diff --git a/internal/asynqtest/asynqtest.go b/internal/asynqtest/asynqtest.go
index 3eb3076..a3d1452 100644
--- a/internal/asynqtest/asynqtest.go
+++ b/internal/asynqtest/asynqtest.go
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ func getMessagesFromZSetWithScores(tb testing.TB, r redis.UniversalClient,
 		msg := r.HGet(taskKey, "msg").Val()
 		res = append(res, base.Z{Message: MustUnmarshal(tb, msg), Score: int64(z.Score)})
 		if gotState := r.HGet(taskKey, "state").Val(); gotState != state {
-			tb.Errorf("task (id=%q) is in state %q, want %q", taskID, gotState, state)
+			tb.Errorf("task (id=%q) is in %q state, want %q", taskID, gotState, state)
 		}
 	}
 	return res
diff --git a/internal/rdb/rdb.go b/internal/rdb/rdb.go
index fbb1825..01c63ee 100644
--- a/internal/rdb/rdb.go
+++ b/internal/rdb/rdb.go
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ if redis.call("EXISTS", KEYS[2]) == 0 then
 	local id = redis.call("RPOPLPUSH", KEYS[1], KEYS[3])
 	if id then
 		local key = ARGV[2] .. id
+		redis.call("HSET", key, "state", "active")
 		local data = redis.call("HMGET", key, "msg", "timeout", "deadline")
 		local msg = data[1]	
 		local timeout = tonumber(data[2])