diff --git a/app/models/standing_order.rb b/app/models/standing_order.rb
index 46ed235bfc..00a015b2c7 100644
--- a/app/models/standing_order.rb
+++ b/app/models/standing_order.rb
@@ -50,14 +50,22 @@ class StandingOrder < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def state
-    return 'canceled' if canceled?
-    return 'paused' if paused?
-    return nil unless begins_at
-    if begins_at > Time.zone.now
-      'pending'
-    else
-      return 'ended' if ends_at.andand < Time.zone.now
-      'active'
+    # NOTE: the order is important here
+    %w(canceled paused pending ended).each do |state|
+      return state if send("#{state}?")
     end
+    "active"
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def pending?
+    return true unless begins_at
+    begins_at > Time.zone.now
+  end
+
+  def ended?
+    return false unless ends_at
+    ends_at < Time.zone.now
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/standing_order_spec.rb b/spec/models/standing_order_spec.rb
index 13694ce069..44ce77d2fd 100644
--- a/spec/models/standing_order_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/standing_order_spec.rb
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ describe StandingOrder, type: :model do
         context "and the standing order has no begins_at date" do
           before { allow(standing_order).to receive(:begins_at) { nil } }
 
-          it "returns nil" do
-            expect(standing_order.state).to be nil
+          it "returns 'pending'" do
+            expect(standing_order.state).to eq 'pending'
           end
         end