diff --git a/paperqa/agents/tools.py b/paperqa/agents/tools.py
index 0453cb1f..51716958 100644
--- a/paperqa/agents/tools.py
+++ b/paperqa/agents/tools.py
@@ -18,6 +18,16 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def make_status(
+    total_paper_count: int, relevant_paper_count: int, evidence_count: int, cost: float
+) -> str:
+    return (
+        f"Status: Paper Count={total_paper_count}"
+        f" | Relevant Papers={relevant_paper_count} | Current Evidence={evidence_count}"
+        f" | Current Cost=${cost:.4f}"
+    )
+
+
 class EnvironmentState(BaseModel):
     """State here contains documents and answer being populated."""
 
@@ -35,11 +45,23 @@ class EnvironmentState(BaseModel):
     @computed_field  # type: ignore[prop-decorator]
     @property
     def status(self) -> str:
-        return (
-            f"Status: Paper Count={len(self.docs.docs)} | Relevant Papers="
-            f"{len({c.text.doc.dockey for c in self.answer.contexts if c.score > self.RELEVANT_SCORE_CUTOFF})}"
-            f" | Current Evidence={len([c for c in self.answer.contexts if c.score > self.RELEVANT_SCORE_CUTOFF])}"
-            f" | Current Cost=${self.answer.cost:.4f}"
+        return make_status(
+            total_paper_count=len(self.docs.docs),
+            relevant_paper_count=len(
+                {
+                    c.text.doc.dockey
+                    for c in self.answer.contexts
+                    if c.score > self.RELEVANT_SCORE_CUTOFF
+                }
+            ),
+            evidence_count=len(
+                [
+                    c
+                    for c in self.answer.contexts
+                    if c.score > self.RELEVANT_SCORE_CUTOFF
+                ]
+            ),
+            cost=self.answer.cost,
         )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_agents.py b/tests/test_agents.py
index 4b89e475..81a8ae52 100644
--- a/tests/test_agents.py
+++ b/tests/test_agents.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     GatherEvidence,
     GenerateAnswer,
     PaperSearch,
+    make_status,
 )
 from paperqa.docs import Docs
 from paperqa.settings import AgentSettings, Settings
@@ -121,14 +122,14 @@ async def test_successful_memory_agent() -> None:
             " ampicillin\n\nThe gen_answer tool output is visible to the user, so"
             " you do not need to restate the answer and can simply terminate if"
             " the answer looks sufficient. The current status of"
-            " evidence/papers/cost is Status: Paper Count=0 | Relevant Papers=0 |"
-            " Current Evidence=0 | Current Cost=$0.00\n\nTool request message ''"
+            " evidence/papers/cost is Status: "
+            f"{make_status(total_paper_count=0, relevant_paper_count=0, evidence_count=0, cost=0.0)}"  # Started 0
+            "\n\nTool request message ''"
             f" for tool call: {memory_id} with content"
             " 'paper_search(query='Acinetobacter lwoffii antibiotic resistance"
-            " evolution', min_year='None', max_year='None')'\n\nTool response"
-            " message 'Status: Paper Count=11 | Relevant Papers=0 | Current"
-            f" Evidence=0 | Current Cost=$0.0000' for tool call ID {memory_id} of"
-            " tool 'paper_search'"
+            " evolution', min_year='None', max_year='None')'\n\nTool response message '"
+            f"{make_status(total_paper_count=11, relevant_paper_count=0, evidence_count=0, cost=0.0)}"  # Found 11
+            f"' for tool call ID {memory_id} of tool 'paper_search'"
         ),
         input=(
             "Use the tools to answer the question: Q: Acinetobacter lwoffii has"
@@ -138,8 +139,8 @@ async def test_successful_memory_agent() -> None:
             " ampicillin\n\nThe gen_answer tool output is visible to the user, so"
             " you do not need to restate the answer and can simply terminate if the"
             " answer looks sufficient. The current status of evidence/papers/cost"
-            " is Status: Paper Count=0 | Relevant Papers=0 | Current Evidence=0 |"
-            " Current Cost=$0.0000"
+            " is Status: "
+            f"{make_status(total_paper_count=0, relevant_paper_count=0, evidence_count=0, cost=0.0)}"
         ),
         output=(
             f"Tool request message '' for tool call: {memory_id} with content"