diff --git a/manager/src/state/file.rs b/manager/src/state/file.rs
index c24e12e..b855e20 100644
--- a/manager/src/state/file.rs
+++ b/manager/src/state/file.rs
@@ -131,11 +131,27 @@ impl State for FileStore {
         }
         pending_file_path.push(task_id);
 
-        File::create(pending_file_path)
-            .context(StateErrorKind::PendingTaskWriteFailed)?
-            .write_all(&task_id.as_bytes())
-            .context(StateErrorKind::PendingTaskWriteFailed)?;
-        Ok(())
+        match task.get_status() {
+            TaskStatus::TASK_UNKNOWN => Ok(()),
+            TaskStatus::TASK_IN_PROGRESS => Ok(()),
+            TaskStatus::TASK_PENDING => {
+                File::create(pending_file_path)
+                    .context(StateErrorKind::PendingTaskWriteFailed)?
+                    .write_all(&task_id.as_bytes())
+                    .context(StateErrorKind::PendingTaskWriteFailed)?;
+                Ok(())
+            }
+            TaskStatus::TASK_DONE => {
+                fs::remove_file(pending_file_path)
+                    .context(StateErrorKind::PendingTaskRemoveFailed)?;
+                Ok(())
+            }
+            TaskStatus::TASK_FAILED => {
+                // TODO: Do we want to remove the pending file if the task
+                //       fails or do we keep it?
+                Ok(())
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     fn pending_map_tasks(&self, job: &Job) -> Result<Vec<Task>, StateError> {
diff --git a/manager/src/state/mod.rs b/manager/src/state/mod.rs
index 39d40bc..111b9ff 100644
--- a/manager/src/state/mod.rs
+++ b/manager/src/state/mod.rs
@@ -8,14 +8,16 @@ use std::fmt::Display;
 use failure::*;
 use futures::Future;
 
-use heracles_proto::datatypes::{Job, Task, TaskKind};
+use heracles_proto::datatypes::{Job, Task, TaskKind, TaskStatus};
 
 #[allow(doc_markdown)]
 /// Interface for creating connections to state stores, such as etcd or TiKV etc.
 pub trait State {
     /// Serialize the job and save it in the state store so it can be loaded later.
     fn save_job(&self, job: &Job) -> Result<(), StateError>;
-    /// Adds a task to the list of tasks and add it to pending
+    /// Adds a task to the list of tasks.
+    /// If the task has status of PENDING, it is added to pending tasks
+    /// If the task has status of DONE, the pending task is removed.
     fn save_task(&self, task: &Task) -> Result<(), StateError>;
     /// List of pending map tasks for a specific job.
     fn pending_map_tasks(&self, job: &Job) -> Result<Vec<Task>, StateError>;
@@ -61,6 +63,8 @@ pub enum StateErrorKind {
     TaskWriteFailed,
     #[fail(display = "Failed to create pending task")]
     PendingTaskWriteFailed,
+    #[fail(display = "Failed to remove pending task")]
+    PendingTaskRemoveFailed,
     #[fail(display = "Failed operation.")]
     OperationFailed,
 }
diff --git a/worker/settings/settings.go b/worker/settings/settings.go
index 4978f5c..703d28b 100644
--- a/worker/settings/settings.go
+++ b/worker/settings/settings.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func Init() error {
 func setDefaults() {
 	settings.SetDefault("broker.queue_name", "heracles_tasks")
 	settings.SetDefault("broker.address", "")
-	settings.SetDefault("state.backend", "file")
+	settings.SetDefault("state.backend", "empty")
 	settings.SetDefault("state.location", "")
 }
 
diff --git a/worker/state/empty.go b/worker/state/empty.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19c8fed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/worker/state/empty.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package state
+
+import (
+	"github.com/cpssd/heracles/proto/datatypes"
+	log "github.com/golang/glog"
+)
+
+// EmptyStore implements State
+type EmptyStore struct {
+}
+
+// NewEmptyStore returns a state store which does nothing.
+func NewEmptyStore() (*EmptyStore, error) {
+	return &EmptyStore{}, nil
+}
+
+// SaveProgress implementation
+func (f EmptyStore) SaveProgress(task *datatypes.Task) error {
+	log.V(1).Info("empty store saving task %s", task.GetId())
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/worker/state/state.go b/worker/state/state.go
index a98b432..2445c94 100644
--- a/worker/state/state.go
+++ b/worker/state/state.go
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ func New() (State, error) {
 	case "file":
 		location := settings.Get("state.location").(string)
 		return NewFileStore(location)
+	case "empty":
+		return NewEmptyStore()
 	}
 
 	return nil, errors.New("unknown state kind")