diff --git a/src/job.c b/src/job.c
index f55a8cd..5876c28 100644
--- a/src/job.c
+++ b/src/job.c
@@ -1894,12 +1894,21 @@
     void
 f_job_status(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv)
 {
-    job_T	*job = get_job_arg(&argvars[0]);
-
-    if (job != NULL)
+    if (argvars[0].v_type == VAR_JOB && argvars[0].vval.v_job == NULL)
     {
+	// A job that never started returns "fail".
 	rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
-	rettv->vval.v_string = vim_strsave((char_u *)job_status(job));
+	rettv->vval.v_string = vim_strsave((char_u *)"fail");
+    }
+    else
+    {
+	job_T	*job = get_job_arg(&argvars[0]);
+
+	if (job != NULL)
+	{
+	    rettv->v_type = VAR_STRING;
+	    rettv->vval.v_string = vim_strsave((char_u *)job_status(job));
+	}
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_vim9_assign.vim b/src/testdir/test_vim9_assign.vim
index 478a1e5..5f5a459 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_vim9_assign.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_vim9_assign.vim
@@ -74,7 +74,11 @@
 
   if has('channel')
     var chan1: channel
+    assert_equal('fail', ch_status(chan1))
+
     var job1: job
+    assert_equal('fail', job_status(job1))
+
     # calling job_start() is in test_vim9_fails.vim, it causes leak reports
   endif
   if has('float')
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index ff532f1..6ea39c0 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -751,6 +751,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1857,
+/**/
     1856,
 /**/
     1855,