diff --git a/database/factories/IncidentFactory.php b/database/factories/IncidentFactory.php
index 596e919d..41e6d037 100644
--- a/database/factories/IncidentFactory.php
+++ b/database/factories/IncidentFactory.php
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ public function definition(): array
             'guid' => fake()->uuid(),
             'name' => fake()->sentence,
             'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::identified->value,
+            'baseline_status' => fn (array $attributes) => $attributes['status'] ?? IncidentStatusEnum::identified->value,
             'message' => fake()->paragraph,
         ];
     }
diff --git a/database/migrations/2026_07_26_000001_add_baseline_status_to_incidents.php b/database/migrations/2026_07_26_000001_add_baseline_status_to_incidents.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ebea72e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database/migrations/2026_07_26_000001_add_baseline_status_to_incidents.php
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+<?php
+
+use Cachet\Enums\IncidentStatusEnum;
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+return new class extends Migration
+{
+    /**
+     * Run the migrations.
+     *
+     * Incidents now keep a separate baseline status so the current status can
+     * follow timeline updates without losing what the incident should revert to
+     * when those updates are edited away or deleted.
+     */
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        Schema::table('incidents', function (Blueprint $table) {
+            $table->unsignedInteger('baseline_status')->nullable()->after('status');
+        });
+
+        DB::table('incidents')
+            ->whereNotNull('status')
+            ->update(['baseline_status' => DB::raw('status')]);
+
+        DB::table('incidents')
+            ->whereNull('status')
+            ->update(['baseline_status' => IncidentStatusEnum::unknown->value]);
+
+        Schema::table('incidents', function (Blueprint $table) {
+            $table->unsignedInteger('baseline_status')->change();
+        });
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reverse the migrations.
+     */
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        Schema::table('incidents', function (Blueprint $table) {
+            $table->dropColumn('baseline_status');
+        });
+    }
+};
diff --git a/src/Actions/Incident/CreateIncident.php b/src/Actions/Incident/CreateIncident.php
index 7864aa75..54f21f20 100644
--- a/src/Actions/Incident/CreateIncident.php
+++ b/src/Actions/Incident/CreateIncident.php
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ public function handle(CreateIncidentRequestData $data): Incident
         $incident = DB::transaction(function () use ($data): Incident {
             return tap(Incident::create(array_merge(
                 ['guid' => Str::uuid()],
+                ['baseline_status' => $data->status],
                 $data->except('components', 'meta')->toArray()
             )), function (Incident $incident) use ($data) {
                 if ($data->components) {
diff --git a/src/Actions/Incident/SyncIncidentStatus.php b/src/Actions/Incident/SyncIncidentStatus.php
index 07e3a244..c4b47377 100644
--- a/src/Actions/Incident/SyncIncidentStatus.php
+++ b/src/Actions/Incident/SyncIncidentStatus.php
@@ -22,11 +22,9 @@ public function handle(Incident $incident): Incident
             ->orderByDesc('id')
             ->value('status');
 
-        if ($status === null) {
-            return $incident;
-        }
-
-        $status = $status instanceof IncidentStatusEnum ? $status : IncidentStatusEnum::from((int) $status);
+        $status = $status === null
+            ? $incident->baseline_status
+            : ($status instanceof IncidentStatusEnum ? $status : IncidentStatusEnum::from((int) $status));
 
         if ($incident->status !== $status) {
             $incident->update(['status' => $status]);
diff --git a/src/Actions/Incident/UpdateIncident.php b/src/Actions/Incident/UpdateIncident.php
index adeffcc4..e917440c 100644
--- a/src/Actions/Incident/UpdateIncident.php
+++ b/src/Actions/Incident/UpdateIncident.php
@@ -12,7 +12,13 @@ class UpdateIncident
      */
     public function handle(Incident $incident, UpdateIncidentRequestData $data): Incident
     {
-        $incident->update($data->except('meta')->toArray());
+        $attributes = $data->except('meta')->toArray();
+
+        if ($data->status !== null) {
+            $attributes['baseline_status'] = $data->status;
+        }
+
+        $incident->update($attributes);
 
         if ($data->meta !== null) {
             $incident->syncMeta($data->meta);
diff --git a/src/Data/Requests/IncidentUpdate/EditIncidentUpdateRequestData.php b/src/Data/Requests/IncidentUpdate/EditIncidentUpdateRequestData.php
index 70bf485d..1bdb409c 100644
--- a/src/Data/Requests/IncidentUpdate/EditIncidentUpdateRequestData.php
+++ b/src/Data/Requests/IncidentUpdate/EditIncidentUpdateRequestData.php
@@ -5,20 +5,36 @@
 use Cachet\Data\BaseData;
 use Cachet\Enums\IncidentStatusEnum;
 use Illuminate\Validation\Rule;
+use Spatie\LaravelData\Optional;
 use Spatie\LaravelData\Support\Validation\ValidationContext;
 
 final class EditIncidentUpdateRequestData extends BaseData
 {
     public function __construct(
-        public readonly ?IncidentStatusEnum $status = null,
-        public readonly ?string $message = null,
+        public readonly Optional|IncidentStatusEnum|null $status = new Optional,
+        public readonly Optional|string $message = new Optional,
     ) {}
 
     public static function rules(ValidationContext $context): array
     {
         return [
-            'status' => [Rule::enum(IncidentStatusEnum::class)],
+            'status' => ['nullable', Rule::enum(IncidentStatusEnum::class)],
             'message' => ['string'],
         ];
     }
+
+    public function toArray(): array
+    {
+        $attributes = [];
+
+        if (! $this->status instanceof Optional) {
+            $attributes['status'] = $this->status;
+        }
+
+        if (! $this->message instanceof Optional) {
+            $attributes['message'] = $this->message;
+        }
+
+        return $attributes;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/Models/Incident.php b/src/Models/Incident.php
index 893eddce..3551093b 100644
--- a/src/Models/Incident.php
+++ b/src/Models/Incident.php
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
  * @property ?int $component_id
  * @property string $name
  * @property ?IncidentStatusEnum $status
+ * @property IncidentStatusEnum $baseline_status
  * @property string $message
  * @property ?Carbon $created_at
  * @property ?Carbon $updated_at
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ class Incident extends Model implements Metable
     /** @var array<string, string> */
     protected $casts = [
         'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::class,
+        'baseline_status' => IncidentStatusEnum::class,
         'visible' => ResourceVisibilityEnum::class,
         'stickied' => 'bool',
         'scheduled_at' => 'datetime',
@@ -104,6 +106,7 @@ class Incident extends Model implements Metable
         'component_id',
         'name',
         'status',
+        'baseline_status',
         'visible',
         'stickied',
         'notifications',
@@ -120,6 +123,10 @@ protected static function boot()
         self::creating(function (Incident $model) {
             $model->guid = Str::uuid();
 
+            if ($model->baseline_status === null) {
+                $model->baseline_status = $model->status ?? IncidentStatusEnum::unknown;
+            }
+
             if ($model->published_at === null) {
                 $model->published_at = $model->freshTimestamp();
                 $model->published_notified_at = $model->freshTimestamp();
@@ -256,15 +263,15 @@ protected function timestamp(): Attribute
     /**
      * The incident's status.
      *
-     * Retained for backwards compatibility: the status column is canonical and
-     * is kept in step with the latest status-bearing update at write time, so
-     * this is simply an alias for it.
+     * Retained for backwards compatibility: the status column is the current
+     * status, while `baseline_status` stores what the incident should fall back
+     * to when its timeline no longer carries a status.
      *
      * @return Attribute<IncidentStatusEnum|null, never>
      */
     protected function latestStatus(): Attribute
     {
-        return Attribute::make(get: fn (): ?IncidentStatusEnum => $this->status);
+        return Attribute::make(get: fn (): ?IncidentStatusEnum => $this->status ?? $this->baseline_status);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Api/IncidentUpdateTest.php b/tests/Feature/Api/IncidentUpdateTest.php
index 25f63ad4..7b2d1a86 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Api/IncidentUpdateTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Api/IncidentUpdateTest.php
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 
+use Cachet\Actions\Incident\SyncIncidentStatus;
 use Cachet\Enums\IncidentStatusEnum;
 use Cachet\Enums\ResourceVisibilityEnum;
 use Cachet\Models\Incident;
@@ -232,6 +233,29 @@
     ]);
 });
 
+it('can clear an incident update status and restore the incident baseline', function () {
+    Sanctum::actingAs(User::factory()->create(), ['incident-updates.manage']);
+
+    $incident = Incident::factory()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+        'baseline_status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+    ]);
+
+    $incidentUpdate = $incident->updates()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::identified,
+        'message' => 'We found the issue.',
+    ]);
+
+    app(SyncIncidentStatus::class)->handle($incident);
+
+    putJson("/status/api/incidents/{$incident->id}/updates/{$incidentUpdate->id}", [
+        'status' => null,
+    ])->assertOk();
+
+    expect($incident->fresh()->status)->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::investigating)
+        ->and($incidentUpdate->fresh()->status)->toBeNull();
+});
+
 it('cannot delete an incident update if not authenticated', function () {
     $incidentUpdate = Update::factory()->forIncident()->create();
 
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Database/IncidentBaselineStatusBackfillTest.php b/tests/Feature/Database/IncidentBaselineStatusBackfillTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61e847dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/Database/IncidentBaselineStatusBackfillTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+<?php
+
+use Cachet\Enums\IncidentStatusEnum;
+use Cachet\Models\Incident;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+/**
+ * Return the incidents table to the state it was in before the baseline status migration.
+ */
+function dropIncidentBaselineStatus(): void
+{
+    Schema::table('incidents', function (Blueprint $table) {
+        $table->dropColumn('baseline_status');
+    });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Run the baseline status migration over whatever rows are present.
+ */
+function addIncidentBaselineStatus(): void
+{
+    $migration = require __DIR__.'/../../../database/migrations/2026_07_26_000001_add_baseline_status_to_incidents.php';
+
+    $migration->up();
+}
+
+it('backfills the incident baseline status from the current status', function () {
+    $incident = Incident::factory()->create(['status' => IncidentStatusEnum::watching]);
+
+    dropIncidentBaselineStatus();
+    addIncidentBaselineStatus();
+
+    expect($incident->fresh()->baseline_status)->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::watching);
+});
+
+it('backfills unknown when an incident has no current status', function () {
+    $incident = Incident::factory()->create(['status' => IncidentStatusEnum::watching]);
+
+    DB::table('incidents')->where('id', $incident->id)->update(['status' => null]);
+
+    dropIncidentBaselineStatus();
+    addIncidentBaselineStatus();
+
+    expect($incident->fresh())
+        ->status->toBeNull()
+        ->baseline_status->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::unknown);
+});
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Actions/Incident/CreateIncidentTest.php b/tests/Unit/Actions/Incident/CreateIncidentTest.php
index e8e3c92c..1876351c 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Actions/Incident/CreateIncidentTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Actions/Incident/CreateIncidentTest.php
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@
     expect($incident)
         ->name->toBe($data->name)
         ->message->toBe($data->message)
-        ->status->toBe($data->status);
+        ->status->toBe($data->status)
+        ->baseline_status->toBe($data->status);
 
     Event::assertDispatched(IncidentCreated::class, fn ($event) => $event->incident->is($incident));
 });
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Actions/Incident/UpdateIncidentTest.php b/tests/Unit/Actions/Incident/UpdateIncidentTest.php
index e9976b5b..3ebf2649 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Actions/Incident/UpdateIncidentTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Actions/Incident/UpdateIncidentTest.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 use Cachet\Actions\Incident\UpdateIncident;
 use Cachet\Data\Requests\Incident\UpdateIncidentRequestData;
+use Cachet\Enums\IncidentStatusEnum;
 use Cachet\Events\Incidents\IncidentUpdated;
 use Cachet\Models\Incident;
 
@@ -30,3 +31,18 @@
     Event::assertDispatched(IncidentUpdated::class, fn (IncidentUpdated $event) => $event->incident->is($incident));
     Event::assertDispatchedTimes(IncidentUpdated::class, 1);
 });
+
+it('updates the incident baseline status when the status changes directly', function () {
+    $incident = Incident::factory()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+        'baseline_status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+    ]);
+
+    app(UpdateIncident::class)->handle($incident, UpdateIncidentRequestData::from([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::identified,
+    ]));
+
+    expect($incident->fresh())
+        ->status->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::identified)
+        ->baseline_status->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::identified);
+});
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Actions/Update/DeleteUpdateTest.php b/tests/Unit/Actions/Update/DeleteUpdateTest.php
index 9e7e7137..1701edea 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Actions/Update/DeleteUpdateTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Actions/Update/DeleteUpdateTest.php
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <?php
 
+use Cachet\Actions\Incident\SyncIncidentStatus;
 use Cachet\Actions\Update\DeleteUpdate;
+use Cachet\Enums\IncidentStatusEnum;
 use Cachet\Models\Incident;
 use Cachet\Models\Schedule;
 use Cachet\Models\Update;
@@ -27,3 +29,23 @@
         'updateable_id' => $update->updateable_id,
     ]);
 });
+
+it('restores the incident baseline status when deleting its last status-bearing update', function () {
+    $incident = Incident::factory()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+        'baseline_status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+    ]);
+
+    $update = $incident->updates()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::identified,
+        'message' => 'Investigating further.',
+    ]);
+
+    app(SyncIncidentStatus::class)->handle($incident);
+
+    expect($incident->fresh()->status)->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::identified);
+
+    app(DeleteUpdate::class)->handle($update);
+
+    expect($incident->fresh()->status)->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::investigating);
+});
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Actions/Update/EditUpdateTest.php b/tests/Unit/Actions/Update/EditUpdateTest.php
index 8ed95f28..f3456aeb 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Actions/Update/EditUpdateTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Actions/Update/EditUpdateTest.php
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 <?php
 
+use Cachet\Actions\Incident\SyncIncidentStatus;
 use Cachet\Actions\Update\EditUpdate;
 use Cachet\Data\Requests\IncidentUpdate\EditIncidentUpdateRequestData;
 use Cachet\Data\Requests\ScheduleUpdate\EditScheduleUpdateRequestData;
+use Cachet\Enums\IncidentStatusEnum;
+use Cachet\Models\Incident;
 use Cachet\Models\Update;
 
 it('can update an incident update', function () {
@@ -32,3 +35,25 @@
         ->message->toBe($data->message)
         ->status->toBe($update->status);
 });
+
+it('restores the incident baseline status when the last status-bearing update is cleared', function () {
+    $incident = Incident::factory()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+        'baseline_status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+    ]);
+
+    $update = $incident->updates()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::identified,
+        'message' => 'We found the issue.',
+    ]);
+
+    app(SyncIncidentStatus::class)->handle($incident);
+
+    expect($incident->fresh()->status)->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::identified);
+
+    app(EditUpdate::class)->handle($update, EditIncidentUpdateRequestData::from([
+        'status' => null,
+    ]));
+
+    expect($incident->fresh()->status)->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::investigating);
+});
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Models/IncidentTest.php b/tests/Unit/Models/IncidentTest.php
index d20e3e0d..eb6d2c81 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Models/IncidentTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Models/IncidentTest.php
@@ -87,7 +87,21 @@
 });
 
 it('falls back to its own status without updates', function () {
-    $incident = Incident::factory()->create(['status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating]);
+    $incident = Incident::factory()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+        'baseline_status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+    ]);
 
     expect($incident->latestStatus)->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::investigating);
 });
+
+it('falls back to its baseline status when the current status is empty', function () {
+    $incident = Incident::factory()->create([
+        'status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+        'baseline_status' => IncidentStatusEnum::investigating,
+    ]);
+
+    $incident->updateQuietly(['status' => null]);
+
+    expect($incident->fresh()->latestStatus)->toBe(IncidentStatusEnum::investigating);
+});