diff --git a/pkg/pdfcpu/validate/annotation.go b/pkg/pdfcpu/validate/annotation.go
index 534a10d4..f5cd756d 100644
--- a/pkg/pdfcpu/validate/annotation.go
+++ b/pkg/pdfcpu/validate/annotation.go
@@ -250,35 +250,32 @@ func validateAnnotationDictText(xRefTable *model.XRefTable, d types.Dict, dictNa
 	}
 
 	// State, optional, text string, since V1.5
-	// NOTE: acceptable state values depend on the StateModel.  for now, accept the union of all valid values for State.
-	//       once the StateModel is loaded and validated, we will check the State again to make sure it corresponds to
-	//       the model.
-	validate := func(s string) bool {
-		return types.MemberOf(s, []string{"None", "Marked", "Unmarked", "Completed", "Accepted", "Rejected", "Cancelled"})
+	state, err := validateStringEntry(xRefTable, d, dictName, "State", OPTIONAL, model.V15, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
-	state, err := validateStringEntry(xRefTable, d, dictName, "State", OPTIONAL, model.V15, validate)
+
+	// StateModel, text string, since V1.5
+	validate := func(s string) bool { return types.MemberOf(s, []string{"Marked", "Review"}) }
+	stateModel, err := validateStringEntry(xRefTable, d, dictName, "StateModel", state != nil, model.V15, validate)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if state != nil {
-		// StateModel, text string, since V1.5
-		validate = func(s string) bool { return types.MemberOf(s, []string{"Marked", "Review"}) }
-		stateModel, err := validateStringEntry(xRefTable, d, dictName, "StateModel", REQUIRED, model.V15, validate)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
+	if state == nil {
+		if stateModel != nil {
+			return errors.Errorf("pdfcpu: validateAnnotationDictText: dict=%s missing state for statemodel=%s", dictName, *stateModel)
 		}
+		return nil
+	}
 
-		// Ensure that the state/model combo is valid.
-		var validStates []string
-		if *stateModel == "Marked" {
-			validStates = []string{"Marked", "Unmarked"}
-		} else {
-			validStates = []string{"Accepted", "Rejected", "Cancelled", "Completed", "None"}
-		}
-		if !types.MemberOf(*state, validStates) {
-			return errors.Errorf("pdfcpu: validateAnnotationDictText: dict=%s invalid state=%s for state model=%s", dictName, *state, *stateModel)
-		}
+	// Ensure that the state/model combo is valid.
+	validStates := []string{"Accepted", "Rejected", "Cancelled", "Completed", "None"} // stateModel "Review"
+	if *stateModel == "Marked" {
+		validStates = []string{"Marked", "Unmarked"}
+	}
+	if !types.MemberOf(*state, validStates) {
+		return errors.Errorf("pdfcpu: validateAnnotationDictText: dict=%s invalid state=%s for state model=%s", dictName, *state, *stateModel)
 	}
 
 	return nil