diff --git a/grade/grading/form/lib.php b/grade/grading/form/lib.php
index 11d95dae710..64744ed404d 100644
--- a/grade/grading/form/lib.php
+++ b/grade/grading/form/lib.php
@@ -31,9 +31,12 @@ defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
  */
 abstract class gradingform_controller {
 
-    const DEFINITION_STATUS_WORKINPROGRESS  = 0;
-    const DEFINITION_STATUS_PRIVATE         = 1;
-    const DEFINITION_STATUS_PUBLIC          = 2;
+    /** undefined definition status */
+    const DEFINITION_STATUS_NULL = 0;
+    /** the form is currently being edited and is not ready for usage yet */
+    const DEFINITION_STATUS_DRAFT = 10;
+    /** the for was marked as ready for actual usage */
+    const DEFINITION_STATUS_READY = 20;
 
     /** @var stdClass the context */
     protected $context;
@@ -114,32 +117,20 @@ abstract class gradingform_controller {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Is the grading form defined and released for usage by the given user?
+     * Is the grading form defined and ready for usage?
      *
-     * @param int $foruserid the id of the user who attempts to work with the form
      * @return boolean
      */
-    public function is_form_available($foruserid = null) {
-        global $USER;
-
-        if (is_null($foruserid)) {
-            $foruserid = $USER->id;
-        }
+    public function is_form_available() {
 
         if (!$this->is_form_defined()) {
             return false;
         }
 
-        if ($this->definition->status == self::DEFINITION_STATUS_PUBLIC) {
+        if ($this->definition->status == self::DEFINITION_STATUS_READY) {
             return true;
         }
 
-        if ($this->definition->status == self::DEFINITION_STATUS_PRIVATE) {
-            if ($this->definition->usercreated == $foruserid) {
-                return true;
-            }
-        }
-
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -225,9 +216,10 @@ abstract class gradingform_controller {
      * and save their data into own tables, too.
      *
      * @param stdClass $definition data containing values for the {grading_definition} table
+     * @param int|null $status optionally overwrite the status field with this value
      * @param int|null $usermodified optional userid of the author of the definition, defaults to the current user
      */
-    public function update_definition(stdClass $definition, $usermodified = null) {
+    public function update_definition(stdClass $definition, $status = null, $usermodified = null) {
         global $DB, $USER;
 
         if (is_null($usermodified)) {
@@ -256,6 +248,10 @@ abstract class gradingform_controller {
             // set the modification flags
             $record->timemodified = time();
             $record->usermodified = $usermodified;
+            // overwrite the status if required
+            if (!is_null($status)) {
+                $record->status = $status;
+            }
 
             $DB->update_record('grading_definitions', $record);
 
@@ -281,7 +277,11 @@ abstract class gradingform_controller {
             $record->usercreated  = $usermodified;
             $record->timemodified = $record->timecreated;
             $record->usermodified = $record->usercreated;
-            $record->status       = self::DEFINITION_STATUS_WORKINPROGRESS;
+            if (!is_null($status)) {
+                $record->status = $status;
+            } else {
+                $record->status = self::DEFINITION_STATUS_DRAFT;
+            }
 
             $DB->insert_record('grading_definitions', $record);
 
diff --git a/grade/grading/form/rubric/edit.php b/grade/grading/form/rubric/edit.php
index a4ac7845880..cff0092f8de 100644
--- a/grade/grading/form/rubric/edit.php
+++ b/grade/grading/form/rubric/edit.php
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ if ($mform->is_cancelled()) {
     redirect($returnurl);
 } else if ($mform->is_submitted() && $mform->is_validated()) {
     $data = $mform->get_data();
-    $controller->update_definition($data);
+    $controller->update_definition($data); // todo set status
     redirect($returnurl);
 }
 
diff --git a/grade/grading/form/rubric/lib.php b/grade/grading/form/rubric/lib.php
index 2075039081b..085ee0afb8d 100644
--- a/grade/grading/form/rubric/lib.php
+++ b/grade/grading/form/rubric/lib.php
@@ -62,16 +62,17 @@ class gradingform_rubric_controller extends gradingform_controller {
      *
      * @see parent::update_definition()
      * @param stdClass $newdefinition rubric definition data as coming from gradingform_rubric_editrubric::get_data()
+     * @param int|null $status optionally overwrite the status field with this value
      * @param int|null $usermodified optional userid of the author of the definition, defaults to the current user
      */
-    public function update_definition(stdClass $newdefinition, $usermodified = null) {
+    public function update_definition(stdClass $newdefinition, $status = null, $usermodified = null) {
         global $DB;
 
         // firstly update the common definition data in the {grading_definition} table
         if ($this->definition === false) {
-            // if definition does not exist yet, create a blank one with only required fields set
+            // if definition does not exist yet, create a blank one
             // (we need id to save files embedded in description)
-            parent::update_definition((object)array('descriptionformat' => FORMAT_MOODLE), $usermodified);
+            parent::update_definition((object)array(), $status, $usermodified);
             parent::load_definition();
         }
         if (!isset($newdefinition->rubric['options'])) {
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ class gradingform_rubric_controller extends gradingform_controller {
         $editoroptions = self::description_form_field_options($this->get_context());
         $newdefinition = file_postupdate_standard_editor($newdefinition, 'description', $editoroptions, $this->get_context(),
             'gradingform_rubric', 'definition_description', $this->definition->id);
-        parent::update_definition($newdefinition, $usermodified);
+        parent::update_definition($newdefinition, $status, $usermodified);
 
         // reload the definition from the database
         $currentdefinition = $this->get_definition(true);
@@ -343,11 +344,6 @@ class gradingform_rubric_controller extends gradingform_controller {
         return format_text($description, $this->definition->descriptionformat, $formatoptions);
     }
 
-    public function is_form_available($foruserid = null) {
-        return true;
-        // TODO this is temporary for testing!
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns the rubric plugin renderer
      *
diff --git a/grade/grading/manage.php b/grade/grading/manage.php
index 5e80dcfddd6..9bdabdd19cc 100644
--- a/grade/grading/manage.php
+++ b/grade/grading/manage.php
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@ if (!empty($shareform)) {
         $newareaid = $manager->create_shared_area($method);
         $targetarea = get_grading_manager($newareaid);
         $targetcontroller = $targetarea->get_controller($method);
-        $targetcontroller->update_definition($controller->get_definition_copy($targetcontroller));
+        $targetcontroller->update_definition($controller->get_definition_copy($targetcontroller),
+            gradingform_controller::DEFINITION_STATUS_READY);
         redirect(new moodle_url($PAGE->url, array('message' => get_string('manageactionsharedone', 'core_grading'))));
     }
 }
diff --git a/grade/grading/templates.php b/grade/grading/templates.php
index 8a0ba15c2eb..5e63035350e 100644
--- a/grade/grading/templates.php
+++ b/grade/grading/templates.php
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ if ($pick) {
         die();
     } else {
         require_sesskey();
-        $targetcontroller->update_definition($sourcecontroller->get_definition_copy($targetcontroller));
+        $targetcontroller->update_definition($sourcecontroller->get_definition_copy($targetcontroller),
+            gradingform_controller::DEFINITION_STATUS_READY);
         redirect(new moodle_url('/grade/grading/manage.php', array('areaid' => $targetid)));
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/db/upgrade.php b/lib/db/upgrade.php
index 6aa33d1d57a..602cbc902c1 100644
--- a/lib/db/upgrade.php
+++ b/lib/db/upgrade.php
@@ -6878,6 +6878,13 @@ FROM
         upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2011101900.02);
     }
 
+    // TODO squash this before merging into the master - MDL-29798
+    if ($oldversion < 2011102700.03) {
+        // set the reasonable status to all definitions we have in our databases so far
+        $DB->set_field('grading_definitions', 'status', 20);
+        upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2011102700.03);
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/version.php b/version.php
index 6bcc026af5b..32e81a507b4 100644
--- a/version.php
+++ b/version.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
 
 
-$version  = 2011102700.00;              // YYYYMMDD      = weekly release date of this DEV branch
+$version  = 2011102700.03;              // YYYYMMDD      = weekly release date of this DEV branch
                                         //         RR    = release increments - 00 in DEV branches
                                         //           .XX = incremental changes