diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 75f9fe896d..d0979c8592 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -178,6 +178,9 @@ push.self-hosted-rolling:
 	docker push ${DOCKERHUB_REPO}:rolling_no_dependencies
 	docker push ${DOCKERHUB_REPO}:rolling
 
+shell:
+	docker-compose exec api bash
+	
 test_env.up:
 	env | grep GITHUB > .testenv; true
 	TIMESERIES_ENABLED=${TIMESERIES_ENABLED} docker-compose up -d
diff --git a/upload/helpers.py b/upload/helpers.py
index cd472358d2..769435bca3 100644
--- a/upload/helpers.py
+++ b/upload/helpers.py
@@ -497,9 +497,6 @@ def insert_commit(commitid, branch, pr, repository, owner, parent_commit_id=None
     )
 
     edited = False
-    if commit.state != "pending":
-        commit.state = "pending"
-        edited = True
     if parent_commit_id and commit.parent_commit_id is None:
         commit.parent_commit_id = parent_commit_id
         edited = True
@@ -508,7 +505,7 @@ def insert_commit(commitid, branch, pr, repository, owner, parent_commit_id=None
         commit.branch = branch
         edited = True
     if edited:
-        commit.save(update_fields=["parent_commit_id", "state", "branch"])
+        commit.save(update_fields=["parent_commit_id", "branch"])
     return commit
 
 
diff --git a/upload/tests/test_upload.py b/upload/tests/test_upload.py
index 56209c855f..980bcf1b27 100644
--- a/upload/tests/test_upload.py
+++ b/upload/tests/test_upload.py
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ def test_insert_commit(self):
                 repository=repo,
                 parent_commit_id=None,
             )
-            # parent_commit_id, state, and branch should be updated
+            # parent_commit_id and branch should be updated
             insert_commit(
                 "1c78206f1a46dc6db8412a491fc770eb7d0f8a47",
                 "oranges",
@@ -650,7 +650,6 @@ def test_insert_commit(self):
                 commitid="1c78206f1a46dc6db8412a491fc770eb7d0f8a47"
             )
             assert commit.repository == repo
-            assert commit.state == "pending"
             assert commit.branch == "oranges"
             assert commit.pullid == 456
             assert commit.merged is None
@@ -671,7 +670,6 @@ def test_insert_commit(self):
                 commitid="8458a8c72aafb5fb4c5cd58f467a2f71298f1b61"
             )
             assert commit.repository == repo
-            assert commit.state == "pending"
             assert commit.branch == "test"
             assert commit.pullid is None
             assert commit.merged is None