diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/actions/datasource_actions.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/actions/datasource_actions.ts
index cc6fe18b..cbaced48 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/actions/datasource_actions.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/actions/datasource_actions.ts
@@ -62,10 +62,15 @@ export async function createDataSource({
         description,
         createdAt: (new Date()).toISOString(),
         attempts: 0,
-        status: status,
         version: 1,
         data,
     };
+
+    // Only set status for non-file data sources
+    if (data.type !== 'files_local' && data.type !== 'files_s3') {
+        source.status = status;
+    }
+
     await dataSourcesCollection.insertOne(source);
 
     const { _id, ...rest } = source as WithId<z.infer<typeof DataSource>>;
@@ -158,7 +163,7 @@ export async function addDocsToDataSource({
     }[]
 }): Promise<void> {
     await projectAuthCheck(projectId);
-    await getDataSource(projectId, sourceId);
+    const source = await getDataSource(projectId, sourceId);
 
     await dataSourceDocsCollection.insertMany(docData.map(doc => {
         const record: z.infer<typeof DataSourceDoc> = {
@@ -177,19 +182,22 @@ export async function addDocsToDataSource({
         return recordWithId;
     }));
 
-    await dataSourcesCollection.updateOne(
-        { _id: new ObjectId(sourceId) },
-        {
-            $set: {
-                status: 'pending',
-                attempts: 0,
-                lastUpdatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-            },
-            $inc: {
-                version: 1,
-            },
-        }
-    );
+    // Only set status to pending when files are added
+    if (docData.length > 0 && (source.data.type === 'files_local' || source.data.type === 'files_s3')) {
+        await dataSourcesCollection.updateOne(
+            { _id: new ObjectId(sourceId) },
+            {
+                $set: {
+                    status: 'pending',
+                    attempts: 0,
+                    lastUpdatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+                },
+                $inc: {
+                    version: 1,
+                },
+            }
+        );
+    }
 }
 
 export async function listDocsInDataSource({
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/datasource_types.ts b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/datasource_types.ts
index 70cc729c..fa207daf 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/datasource_types.ts
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/lib/types/datasource_types.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export const DataSource = z.object({
         z.literal('ready'),
         z.literal('error'),
         z.literal('deleted'),
-    ]),
+    ]).optional(),
     version: z.number(),
     error: z.string().optional(),
     createdAt: z.string().datetime(),
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/[sourceId]/source-page.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/[sourceId]/source-page.tsx
index ce087cf2..6c4abade 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/[sourceId]/source-page.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/[sourceId]/source-page.tsx
@@ -200,12 +200,15 @@ export function SourcePage({
                                 </SectionContent>
                             </SectionRow>
 
-                            <SectionRow>
-                                <SectionLabel>Source</SectionLabel>
-                                <SectionContent>
-                                    <SourceStatus status={source.status} projectId={projectId} />
-                                </SectionContent>
-                            </SectionRow>
+                            {/* Only show status when it exists */}
+                            {source.status && (
+                                <SectionRow>
+                                    <SectionLabel>Status</SectionLabel>
+                                    <SectionContent>
+                                        <SourceStatus status={source.status} projectId={projectId} />
+                                    </SectionContent>
+                                </SectionRow>
+                            )}
                         </div>
                     </Section>
 
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/components/sources-list.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/components/sources-list.tsx
index 89fe9d89..81fe2358 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/components/sources-list.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/components/sources-list.tsx
@@ -102,9 +102,11 @@ export function SourcesList({ projectId }: { projectId: string }) {
                                             <th className="w-[20%] px-6 py-3 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400">
                                                 Type
                                             </th>
-                                            <th className="w-[35%] px-6 py-3 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400">
-                                                Status
-                                            </th>
+                                            {sources.some(source => source.status) && (
+                                                <th className="w-[35%] px-6 py-3 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400">
+                                                    Status
+                                                </th>
+                                            )}
                                             <th className="w-[15%] px-6 py-3 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400">
                                                 Active
                                             </th>
@@ -152,16 +154,18 @@ export function SourcesList({ projectId }: { projectId: string }) {
                                                         </div>
                                                     )}
                                                 </td>
-                                                <td className="px-6 py-4 text-left">
-                                                    <div className="text-sm">
-                                                        <SelfUpdatingSourceStatus 
-                                                            sourceId={source._id} 
-                                                            projectId={projectId} 
-                                                            initialStatus={source.status} 
-                                                            compact={true} 
-                                                        />
-                                                    </div>
-                                                </td>
+                                                {sources.some(source => source.status) && (
+                                                    <td className="px-6 py-4 text-left">
+                                                        <div className="text-sm">
+                                                            <SelfUpdatingSourceStatus 
+                                                                sourceId={source._id} 
+                                                                projectId={projectId} 
+                                                                initialStatus={source.status} 
+                                                                compact={true} 
+                                                            />
+                                                        </div>
+                                                    </td>
+                                                )}
                                                 <td className="px-6 py-4 text-left">
                                                     <ToggleSource 
                                                         projectId={projectId} 
diff --git a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/new/form.tsx b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/new/form.tsx
index bdd3a67b..3f222299 100644
--- a/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/new/form.tsx
+++ b/apps/rowboat/app/projects/[projectId]/sources/new/form.tsx
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ export function Form({
             data: {
                 type: formData.get('type') as 'files_local' | 'files_s3',
             },
-            status: 'ready',
         });
 
         router.push(`/projects/${projectId}/sources/${source._id}`);