diff --git a/local/lib/org-x/test/org-x-test-buffer-state.el b/local/lib/org-x/test/org-x-test-buffer-state.el
index 29a1c9e..06ed67f 100644
--- a/local/lib/org-x/test/org-x-test-buffer-state.el
+++ b/local/lib/org-x/test/org-x-test-buffer-state.el
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ Forms are denoted like %(FORM)%."
   "Call `org-ml--with-org-env' with BODY and STRING as the buffer."
   (let ((s (->> (if (listp string) (s-join "\n" string) string)
              (org-x-test-parse-forms))))
-    `(org-ml--with-org-env (insert ,s) ,@body)))
+    `(org-ml--with-org-env
+      (insert ,s)
+      (goto-char (point-min))
+      ,@body)))
 
 (defmacro org-x--test-buffer-strings (name test &rest specs)
   "Run TEST form for SPECS called by toplevel NAME."
@@ -152,5 +155,185 @@ Forms are denoted like %(FORM)%."
    ":END:")
   => :active)
 
+;; NOTE the silly thing about this function is that headlines need not actually
+;; be projects :/
+(org-x--test-buffer-strings "Project status"
+    (org-x-get-project-status)
+
+  "scheduled"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "SCHEDULED: %(org-x-gen-ts 0)%")
+  => :scheduled-project
+
+  "held"
+  ("* HOLD project")
+  => :held
+
+  ;; ASSUME the inert code paths are fully tested elsewhere
+  "inert"
+  ("* HOLD project"
+   ":PROPERTIES:"
+   ":CREATED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-inert-delay-days) 24 60 60)))%"
+   ":END:")
+  => :inert
+
+  "invalid todo (NEXT)"
+  ("* NEXT project")
+  => :invalid-todostate
+
+  "invalid todo (WAIT)"
+  ("* WAIT project")
+  => :invalid-todostate
+
+  "canceled (complete)"
+  ("* CANC project")
+  => :complete
+
+  "canceled (archivable)"
+  ("* CANC project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%")
+  => :archivable
+
+  "complete (subtask complete)"
+  ("* DONE project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts 0)%"
+   "** DONE task 1"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts 0)%")
+  => :complete
+
+  ;; TODO this should be :complete
+  "complete (subtask archivable)"
+  ("* DONE project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts 0)%"
+   "** DONE task 1"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%")
+  => :archivable
+
+  "archivable"
+  ("* DONE project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%"
+   "** DONE task 1"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%")
+  => :archivable
+
+  "done-incomplete (subtask TODO)"
+  ("* DONE project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%"
+   "** TODO task 1")
+  => :done-incomplete
+
+  "done-incomplete (subtask TODO)"
+  ("* DONE project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%"
+   "** TODO task 1")
+  => :done-incomplete
+
+  ;; TODO this should be an error
+  "done-incomplete (subtask done-unclosed)"
+  ("* DONE project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%"
+   "** DONE task 1")
+  => :complete
+
+  ;; TODO this should be :complete
+  "complete (subtask archivable nested)"
+  ("* DONE project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts 0)%"
+   "** DONE task 1"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%"
+   "*** DONE task 2"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%")
+  => :archivable
+
+  "archivable (nested)"
+  ("* DONE project"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%"
+   "** DONE task 1"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%"
+   "*** DONE task 2"
+   "CLOSED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-archive-delay) 24 60 60)))%")
+  => :archivable
+
+  ;; TODO there are many other paths to test for the DONE toplevel keyword
+
+  ;; TODO this seems error-prone
+  "active (singleton...???)"
+  ("* TODO project")
+  => :stuck
+
+  "active (subtask)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** NEXT task")
+  => :active
+
+  "wait (subtask)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** WAIT task")
+  => :wait
+
+  "held (subtask)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** HOLD task")
+  => :held
+
+  "inert (subtask)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** TODO task"
+   ":PROPERTIES:"
+   ":CREATED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-inert-delay-days) 24 60 60)))%"
+   ":END:")
+  => :inert
+
+  "undone-complete (subtask)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** DONE TASK"
+   "CLOSED: (org-x-gen-ts 0)")
+  => :undone-complete
+
+  "stuck (subtask)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** TODO TASK")
+  => :stuck
+
+  "active (subtask 2)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** TODO task 1 "
+   "*** NEXT task 2")
+  => :active
+
+  "wait (subtask 2)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** TODO task 1 "
+   "*** WAIT task 2")
+  => :wait
+
+  "held (subtask 2)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** TODO task 1"
+   "*** HOLD task 2")
+  => :held
+
+  "inert (subtask 2)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** TODO task 1"
+   "*** TODO task 2"
+   ":PROPERTIES:"
+   ":CREATED: %(org-x-gen-ts (- (* (1+ org-x-inert-delay-days) 24 60 60)))%"
+   ":END:")
+  => :inert
+
+  "undone-complete (subtask 2)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** TODO task 1"
+   "*** DONE task 2"
+   "CLOSED: (org-x-gen-ts 0)")
+  => :undone-complete
+
+  "stuck (subtask 2)"
+  ("* TODO project"
+   "** TODO task 1"
+   "*** TODO task 2")
+  => :stuck)
+    
 (provide 'org-x-test-buffer-state)
 ;;; org-x-test-buffer-state.el ends here
diff --git a/local/lib/org-x/test/org-x-test-common.el b/local/lib/org-x/test/org-x-test-common.el
index 4d576e5..4abc81b 100644
--- a/local/lib/org-x/test/org-x-test-common.el
+++ b/local/lib/org-x/test/org-x-test-common.el
@@ -27,7 +27,10 @@
 (defmacro org-ml--with-org-env (&rest body)
   "Execute BODY in a standardized Org-mode buffer."
   `(let ((org-tags-column 20)
-         (org-todo-keywords '((sequence "TODO" "DONE")))
+         (org-todo-keywords
+          ;; shamelessly copies from me
+          '((sequence "TODO(t/!)" "NEXT(n/!)" "|" "DONE(d/!)")
+            (sequence "WAIT(w@/!)" "HOLD(h@/!)" "|" "CANC(c@/!)")))
          (org-archive-tag "ARCHIVE")
          (org-lowest-priority ?C)
          (org-highest-priority ?A)