diff --git a/packages/postgres-database/src/simcore_postgres_database/errors.py b/packages/postgres-database/src/simcore_postgres_database/errors.py
index 2577c808089..9c4fb417854 100644
--- a/packages/postgres-database/src/simcore_postgres_database/errors.py
+++ b/packages/postgres-database/src/simcore_postgres_database/errors.py
@@ -32,23 +32,13 @@
 from psycopg2.errors import (
     CheckViolation,
     ForeignKeyViolation,
+    InvalidTextRepresentation,
     NotNullViolation,
     UniqueViolation,
 )
 
 assert issubclass(UniqueViolation, IntegrityError)  # nosec
 
-# TODO: see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/58740043/how-do-i-catch-a-psycopg2-errors-uniqueviolation-error-in-a-python-flask-app
-# from sqlalchemy.exc import IntegrityError
-#
-# from psycopg2.errors import UniqueViolation
-#
-#    try:
-#        s.commit()
-#   except IntegrityError as e:
-#        assert isinstance(e.orig, UniqueViolation)
-
-
 __all__: tuple[str, ...] = (
     "CheckViolation",
     "DatabaseError",
@@ -58,6 +48,7 @@
     "IntegrityError",
     "InterfaceError",
     "InternalError",
+    "InvalidTextRepresentation",
     "NotNullViolation",
     "NotSupportedError",
     "OperationalError",
diff --git a/packages/postgres-database/src/simcore_postgres_database/models/users.py b/packages/postgres-database/src/simcore_postgres_database/models/users.py
index 5a843094fc6..90d5e063662 100644
--- a/packages/postgres-database/src/simcore_postgres_database/models/users.py
+++ b/packages/postgres-database/src/simcore_postgres_database/models/users.py
@@ -50,19 +50,16 @@ def __lt__(self, other: "UserRole") -> bool:
         return NotImplemented
 
 
-class UserStatus(Enum):
-    """
-    pending: user registered but not confirmed
-    active: user is confirmed and can use the platform
-    expired: user is not authorized because it expired after a trial period
-    banned: user is not authorized
-    deleted: this account is marked for deletion
-    """
-
-    CONFIRMATION_PENDING = "PENDING"
+class UserStatus(str, Enum):
+    # This is a transition state. The user is registered but not confirmed. NOTE that state is optional depending on LOGIN_REGISTRATION_CONFIRMATION_REQUIRED
+    CONFIRMATION_PENDING = "CONFIRMATION_PENDING"
+    # This user can now operate the platform
     ACTIVE = "ACTIVE"
+    # This user is inactive because it expired after a trial period
     EXPIRED = "EXPIRED"
+    # This user is inactive because he has been a bad boy
     BANNED = "BANNED"
+    # This user is inactive because it was marked for deletion
     DELETED = "DELETED"
 
 
diff --git a/packages/postgres-database/tests/conftest.py b/packages/postgres-database/tests/conftest.py
index 73c7ec3dae1..c70ec2651c2 100644
--- a/packages/postgres-database/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/packages/postgres-database/tests/conftest.py
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@
 )
 
 pytest_plugins = [
-    "pytest_simcore.repository_paths",
     "pytest_simcore.pytest_global_environs",
+    "pytest_simcore.repository_paths",
 ]
 
 
diff --git a/packages/postgres-database/tests/test_users.py b/packages/postgres-database/tests/test_users.py
index 1a039eebd13..078c964fc52 100644
--- a/packages/postgres-database/tests/test_users.py
+++ b/packages/postgres-database/tests/test_users.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from aiopg.sa.result import ResultProxy, RowProxy
 from faker import Faker
 from pytest_simcore.helpers.rawdata_fakers import random_user
-from simcore_postgres_database.errors import UniqueViolation
+from simcore_postgres_database.errors import InvalidTextRepresentation, UniqueViolation
 from simcore_postgres_database.models.users import (
     _USER_ROLE_TO_LEVEL,
     UserRole,
@@ -101,10 +101,64 @@ def test_user_roles_compares():
 @pytest.fixture
 async def clean_users_db_table(connection: SAConnection):
     yield
-
     await connection.execute(users.delete())
 
 
+async def test_user_status_as_pending(
+    connection: SAConnection, faker: Faker, clean_users_db_table: None
+):
+    """Checks a bug where the expression
+
+        `user_status = UserStatus(user["status"])`
+
+    raise ValueError because **before** this change `UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING.value == "PENDING"`
+    """
+    # after changing to UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING == "CONFIRMATION_PENDING"
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):  # noqa: PT011
+        assert UserStatus("PENDING") == UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING
+
+    assert UserStatus("CONFIRMATION_PENDING") == UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING
+    assert UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING.value == "CONFIRMATION_PENDING"
+    assert UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING == "CONFIRMATION_PENDING"
+    assert str(UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING) == "UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING"
+
+    # tests that the database never stores the word "PENDING"
+    data = random_user(faker, status="PENDING")
+    assert data["status"] == "PENDING"
+    with pytest.raises(InvalidTextRepresentation) as err_info:
+        await connection.execute(users.insert().values(data))
+
+    assert 'invalid input value for enum userstatus: "PENDING"' in f"{err_info.value}"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "status_value",
+    [
+        UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING,
+        "CONFIRMATION_PENDING",
+    ],
+)
+async def test_user_status_inserted_as_enum_or_int(
+    status_value: UserStatus | str,
+    connection: SAConnection,
+    faker: Faker,
+    clean_users_db_table: None,
+):
+    # insert as `status_value`
+    data = random_user(faker, status=status_value)
+    assert data["status"] == status_value
+    user_id = await connection.scalar(users.insert().values(data).returning(users.c.id))
+
+    # get as UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING
+    user = await (
+        await connection.execute(users.select().where(users.c.id == user_id))
+    ).first()
+    assert user
+
+    assert UserStatus(user.status) == UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING
+    assert user.status == UserStatus.CONFIRMATION_PENDING
+
+
 async def test_unique_username(
     connection: SAConnection, faker: Faker, clean_users_db_table: None
 ):