diff --git a/app/models/rated_images.rb b/app/models/rated_images.rb
index 4a7beda..aa0d887 100644
--- a/app/models/rated_images.rb
+++ b/app/models/rated_images.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 class RatedImages < ActiveRecord::Base
   belongs_to :image
   attr_accessible :status
+
+  validates :status, :inclusion => 1..4,
+
 end
diff --git a/test/factories/rated_images.rb b/test/factories/rated_images.rb
index 6ae9e4c..b2ebe79 100644
--- a/test/factories/rated_images.rb
+++ b/test/factories/rated_images.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 FactoryGirl.define do
   factory :rated_image, :class => 'RatedImages' do
-    image nil
+    image 
     status 1
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/unit/rated_images_test.rb b/test/unit/rated_images_test.rb
index 8f56851..ba5b43f 100644
--- a/test/unit/rated_images_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/rated_images_test.rb
@@ -4,4 +4,11 @@ class RatedImagesTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   # test "the truth" do
   #   assert true
   # end
+
+  test 'should be invalid without a sensible status' do
+    ri = build(:rated_image, status: 'fooo')
+    assert !ri.save , 'rated image saved with goofy status'
+  end
+  
+
 end