements
     """
-    if project.status in STATUS_TO_CODE.keys():
+    if project.iati_status:
         element = etree.Element("activity-status")
-        element.attrib['code'] = STATUS_TO_CODE[project.status]
+        element.attrib['code'] = project.iati_status
         return [element]
 
     return []
diff --git a/akvo/iati/imports/mappers/defaults.py b/akvo/iati/imports/mappers/defaults.py
index e602a74ea5..bceb3592e5 100644
--- a/akvo/iati/imports/mappers/defaults.py
+++ b/akvo/iati/imports/mappers/defaults.py
@@ -181,11 +181,9 @@ def do_import(self):
         status = self.get_child_elem_attrib(
                 self.parent_elem, 'activity-status', 'code', 'status')
 
-        if status in CODE_TO_STATUS.keys():
-            status = CODE_TO_STATUS[status]
-        else:
+        if not status:
             self.add_log('activity-status@code', 'status', 'invalid status code')
-            status = Project.STATUS_NONE
+            status = 0
 
         return self.update_project_field('status', status)