diff --git a/doc/descriptions-external/template.desc. b/doc/descriptions-external/template.desc.
index addd7a006..8ea7fcc7d 100644
--- a/doc/descriptions-external/template.desc.
+++ b/doc/descriptions-external/template.desc.
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
                                   ; "SCSI", "USB", "Parport (EPP)",
                                   ; "Parport (SPP)", "Parport (ECP)",
                                   ; "Serial port" or "Proprietary".
+:status :untested                 ; :alpha, :beta, :stable, :untested,
+                                  ; or :unsupported
 :model "Templ ZS"
 :interface "USB"
 :model "Templ ZQ"
@@ -42,5 +44,6 @@
 ; :comment and :url specifiers are optional after :mfg, :model, :desc,
 ;  and at the top-level.
 
+; :status specifier is optional after :mfg and at the top-level
 
 
diff --git a/doc/descriptions.txt b/doc/descriptions.txt
index ee8a73fe1..f3703dbc1 100644
--- a/doc/descriptions.txt
+++ b/doc/descriptions.txt
@@ -82,6 +82,13 @@ the SANE mailing list for advice. The "Parport" entries can be amended by
 previous `:model', is optional and should be used only once per model.
 Example: `:interface "SCSI USB IEEE-1394"'
 
+The keyword `:status' is an indication of the level of support for the model.
+It's followed by one of the following keyword arguments: `:alpha', `:beta',
+`:stable', `:untested', or `:unsupported'. The `:status' keyword refers to the
+previous `:model', is optional and should be used only once per model. If it's
+not used, the backend's status (if set) is valid for all models.
+Example: `:status :untested'
+
 The `:desc' keyword token is used for non-hardware devices (API and meta). Its
 string argument describes the meta backend or API. It should be used only once
 per device type.
diff --git a/doc/descriptions/template.desc. b/doc/descriptions/template.desc.
index 4f60a40db..d582da9d0 100644
--- a/doc/descriptions/template.desc.
+++ b/doc/descriptions/template.desc.
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 :mfg "TemPlate"                   ; name a manufacturer
 :url "http://www.template.com/"
 :model "Templ Z"                  ; name models for above-specified mfg.
+:status :untested                 ; :alpha, :beta, :stable, :untested, 
+                                  ; or :unsupported
 :interface "SCSI"                 ; interface type of the device:
                                   ; "SCSI", "USB", "Parport (EPP)",
                                   ; "Parport (SPP)", "Parport (ECP)",
@@ -43,5 +45,6 @@
 ; :comment and :url specifiers are optional after :mfg, :model, :desc,
 ;  and at the top-level.
 
+; :status specifier is optional after :mfg and at the top-level