diff --git a/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py b/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
index 3d86c454..8f8ef3a7 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class Project(models.Model):
                                 staging_heads.get(repo_name + '^') or head
                             )
                             updated.append(repo_name)
-                    except exceptions.FastForwardError:
+                    except exceptions.FastForwardError as e:
                         logger.warning(
                             "Could not fast-forward successful staging on %s:%s, reverting updated repos %s and re-staging",
                             repo_name, staging.target.name,
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ class Project(models.Model):
                         )
                         for name in reversed(updated):
                             gh[name].set_ref(staging.target.name, old_heads[name])
+                        staging.write({
+                            'state': 'ff_failed',
+                            'reason': str(e.__cause__ or e.__context__ or '')
+                        })
                     else:
                         prs = staging.mapped('batch_ids.prs')
                         logger.info(
@@ -794,11 +798,13 @@ class Stagings(models.Model):
         ('success', 'Success'),
         ('failure', 'Failure'),
         ('pending', 'Pending'),
+        ('cancelled', "Cancelled"),
+        ('ff_failed', "Fast forward failed")
     ])
     active = fields.Boolean(default=True)
 
     staged_at = fields.Datetime(default=fields.Datetime.now)
-    restaged = fields.Integer(default=0)
+    reason = fields.Text("Reason for final state (if any)")
 
     # seems simpler than adding yet another indirection through a model
     heads = fields.Char(required=True, help="JSON-encoded map of heads, one per repo in the project")
@@ -806,6 +812,9 @@ class Stagings(models.Model):
     def _validate(self):
         Commits = self.env['runbot_merge.commit']
         for s in self:
+            if s.state in ('cancelled', 'ff_failed'):
+                continue
+
             heads = [
                 head for repo, head in json.loads(s.heads).items()
                 if not repo.endswith('^')
@@ -840,7 +849,11 @@ class Stagings(models.Model):
 
         _logger.info("Cancelling staging %s: " + reason, self, *args)
         self.batch_ids.write({'active': False})
-        self.active = False
+        self.write({
+            'active': False,
+            'state': 'cancelled',
+            'reason': reason,
+        })
 
     def fail(self, message, prs=None):
         _logger.error("Staging %s failed: %s", self, message)
@@ -851,7 +864,11 @@ class Stagings(models.Model):
                 pr.number, "Staging failed: %s" % message)
 
         self.batch_ids.write({'active': False})
-        self.active = False
+        self.write({
+            'active': False,
+            'state': 'failure',
+            'reason': message,
+        })
 
     def try_splitting(self):
         batches = len(self.batch_ids)
@@ -870,7 +887,11 @@ class Stagings(models.Model):
             _logger.info("Split %s to %s (%s) and %s (%s)",
                          self, h, sh, t, st)
             self.batch_ids.write({'active': False})
-            self.active = False
+            self.write({
+                'active': False,
+                'state': 'failure',
+                'reason': self.reason if self.state == 'failure' else 'timed out'
+            })
             return True
 
         # single batch => the staging is an unredeemable failure
diff --git a/runbot_merge/tests/local.py b/runbot_merge/tests/local.py
index 5d315bae..269a5c10 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/tests/local.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/tests/local.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ def registry(request):
     odoo.tools.config.parse_config(['--addons-path', addons, '-d', db, '--db-filter', db])
     try:
         odoo.service.db._create_empty_database(db)
+        odoo.service.db._initialize_db(None, db, False, False, 'admin')
     except odoo.service.db.DatabaseExists:
         pass
 
diff --git a/runbot_merge/views/templates.xml b/runbot_merge/views/templates.xml
index fdda7687..c599a69f 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/views/templates.xml
+++ b/runbot_merge/views/templates.xml
@@ -52,16 +52,23 @@
     <template id="stagings" name="mergebot branch stagings">
         <ul class="list-unstyled stagings">
             <t t-foreach="branch.staging_ids.sorted(lambda s: s.staged_at, reverse=True)[:6]" t-as="staging">
+                <t t-set="success" t-value="staging.state == 'success'"/>
+                <t t-set="failure" t-value="staging.state == 'failure'"/>
+                <t t-set="pending" t-value="staging.state == 'pending' and staging.active"/>
                 <t t-set="stateclass">
-                    <t t-if="staging.state == 'success'">bg-success</t>
-                    <t t-if="staging.state == 'failure'">bg-danger</t>
-                    <t t-if="staging.state == 'pending' and staging.active">bg-info</t>
-                    <t t-if="staging.state == 'pending' and not staging.active">bg-gray-lighter</t>
+                    <t t-if="success">bg-success</t>
+                    <t t-if="failure">bg-danger</t>
+                    <t t-if="pending">bg-info</t>
+                    <t t-if="not (success or failure or pending)">bg-gray-lighter</t>
                 </t>
                 <t t-set="decorationclass">
                     <t t-if="staging_index >= 4">visible-lg-block</t>
                 </t>
-                <li t-attf-class="{{stateclass}} {{decorationclass}}">
+                <t t-set="title">
+                    <t t-if="staging.state == 'canceled'">Cancelled: <t t-esc="staging.reason"/></t>
+                    <t t-if="staging.state == 'ff_failed'">Fast Forward Failed</t>
+                </t>
+                <li t-attf-class="{{stateclass}} {{decorationclass}}" t-att-title="title">
                     <ul class="list-unstyled">
                         <li t-foreach="staging.batch_ids" t-as="batch" class="batch">
                             <t t-esc="batch.prs[:1].label"/>