diff --git a/jupyter_ydoc/ynotebook.py b/jupyter_ydoc/ynotebook.py
index 47ae466..66fa2a1 100644
--- a/jupyter_ydoc/ynotebook.py
+++ b/jupyter_ydoc/ynotebook.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class YNotebook(YBaseDoc):
                     "cell_type": str,
                     "source": YText,
                     "metadata": YMap,
+                    "execution_status": str,
                     "execution_count": Int | None,
                     "outputs": [] | None,
                     "attachments": {} | None
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ def get_cell(self, index: int) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """
         meta = json.loads(self._ymeta.to_json())
         cell = json.loads(self._ycells[index].to_json())
+        cell.pop("execution_status", None)
         cast_all(cell, float, int)  # cells coming from Yjs have e.g. execution_count as float
         if "id" in cell and meta["nbformat"] == 4 and meta["nbformat_minor"] <= 4:
             # strip cell IDs if we have notebook format 4.0-4.4
@@ -171,6 +173,7 @@ def create_ycell(self, value: Dict[str, Any]) -> Y.YMap:
                 del cell["attachments"]
         elif cell_type == "code":
             cell["outputs"] = Y.YArray(cell.get("outputs", []))
+            cell["execution_status"] = "idle"
 
         return Y.YMap(cell)