diff --git a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/collection_json.py b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/collection_json.py
index 366b513d..312c1b29 100644
--- a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/collection_json.py
+++ b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/collection_json.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     CollectionWebsiteConfigTemplate,
 )
 from .common import Node
+from .db_structure.version_info import DraftStatus, ErrorStatus
 
 
 class Author(Node, frozen=True):
@@ -30,8 +31,14 @@ class TrainingData(Node, frozen=True):
     id: str
 
 
+class Uploader(Node, frozen=True):
+    name: Optional[str] = None
+    email: str
+
+
 class CollectionEntry(Node, frozen=True):
     authors: Sequence[Author]
+    uploader: Uploader
     badges: Sequence[Badge]
     concept_doi: Optional[str]
     covers: Sequence[HttpUrl]
@@ -52,6 +59,8 @@ class CollectionEntry(Node, frozen=True):
     training_data: Optional[TrainingData] = None
     type: Literal["application", "model", "notebook", "dataset"]
     source: Optional[str] = None
+    status: Optional[Union[DraftStatus, ErrorStatus]] = None
+    """status of the draft (for collection_draft.json only)"""
 
     def __lt__(self, other: CollectionEntry):
         sdc = 0 if self.download_count == "?" else self.download_count
diff --git a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/mailroom/send_email.py b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/mailroom/send_email.py
index 46b8a58e..622db390 100644
--- a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/mailroom/send_email.py
+++ b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/mailroom/send_email.py
@@ -17,19 +17,17 @@
 
 
 def notify_uploader(rv: Union[RecordDraft, Record], subject_end: str, msg: str):
-    email, name = rv.get_uploader()
-    if email is None:
-        raise ValueError("missing uploader email")
+    uploader = rv.get_uploader()
 
     subject = f"{STATUS_UPDATE_SUBJECT}{rv.id} {rv.version} {subject_end.strip()}"
-    if email == BOT_EMAIL:
+    if uploader.email == BOT_EMAIL:
         logger.info("skipping email '{}' to {}", subject, BOT_EMAIL)
         return
 
     send_email(
         subject=subject,
         body=(
-            f"Dear {name},\n"
+            f"Dear {uploader.name},\n"
             + f"{msg.strip()}\n"
             + "Kind regards,\n"
             + "The bioimage.io bot 🦒\n"
@@ -37,7 +35,7 @@ def notify_uploader(rv: Union[RecordDraft, Record], subject_end: str, msg: str):
         ).replace(
             "\n", "\n\n"  # respect newlines in markdown
         ),
-        recipients=[email],
+        recipients=[uploader.email],
     )
 
 
diff --git a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/remote_collection.py b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/remote_collection.py
index df657e57..ebdcc508 100644
--- a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/remote_collection.py
+++ b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/remote_collection.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
     List,
     Literal,
     Mapping,
-    NamedTuple,
     Optional,
     Sequence,
     Tuple,
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@
 from loguru import logger
 from pydantic import AnyUrl
 from ruyaml import YAML
-from typing_extensions import Concatenate, ParamSpec
+from typing_extensions import Concatenate, ParamSpec, assert_never
 
 from ._settings import settings
 from ._thumbnails import create_thumbnails
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@
     CollectionWebsiteConfig,
     ConceptSummary,
     ConceptVersion,
+    Uploader,
 )
 from .db_structure.chat import Chat, Message
 from .db_structure.compatibility import (
@@ -569,11 +569,6 @@ def doi(self):
             return None
 
 
-class Uploader(NamedTuple):
-    email: Optional[str]
-    name: str
-
-
 @dataclass
 class RecordBase(RemoteBase, ABC):
     """Base class for a `RecordDraft` and `Record`"""
@@ -633,18 +628,7 @@ def extend_chat(
 
     def get_uploader(self):
         rdf = self.get_rdf()
-        try:
-            uploader = rdf["uploader"]
-            email = uploader["email"]
-            name = uploader.get(
-                "name", f"{rdf.get('type', 'bioimage.io resource')} contributor"
-            )
-        except Exception as e:
-            logger.error("failed to extract uploader from rdf: {}", e)
-            email = None
-            name = "bioimage.io resource contributor"
-
-        return Uploader(email=email, name=name)
+        return Uploader.model_validate(rdf["uploader"])
 
     def get_file_url(self, path: str):
         return self.client.get_file_url(f"{self.folder}files/{path}")
@@ -1193,6 +1177,11 @@ def create_collection_entries(
             f"{record_version.concept.folder}versions.json",
             versions_info.model_dump(mode="json"),
         )
+        status = None
+    elif isinstance(record_version, RecordDraft):
+        status = record_version.info.status
+    else:
+        assert_never(record_version)
 
     try:
         # legacy nickname
@@ -1261,6 +1250,7 @@ def get_compat_tag(tool: str):
     return [
         CollectionEntry(
             authors=rdf.get("authors", []),
+            uploader=rdf["uploader"],
             badges=resolve_relative_path(
                 maybe_swap_with_thumbnail(rdf.get("badges", []), thumbnails),
                 parsed_root,
@@ -1289,5 +1279,6 @@ def get_compat_tag(tool: str):
             training_data=rdf["training_data"] if "training_data" in rdf else None,
             type=rdf["type"],
             source=rdf.get("source"),
+            status=status,
         )
     ], id_map