diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 48ac2d5994..c137b8eb9a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     * Make `ApplyWorkflow.start_timestamp` non-nullable (\#927).
     * Remove `"cascade": "all, delete-orphan"` from `Project.job_list` (\#927).
     * Add `Workflow.job_list` relation (\#927).
+    * Do not use `Enum`s as column types (e.g. for `ApplyWorkflow.status`), but only for (de-)serialization (\#974).
 * Runner:
     * Refresh DB objects within `submit_workflow` (\#927).
 * Testing:
diff --git a/fractal_server/app/api/v1/dataset.py b/fractal_server/app/api/v1/dataset.py
index d340371f04..e7cbd1330b 100644
--- a/fractal_server/app/api/v1/dataset.py
+++ b/fractal_server/app/api/v1/dataset.py
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@
 from ...db import get_db
 from ...models import ApplyWorkflow
 from ...models import Dataset
-from ...models import JobStatusType
 from ...models import Resource
 from ...runner._common import HISTORY_FILENAME
 from ...schemas import DatasetCreate
 from ...schemas import DatasetRead
 from ...schemas import DatasetStatusRead
 from ...schemas import DatasetUpdate
+from ...schemas import JobStatusType
 from ...schemas import ResourceCreate
 from ...schemas import ResourceRead
 from ...schemas import ResourceUpdate
diff --git a/fractal_server/app/api/v1/project.py b/fractal_server/app/api/v1/project.py
index 70db2ee529..aa93020fd9 100644
--- a/fractal_server/app/api/v1/project.py
+++ b/fractal_server/app/api/v1/project.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 from ...db import get_db
 from ...db import get_sync_db
 from ...models import ApplyWorkflow
-from ...models import JobStatusType
 from ...models import LinkUserProject
 from ...models import Project
 from ...runner import submit_workflow
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@
 from ...runner.common import set_start_and_last_task_index
 from ...schemas import ApplyWorkflowCreate
 from ...schemas import ApplyWorkflowRead
+from ...schemas import JobStatusType
 from ...schemas import ProjectCreate
 from ...schemas import ProjectRead
 from ...schemas import ProjectUpdate
diff --git a/fractal_server/app/models/job.py b/fractal_server/app/models/job.py
index aa4131682f..18462e8bd4 100644
--- a/fractal_server/app/models/job.py
+++ b/fractal_server/app/models/job.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 from datetime import datetime
-from enum import Enum
 from typing import Any
 from typing import Optional
 
@@ -10,34 +9,10 @@
 from sqlmodel import SQLModel
 
 from ...utils import get_timestamp
+from ..schemas import JobStatusType
 from ..schemas.applyworkflow import _ApplyWorkflowBase
 
 
-class JobStatusType(str, Enum):
-    """
-    Define the job status available
-
-    Attributes:
-        SUBMITTED:
-            The workflow has been applied but not yet scheduled with an
-            executor. In this phase, due diligence takes place, such as
-            creating working directory, assemblying arguments, etc.
-        RUNNING:
-            The workflow was scheduled with an executor. Note that it might not
-            yet be running within the executor, e.g., jobs could still be
-            pending within a SLURM executor.
-        DONE:
-            The workflow was applied successfully
-        FAILED:
-            The workflow terminated with an error.
-    """
-
-    SUBMITTED = "submitted"
-    RUNNING = "running"
-    DONE = "done"
-    FAILED = "failed"
-
-
 class ApplyWorkflow(_ApplyWorkflowBase, SQLModel, table=True):
     """
     Represent a workflow run
@@ -115,5 +90,5 @@ class Config:
     end_timestamp: Optional[datetime] = Field(
         default=None, sa_column=Column(DateTime(timezone=True))
     )
-    status: JobStatusType = JobStatusType.SUBMITTED
+    status: str = JobStatusType.SUBMITTED
     log: Optional[str] = None
diff --git a/fractal_server/app/runner/__init__.py b/fractal_server/app/runner/__init__.py
index d531e54561..1e504d9ace 100644
--- a/fractal_server/app/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/fractal_server/app/runner/__init__.py
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@
 from ..db import DB
 from ..models import ApplyWorkflow
 from ..models import Dataset
-from ..models import JobStatusType
 from ..models import Workflow
 from ..models import WorkflowTask
+from ..schemas import JobStatusType
 from ._local import process_workflow as local_process_workflow
 from .common import close_job_logger
 from .common import JobExecutionError
diff --git a/fractal_server/app/schemas/__init__.py b/fractal_server/app/schemas/__init__.py
index ab808b414e..0efa0412ea 100644
--- a/fractal_server/app/schemas/__init__.py
+++ b/fractal_server/app/schemas/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 """
 from .applyworkflow import ApplyWorkflowCreate  # noqa: F401
 from .applyworkflow import ApplyWorkflowRead  # noqa: F401
+from .applyworkflow import JobStatusType  # noqa: F401
 from .dataset import DatasetCreate  # noqa: F401
 from .dataset import DatasetRead  # noqa: F401
 from .dataset import DatasetStatusRead  # noqa: F401
diff --git a/fractal_server/app/schemas/applyworkflow.py b/fractal_server/app/schemas/applyworkflow.py
index f13bbe6583..31bc7f2207 100644
--- a/fractal_server/app/schemas/applyworkflow.py
+++ b/fractal_server/app/schemas/applyworkflow.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from datetime import datetime
+from enum import Enum
 from typing import Any
 from typing import Optional
 
@@ -14,6 +15,31 @@
 )
 
 
+class JobStatusType(str, Enum):
+    """
+    Define the available job statuses
+
+    Attributes:
+        SUBMITTED:
+            The workflow has been applied but not yet scheduled with an
+            executor. In this phase, due diligence takes place, such as
+            creating working directory, assemblying arguments, etc.
+        RUNNING:
+            The workflow was scheduled with an executor. Note that it might not
+            yet be running within the executor, e.g., jobs could still be
+            pending within a SLURM executor.
+        DONE:
+            The workflow was applied successfully
+        FAILED:
+            The workflow terminated with an error.
+    """
+
+    SUBMITTED = "submitted"
+    RUNNING = "running"
+    DONE = "done"
+    FAILED = "failed"
+
+
 class _ApplyWorkflowBase(BaseModel):
     """
     Base class for `ApplyWorkflow`.
diff --git a/tests/test_unit_submit_workflow.py b/tests/test_unit_submit_workflow.py
index 817784ccb4..131b3672e2 100644
--- a/tests/test_unit_submit_workflow.py
+++ b/tests/test_unit_submit_workflow.py
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
 
 from fractal_server.app.db import get_sync_db
 from fractal_server.app.models import ApplyWorkflow
-from fractal_server.app.models import JobStatusType
 from fractal_server.app.runner import submit_workflow
+from fractal_server.app.schemas import JobStatusType
 
 
 async def test_success_submit_workflows(