diff --git a/secop_psi/sea.py b/secop_psi/sea.py
index a91f7987..123112ba 100644
--- a/secop_psi/sea.py
+++ b/secop_psi/sea.py
@@ -533,14 +533,17 @@ class SeaModule(Module):
                 if key == 'target':
                     kwds['readonly'] = False
                 prev = cls.accessibles[key]
-                pobj = Parameter(**kwds)
-                merged_properties = prev.propertyValues.copy()
-                pobj.updateProperties(merged_properties)
-                pobj.merge(merged_properties)
-                datatype = kwds.get('datatype', cls.accessibles[key].datatype)
+                if key == 'status':
+                    # special case: status from sea is a string, not the status tuple
+                    pobj = prev.copy()
+                else:
+                    pobj = Parameter(**kwds)
+                    merged_properties = prev.propertyValues.copy()
+                    pobj.updateProperties(merged_properties)
+                    pobj.merge(merged_properties)
             else:
                 pobj = Parameter(**kwds)
-                datatype = pobj.datatype
+            datatype = pobj.datatype
             if issubclass(cls, SeaWritable) and key == 'target':
                 kwds['readonly'] = False
                 attributes['value'] = Parameter(**kwds)