diff --git a/src/main/ruby/lib/merritt_zk_queue_item.rb b/src/main/ruby/lib/merritt_zk_queue_item.rb
index 835ab78..1484fb2 100644
--- a/src/main/ruby/lib/merritt_zk_queue_item.rb
+++ b/src/main/ruby/lib/merritt_zk_queue_item.rb
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ def payload_object
       json['queueNode'] = dir
       json['id'] = @id
       json['date'] = time
-      json['status'] = status
+      json['status'] = status_name
       json
     end