diff --git a/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/mod.rs b/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/mod.rs
index 9a822069..7f094088 100644
--- a/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/mod.rs
+++ b/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/mod.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ mod tests;
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub enum DataRequestStatus {
-    AwaitingCommits,
     Committing,
     Revealing,
 }
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@ impl<'a> PrimaryKey<'a> for &'a DataRequestStatus {
     fn key(&self) -> Vec<Key> {
         vec![Key::Ref(
             match self {
-                DataRequestStatus::AwaitingCommits => "awaiting_commits",
                 DataRequestStatus::Committing => "committing",
                 DataRequestStatus::Revealing => "revealing",
             }
diff --git a/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/state.rs b/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/state.rs
index 0e802e75..ace27189 100644
--- a/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/state.rs
+++ b/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/state.rs
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ pub fn insert_req(store: &mut dyn Storage, dr_id: &Hash, dr: &DataRequest) -> Re
 
     // set the status to AwaitingCommits
     let mut statuses = DATA_REQUESTS_BY_STATUS
-        .may_load(store, &DataRequestStatus::AwaitingCommits)?
+        .may_load(store, &DataRequestStatus::Committing)?
         .unwrap_or_default();
     statuses.insert(*dr_id);
-    DATA_REQUESTS_BY_STATUS.save(store, &DataRequestStatus::AwaitingCommits, &statuses)?;
+    DATA_REQUESTS_BY_STATUS.save(store, &DataRequestStatus::Committing, &statuses)?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -61,16 +61,6 @@ pub fn insert_req(store: &mut dyn Storage, dr_id: &Hash, dr: &DataRequest) -> Re
 pub fn commit(store: &mut dyn Storage, dr_id: &Hash, dr: &DataRequest) -> StdResult<()> {
     DATA_REQUESTS.save(store, dr_id, dr)?;
 
-    // First, update the status from AwaitingCommits to Committing
-    update_req_status(
-        store,
-        dr_id,
-        &DataRequestStatus::AwaitingCommits,
-        &DataRequestStatus::Committing,
-    )?;
-
-    // and then, if the replication factor has been reached, update the status from Committing to Revealing
-    // we do in this order otherwise it fails for replication factor 1
     if dr.replication_factor as usize == dr.commits.len() {
         update_req_status(
             store,
diff --git a/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/tests.rs b/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/tests.rs
index fd22015c..91a07ea2 100644
--- a/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/tests.rs
+++ b/contract/src/msgs/data_requests/tests.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ fn post_data_request() {
         Some(test_helpers::construct_dr(constructed_dr_id, dr_args, vec![])),
         received_value
     );
-    let await_commits = state::requests_by_status(&deps.storage, &DataRequestStatus::AwaitingCommits).unwrap();
+    let await_commits = state::requests_by_status(&deps.storage, &DataRequestStatus::Committing).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(1, await_commits.len());
     assert!(await_commits.contains(&constructed_dr_id));