diff --git a/sbysrc/sby.py b/sbysrc/sby.py
index 31835be..dc02971 100644
--- a/sbysrc/sby.py
+++ b/sbysrc/sby.py
@@ -85,12 +85,14 @@ if status_show or status_reset:
 
     status_db = SbyStatusDb(status_path, task=None)
 
-    if status_show:
-        status_db.print_status_summary()
-        sys.exit(0)
-
     if status_reset:
         status_db.reset()
+    elif status_db.test_schema():
+        print(f"ERROR: Status database does not match expected formatted.  Use --statusreset to reset.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    if status_show:
+        status_db.print_status_summary()
 
     status_db.db.close()
     sys.exit(0)
diff --git a/sbysrc/sby_status.py b/sbysrc/sby_status.py
index e154205..cb91174 100644
--- a/sbysrc/sby_status.py
+++ b/sbysrc/sby_status.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import sqlite3
 import os
 import time
 import json
+import re
 from collections import defaultdict
 from functools import wraps
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -13,6 +14,45 @@ from sby_design import SbyProperty, pretty_path
 
 Fn = TypeVar("Fn", bound=Callable[..., Any])
 
+SQLSCRIPT = """\
+CREATE TABLE task (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
+    workdir TEXT,
+    mode TEXT,
+    created REAL
+);
+CREATE TABLE task_status (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
+    task INTEGER,
+    status TEXT,
+    data TEXT,
+    created REAL,
+    FOREIGN KEY(task) REFERENCES task(id)
+);
+CREATE TABLE task_property (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
+    task INTEGER,
+    src TEXT,
+    name TEXT,
+    created REAL,
+    FOREIGN KEY(task) REFERENCES task(id)
+);
+CREATE TABLE task_property_status (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
+    task_property INTEGER,
+    status TEXT,
+    data TEXT,
+    created REAL,
+    FOREIGN KEY(task_property) REFERENCES task_property(id)
+);
+CREATE TABLE task_property_data (
+    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
+    task_property INTEGER,
+    kind TEXT,
+    data TEXT,
+    created REAL,
+    FOREIGN KEY(task_property) REFERENCES task_property(id)
+);"""
 
 def transaction(method: Fn) -> Fn:
     @wraps(method)
@@ -79,50 +119,17 @@ class SbyStatusDb:
 
     @transaction
     def _setup(self):
-        script = """
-                CREATE TABLE task (
-                    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
-                    workdir TEXT,
-                    mode TEXT,
-                    created REAL
-                );
-                CREATE TABLE task_status (
-                    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
-                    task INTEGER,
-                    status TEXT,
-                    data TEXT,
-                    created REAL,
-                    FOREIGN KEY(task) REFERENCES task(id)
-                );
-                CREATE TABLE task_property (
-                    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
-                    task INTEGER,
-                    src TEXT,
-                    name TEXT,
-                    created REAL,
-                    FOREIGN KEY(task) REFERENCES task(id)
-                );
-                CREATE TABLE task_property_status (
-                    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
-                    task_property INTEGER,
-                    status TEXT,
-                    data TEXT,
-                    created REAL,
-                    FOREIGN KEY(task_property) REFERENCES task_property(id)
-                );
-                CREATE TABLE task_property_data (
-                    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
-                    task_property INTEGER,
-                    kind TEXT,
-                    data TEXT,
-                    created REAL,
-                    FOREIGN KEY(task_property) REFERENCES task_property(id)
-                );
-            """
-        for statement in script.split(";\n"):
+        for statement in SQLSCRIPT.split(";\n"):
             statement = statement.strip()
             if statement:
                 self.db.execute(statement)
+        self.db.execute("""PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON;""")
+
+    def test_schema(self) -> bool:
+        schema = self.db.execute("SELECT sql FROM sqlite_master;").fetchall()
+        schema_script = '\n'.join(str(sql[0] + ';') for sql in schema)
+        self._tables = re.findall(r"CREATE TABLE (\w+) \(", schema_script)
+        return schema_script != SQLSCRIPT
 
     @transaction
     def create_task(self, workdir: str, mode: str) -> int:
@@ -284,11 +291,18 @@ class SbyStatusDb:
 
     @transaction
     def reset(self):
-        self.db.execute("""DELETE FROM task_property_status""")
-        self.db.execute("""DELETE FROM task_property_data""")
-        self.db.execute("""DELETE FROM task_property""")
-        self.db.execute("""DELETE FROM task_status""")
-        self.db.execute("""DELETE FROM task""")
+        hard_reset = self.test_schema()
+        # table names can't be parameters, so we need to use f-strings
+        # but it is safe to use here because it comes from the regex "\w+"
+        for table in self._tables:
+            if hard_reset:
+                self.log_debug(f"dropping {table}")
+                self.db.execute(f"DROP TABLE {table}")
+            else:
+                self.log_debug(f"clearing {table}")
+                self.db.execute(f"DELETE FROM {table}")
+        if hard_reset:
+            self._setup()
 
     def print_status_summary(self):
         tasks, task_properties, task_property_statuses = self.all_status_data()