diff --git a/api/grpc/server/server.go b/api/grpc/server/server.go
index 7e4461b..430e00c 100644
--- a/api/grpc/server/server.go
+++ b/api/grpc/server/server.go
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func (s *apiServer) State(ctx context.Context, r *types.StateRequest) (*types.St
 			Id:         c.ID(),
 			BundlePath: c.Path(),
 			Processes:  procs,
-			Status:     string(c.State().Status),
+			Status:     string(c.State()),
 		})
 	}
 	return state, nil
@@ -213,9 +213,7 @@ func (s *apiServer) UpdateContainer(ctx context.Context, r *types.UpdateContaine
 	if r.Signal != 0 {
 		e.Signal = syscall.Signal(r.Signal)
 	}
-	e.State = &runtime.State{
-		Status: runtime.Status(r.Status),
-	}
+	e.State = runtime.State(r.Status)
 	s.sv.SendEvent(e)
 	if err := <-e.Err; err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/linux/linux.go b/linux/linux.go
index befea25..f77d3c9 100644
--- a/linux/linux.go
+++ b/linux/linux.go
@@ -289,19 +289,16 @@ func (c *libcontainerContainer) Pause() error {
 }
 
 func (c *libcontainerContainer) State() runtime.State {
-	s := runtime.State{}
 	// TODO: what to do with error
 	state, err := c.c.Status()
 	if err != nil {
-		return s
+		return runtime.State("")
 	}
 	switch state {
 	case libcontainer.Paused, libcontainer.Pausing:
-		s.Status = runtime.Paused
-	default:
-		s.Status = runtime.Running
+		return runtime.Paused
 	}
-	return s
+	return runtime.State("")
 }
 
 func (c *libcontainerContainer) ID() string {
diff --git a/runtime/container.go b/runtime/container.go
index 7f8659a..a725dbd 100644
--- a/runtime/container.go
+++ b/runtime/container.go
@@ -15,17 +15,13 @@ type Process interface {
 	Signal(os.Signal) error
 }
 
-type Status string
+type State string
 
 const (
-	Paused  Status = "paused"
-	Running Status = "running"
+	Paused  = State("paused")
+	Running = State("running")
 )
 
-type State struct {
-	Status Status
-}
-
 type Console interface {
 	io.ReadWriter
 	io.Closer
diff --git a/supervisor/event.go b/supervisor/event.go
index 08a2415..ac7ce00 100644
--- a/supervisor/event.go
+++ b/supervisor/event.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ type Event struct {
 	Status        int
 	Signal        os.Signal
 	Process       *specs.Process
-	State         *runtime.State
+	State         runtime.State
 	Containers    []runtime.Container
 	Checkpoint    *runtime.Checkpoint
 	Err           chan error
diff --git a/supervisor/update.go b/supervisor/update.go
index ae42879..5bd4ffa 100644
--- a/supervisor/update.go
+++ b/supervisor/update.go
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ func (h *UpdateEvent) Handle(e *Event) error {
 		return ErrContainerNotFound
 	}
 	container := i.container
-	if e.State.Status != "" {
-		switch e.State.Status {
+	if e.State != "" {
+		switch e.State {
 		case runtime.Running:
 			if err := container.Resume(); err != nil {
 				return ErrUnknownContainerStatus