diff --git a/.talismanrc b/.talismanrc
index 04af00e..5a6f0a6 100644
--- a/.talismanrc
+++ b/.talismanrc
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ fileignoreconfig:
   checksum: 0e93196d244417801fd40ad6bfa01f53a6bf04257371378a1dc3e14cbc7a04d8
 - filename: slurm-dev-environment/fs/nfs/public/tests/amplicon_v6_output/SRR6180434/taxonomy-summary/SILVA-SSU/SRR6180434.html
   checksum: be322a6ac4686d8fa31b271a862510603403c2da8dbdce60dbb7ad3877aa7b47
+- filename: analyses/tests.py
+  allowed_patterns: [key]
+- filename: analyses/base_models/with_status_models.py
+  allowed_patterns: [key]
 allowed_patterns:
 - pagination_key
 - CommonMetadataKeys
diff --git a/analyses/base_models/with_status_models.py b/analyses/base_models/with_status_models.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c67b3d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/analyses/base_models/with_status_models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+# TODO: refactor the "state" field to a base model here, including helpers like a default state classmethod
+# and a mark-status method
+from enum import Enum
+from typing import List, Union
+
+from django.db.models import Q
+
+
+class SelectByStatusManagerMixin:
+    """
+    A mixin for model managers that provides queryset filtering by the truthiness of keys in a model object's json field.
+    Helpful for filtering e.g. analyses.objects.filter(status__is_it_started=True, status__is_it_finished=False).
+
+    Use:
+    class MyModelManager(SelectByStatusManagerMixin, models.Manager):...
+        STATUS_FIELDNAME = "my_status_field"
+
+    class MyModel(...):
+        objects = MyModelManager()
+
+    MyModel.objects.filter_by_statuses(["is_it_started"]).exclude_by_statuses(["is_it_finished"]).
+    """
+
+    STATUS_FIELDNAME = "status"
+
+    def _build_q_objects(
+        self, keys: List[Union[str, Enum]], allow_null: bool, truthy_target: bool
+    ):
+        filters = []
+        for status in keys:
+            status_label = status.value if isinstance(status, Enum) else status
+            if allow_null:
+                filters.append(
+                    Q(**{f"{self.STATUS_FIELDNAME}__{status_label}": truthy_target})
+                )
+            else:
+                filters.append(
+                    Q(**{f"{self.STATUS_FIELDNAME}__{status_label}": truthy_target})
+                    | Q(**{f"{self.STATUS_FIELDNAME}__{status_label}__isnull": True})
+                )
+        return filters
+
+    def filter_by_statuses(
+        self, statuses_to_be_true: List[Union[str, Enum]] = None, strict: bool = True
+    ):
+        """
+        Filter queryset by a combination of statuses in the object's status json field.
+        :param statuses_to_be_true: List of keys that should resolve to true values in the model's STATUS_FIELDNAME json field.
+        :param strict: If True, objects will be filtered out if the key is not present. If False, null values are also acceptable i.e. only falsey values will be excluded.
+        """
+        if not statuses_to_be_true:
+            return super().get_queryset()
+
+        filters = self._build_q_objects(statuses_to_be_true, strict, True)
+        return super().get_queryset().filter(*filters)
+
+    def exclude_by_statuses(
+        self, statuses_to_exclude: List[Union[str, Enum]] = None, strict: bool = True
+    ):
+        """
+        Filter queryset by excluding a combination of statuses in the object's status json field.
+        :param statuses_to_exclude: List of keys that, if they resolve to false values in the model's STATUS_FIELDNAME json field, will exclude that object from the queryset.
+        :param strict: If True, objects will only be excluded if the key is present AND truthy. If False, null values are also excluded.
+        """
+        if not statuses_to_exclude:
+            return super().get_queryset()
+
+        filters = self._build_q_objects(statuses_to_exclude, not strict, False)
+        return super().get_queryset().filter(*filters)
diff --git a/analyses/models.py b/analyses/models.py
index ed8d22b..c198659 100644
--- a/analyses/models.py
+++ b/analyses/models.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 )
 from analyses.base_models.mgnify_accessioned_models import MGnifyAccessionField
 from analyses.base_models.with_downloads_models import WithDownloadsModel
+from analyses.base_models.with_status_models import SelectByStatusManagerMixin
 from emgapiv2.async_utils import anysync_property
 
 # Some models associated with MGnify Analyses (MGYS, MGYA etc).
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@ def __str__(self):
         return f"{self.name} {self.version}" if self.version is not None else self.name
 
 
-class AssemblyManager(ENADerivedManager):
+class AssemblyManager(SelectByStatusManagerMixin, ENADerivedManager):
     def get_queryset(self):
         return super().get_queryset().select_related("run")
 
@@ -275,6 +276,7 @@ class AssemblyStates(str, Enum):
         def default_status(cls):
             return {
                 cls.ASSEMBLY_STARTED: False,
+                cls.PRE_ASSEMBLY_QC_FAILED: False,
                 cls.ASSEMBLY_FAILED: False,
                 cls.ASSEMBLY_COMPLETED: False,
                 cls.ASSEMBLY_BLOCKED: False,
@@ -407,7 +409,7 @@ def __str__(self):
             return f"ComputeResourceHeuristic {self.id} ({self.process})"
 
 
-class AnalysisManagerDeferringAnnotations(models.Manager):
+class AnalysisManagerDeferringAnnotations(SelectByStatusManagerMixin, models.Manager):
     """
     The annotations field is a potentially large JSONB field.
     Defer it by default, since most queries don't need to transfer this large dataset.
@@ -417,7 +419,7 @@ def get_queryset(self):
         return super().get_queryset().defer("annotations")
 
 
-class AnalysisManagerIncludingAnnotations(models.Manager):
+class AnalysisManagerIncludingAnnotations(SelectByStatusManagerMixin, models.Manager):
     def get_queryset(self):
         return super().get_queryset()
 
@@ -543,6 +545,7 @@ class AnalysisStates(str, Enum):
         def default_status(cls):
             return {
                 cls.ANALYSIS_STARTED: False,
+                cls.ANALYSIS_QC_FAILED: False,
                 cls.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED: False,
                 cls.ANALYSIS_BLOCKED: False,
                 cls.ANALYSIS_FAILED: False,
diff --git a/analyses/tests.py b/analyses/tests.py
index faed6ef..59ed445 100644
--- a/analyses/tests.py
+++ b/analyses/tests.py
@@ -199,3 +199,112 @@ def test_analysis_inheritance(
         analysis.refresh_from_db()
         assert analysis.experiment_type != analysis.ExperimentTypes.UNKNOWN
         assert analysis.experiment_type == run.experiment_type
+
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db(transaction=True)
+def test_status_filtering(
+    raw_read_run,
+):
+    run = Run.objects.first()
+    analysis = Analysis.objects.create(
+        study=run.study, run=run, ena_study=run.ena_study, sample=run.sample
+    )
+    assert analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED.value in analysis.status
+    assert analysis.status[analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED.value] == False
+
+    assert run.study.analyses.count() == 1
+
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.filter(
+            **{f"status__{analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED.value}": False}
+        ).count()
+        == 1
+    )
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.filter(
+            **{f"status__{analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED.value}": True}
+        ).count()
+        == 0
+    )
+
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.filter_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED]
+        ).count()
+        == 0
+    )
+
+    # should include a missing key if not strict
+    assert run.study.analyses.filter_by_statuses(["non_existent_key"]).count() == 0
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.filter_by_statuses(
+            ["non_existent_key"], strict=False
+        ).count()
+        == 1
+    )
+
+    analysis.status[analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED] = True
+    analysis.save()
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.filter_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED]
+        ).count()
+        == 1
+    )
+
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.filter_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED, "non_existent_key"]
+        ).count()
+        == 0
+    )
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.filter_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED, "non_existent_key"],
+            strict=False,
+        ).count()
+        == 1
+    )
+
+    analysis.status["an_extra_key"] = True
+    analysis.save()
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.filter_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED, "an_extra_key"]
+        ).count()
+        == 1
+    )
+
+    # EXCLUSIONS
+    assert run.study.analyses.count() == 1
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.exclude_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED]
+        ).count()
+        == 0
+    )
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.exclude_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED]
+        ).count()
+        == 1
+    )
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.exclude_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED, "an_extra_key"]
+        ).count()
+        == 0
+    )
+
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.exclude_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED, "non_existent_key"]
+        ).count()
+        == 1
+    )
+    assert (
+        run.study.analyses.exclude_by_statuses(
+            [analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED, "non_existent_key"], strict=False
+        ).count()
+        == 0
+    )
diff --git a/workflows/flows/analysis_amplicon_study.py b/workflows/flows/analysis_amplicon_study.py
index 1dfc1a4..7e36a6f 100644
--- a/workflows/flows/analysis_amplicon_study.py
+++ b/workflows/flows/analysis_amplicon_study.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 FASTQ_FTPS = analyses.models.Run.CommonMetadataKeys.FASTQ_FTPS
 METADATA__FASTQ_FTPS = f"{analyses.models.Run.metadata.field.name}__{FASTQ_FTPS}"
 EMG_CONFIG = settings.EMG_CONFIG
+AnalysisStates = analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates
 
 
 @task(
@@ -60,16 +61,18 @@ def get_analyses_to_attempt(
     """
     study.refresh_from_db()
     analyses_worth_trying = (
-        study.analyses.filter(
-            **{
-                f"status__{analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED}": False,
-                f"status__{analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_BLOCKED}": False,
-            }
+        study.analyses.exclude_by_statuses(
+            [
+                analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_QC_FAILED,
+                analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED,
+                analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_BLOCKED,
+            ]
         )
-        .filter(experiment_type=for_experiment_type)
+        .filter(experiment_type=for_experiment_type.value)
         .order_by("id")
         .values_list("id", flat=True)
     )
+
     print(f"Got {len(analyses_worth_trying)} analyses to attempt")
     return analyses_worth_trying
 
@@ -109,12 +112,12 @@ def create_analyses(
 
 @task(log_prints=True)
 def mark_analysis_as_started(analysis: analyses.models.Analysis):
-    analysis.mark_status(analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_STARTED)
+    analysis.mark_status(AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_STARTED)
 
 
 @task(log_prints=True)
 def mark_analysis_as_failed(analysis: analyses.models.Analysis):
-    analysis.mark_status(analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED)
+    analysis.mark_status(AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED)
 
 
 @task(
@@ -472,7 +475,7 @@ def sanity_check_amplicon_results(
     if reason:
         task_mark_analysis_status(
             analysis,
-            status=analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_POST_SANITY_CHECK_FAILED,
+            status=AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_POST_SANITY_CHECK_FAILED,
             reason=reason,
         )
 
@@ -483,7 +486,7 @@ def import_completed_analysis(
 ):
     for analysis in amplicon_analyses:
         analysis.refresh_from_db()
-        if not analysis.status.get(analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED):
+        if not analysis.status.get(AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED):
             print(f"{analysis} is not completed successfuly. Skipping.")
             continue
         if analysis.annotations.get(analysis.TAXONOMIES):
@@ -546,17 +549,17 @@ def set_post_analysis_states(amplicon_current_outdir: Path, amplicon_analyses: L
         if analysis.run.first_accession in qc_failed_runs:
             task_mark_analysis_status(
                 analysis,
-                status=analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED,
+                status=AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_QC_FAILED,
                 reason=qc_failed_runs[analysis.run.first_accession],
             )
         elif analysis.run.first_accession in qc_completed_runs:
             task_mark_analysis_status(
                 analysis,
-                status=analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED,
+                status=AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_COMPLETED,
                 reason=qc_completed_runs[analysis.run.first_accession],
                 unset_statuses=[
-                    analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED,
-                    analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_BLOCKED,
+                    AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED,
+                    AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_BLOCKED,
                 ],
             )
             sanity_check_amplicon_results(
@@ -566,7 +569,7 @@ def set_post_analysis_states(amplicon_current_outdir: Path, amplicon_analyses: L
         else:
             task_mark_analysis_status(
                 analysis,
-                status=analyses.models.Analysis.AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED,
+                status=AnalysisStates.ANALYSIS_FAILED,
                 reason="Missing run in execution",
             )
 
diff --git a/workflows/flows/assemble_study.py b/workflows/flows/assemble_study.py
index 8722b2b..92fa782 100644
--- a/workflows/flows/assemble_study.py
+++ b/workflows/flows/assemble_study.py
@@ -122,11 +122,12 @@ def get_assemblies_to_attempt(study: analyses.models.Study) -> List[Union[str, i
     :return:
     """
     study.refresh_from_db()
-    assemblies_worth_trying = study.assemblies_reads.filter(
-        **{
-            f"status__{analyses.models.Assembly.AssemblyStates.ASSEMBLY_COMPLETED}": False,
-            f"status__{analyses.models.Assembly.AssemblyStates.ASSEMBLY_BLOCKED}": False,
-        }
+    assemblies_worth_trying = study.assemblies_reads.exclude_by_statuses(
+        [
+            analyses.models.Assembly.AssemblyStates.PRE_ASSEMBLY_QC_FAILED,
+            analyses.models.Assembly.AssemblyStates.ASSEMBLY_COMPLETED,
+            analyses.models.Assembly.AssemblyStates.ASSEMBLY_BLOCKED,
+        ]
     ).values_list("id", flat=True)
     return assemblies_worth_trying
 
diff --git a/workflows/tests/test_analysis_amplicon_study_flow.py b/workflows/tests/test_analysis_amplicon_study_flow.py
index a0452a1..99a31fa 100644
--- a/workflows/tests/test_analysis_amplicon_study_flow.py
+++ b/workflows/tests/test_analysis_amplicon_study_flow.py
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ async def test_prefect_analyse_amplicon_flow(
     # check failed runs
     assert (
         await analyses.models.Analysis.objects.filter(
-            status__analysis_failed=True
+            status__analysis_qc_failed=True
         ).acount()
         == 1
     )