diff --git a/tests/fakegithub.py b/tests/fakegithub.py
index df34c694b6..fb0df30221 100644
--- a/tests/fakegithub.py
+++ b/tests/fakegithub.py
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ class FakeStatus(object):
         }
 
 
+class FakeCombinedStatus(object):
+    def __init__(self, sha, statuses):
+        self.sha = sha
+        self.statuses = statuses
+
+
 class FakeCommit(object):
     def __init__(self, sha):
         self._statuses = []
@@ -74,6 +80,19 @@ class FakeCommit(object):
     def statuses(self):
         return self._statuses
 
+    def status(self):
+        '''
+        Returns the combined status wich only contains the latest statuses of
+        the commit together with some other information that we don't need
+        here.
+        '''
+        latest_statuses_by_context = {}
+        for status in self._statuses:
+            if status.context not in latest_statuses_by_context:
+                latest_statuses_by_context[status.context] = status
+        combined_statuses = latest_statuses_by_context.values()
+        return FakeCombinedStatus(self.sha, combined_statuses)
+
 
 class FakeRepository(object):
     def __init__(self, name, data):
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py b/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
index 2b2f9bd3da..28b7b4a3fb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
@@ -896,8 +896,25 @@ class TestGithubDriver(ZuulTestCase):
         # job is expected
         self.assertEqual(0, len(self.history))
 
-        # now set the required status 'tenant-one/check'
+        # now set a failing status 'tenant-one/check'
         repo = github.repo_from_project('org/project')
+        repo.create_status(A.head_sha, 'failed', 'example.com', 'description',
+                           'tenant-one/check')
+        self.fake_github.emitEvent(A.getPullRequestOpenedEvent())
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(self.history))
+
+        # now set a successful status followed by a failing status to check
+        # that the later failed status wins
+        repo.create_status(A.head_sha, 'success', 'example.com', 'description',
+                           'tenant-one/check')
+        repo.create_status(A.head_sha, 'failed', 'example.com', 'description',
+                           'tenant-one/check')
+        self.fake_github.emitEvent(A.getPullRequestOpenedEvent())
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(self.history))
+
+        # now set the required status 'tenant-one/check'
         repo.create_status(A.head_sha, 'success', 'example.com', 'description',
                            'tenant-one/check')
 
diff --git a/zuul/driver/github/githubconnection.py b/zuul/driver/github/githubconnection.py
index 58c38183b0..95eb7f5bdd 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/github/githubconnection.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/github/githubconnection.py
@@ -1245,8 +1245,8 @@ class GithubConnection(BaseConnection):
                 break
 
         # Get successful statuses
-        successful = set(
-            [s.context for s in commit.statuses() if s.state == 'success'])
+        successful = set([s.context for s in commit.status().statuses
+                          if s.state == 'success'])
 
         # Required contexts must be a subset of the successful contexts as
         # we allow additional successful status contexts we don't care about.