diff --git a/packages/backend/src/db/queries/issues.ts b/packages/backend/src/db/queries/issues.ts
index ab5538e..67efdef 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/db/queries/issues.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/db/queries/issues.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,25 @@ export async function getIssueByNumber(projectId: number, number: number) {
     return issue;
 }
 
+export async function getIssueStatusCountByOrganisation(organisationId: number, status: string) {
+    const { Project } = await import("@issue/shared");
+
+    const projects = await db
+        .select({ id: Project.id })
+        .from(Project)
+        .where(eq(Project.organisationId, organisationId));
+    const projectIds = projects.map((p) => p.id);
+
+    if (projectIds.length === 0) return { count: 0 };
+
+    const [result] = await db
+        .select({ count: sql<number>`count(*)` })
+        .from(Issue)
+        .where(and(eq(Issue.status, status), inArray(Issue.projectId, projectIds)));
+
+    return { count: result?.count ?? 0 };
+}
+
 export async function replaceIssueStatus(organisationId: number, oldStatus: string, newStatus: string) {
     const { Project } = await import("@issue/shared");
 
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/index.ts b/packages/backend/src/index.ts
index de1969c..8fd7f7c 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ const main = async () => {
 
             "/issues/by-project": withCors(withAuth(routes.issuesByProject)),
             "/issues/replace-status": withCors(withAuth(withCSRF(routes.issuesReplaceStatus))),
+            "/issues/status-count": withCors(withAuth(routes.issuesStatusCount)),
             "/issues/all": withCors(withAuth(routes.issues)),
 
             "/organisation/create": withCors(withAuth(withCSRF(routes.organisationCreate))),
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/routes/index.ts b/packages/backend/src/routes/index.ts
index 9450df9..467b750 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/routes/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/routes/index.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import issueUpdate from "./issue/update";
 import issues from "./issues/all";
 import issuesByProject from "./issues/by-project";
 import issuesReplaceStatus from "./issues/replace-status";
+import issuesStatusCount from "./issues/status-count";
 import organisationAddMember from "./organisation/add-member";
 import organisationById from "./organisation/by-id";
 import organisationsByUser from "./organisation/by-user";
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ export const routes = {
     issuesByProject,
     issues,
     issuesReplaceStatus,
+    issuesStatusCount,
 
     organisationCreate,
     organisationById,
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/routes/issues/status-count.ts b/packages/backend/src/routes/issues/status-count.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f8b185
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend/src/routes/issues/status-count.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import type { AuthedRequest } from "../../auth/middleware";
+import { getIssueStatusCountByOrganisation, getOrganisationMemberRole } from "../../db/queries";
+
+// /issues/status-count?organisationId=1&status=TODO
+export default async function issuesStatusCount(req: AuthedRequest) {
+    const url = new URL(req.url);
+    const organisationIdParam = url.searchParams.get("organisationId");
+    const status = url.searchParams.get("status");
+
+    if (!organisationIdParam) {
+        return new Response("missing organisationId", { status: 400 });
+    }
+
+    if (!status) {
+        return new Response("missing status", { status: 400 });
+    }
+
+    const organisationId = Number(organisationIdParam);
+    if (!Number.isInteger(organisationId)) {
+        return new Response("organisationId must be an integer", { status: 400 });
+    }
+
+    const membership = await getOrganisationMemberRole(organisationId, req.userId);
+    if (!membership) {
+        return new Response("not a member of this organisation", { status: 403 });
+    }
+
+    const result = await getIssueStatusCountByOrganisation(organisationId, status);
+
+    return Response.json(result);
+}
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/components/organisations-dialog.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/components/organisations-dialog.tsx
index 75b767d..9b63d5c 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/components/organisations-dialog.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/components/organisations-dialog.tsx
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ function OrganisationsDialog({
     const [newStatusColour, setNewStatusColour] = useState(DEFAULT_STATUS_COLOUR);
     const [statusError, setStatusError] = useState<string | null>(null);
     const [statusToRemove, setStatusToRemove] = useState<string | null>(null);
+    const [issuesUsingStatus, setIssuesUsingStatus] = useState<number>(0);
     const [reassignToStatus, setReassignToStatus] = useState<string>("");
 
     const [confirmDialog, setConfirmDialog] = useState<{
@@ -218,11 +219,34 @@ function OrganisationsDialog({
         setStatusError(null);
     };
 
-    const handleRemoveStatusClick = (status: string) => {
-        if (Object.keys(statuses).length <= 1) return;
-        setStatusToRemove(status);
-        const remaining = Object.keys(statuses).filter((s) => s !== status);
-        setReassignToStatus(remaining[0] || "");
+    const handleRemoveStatusClick = async (status: string) => {
+        if (Object.keys(statuses).length <= 1 || !selectedOrganisation) return;
+        try {
+            await issue.statusCount({
+                organisationId: selectedOrganisation.Organisation.id,
+                status,
+                onSuccess: (data) => {
+                    const count = (data as { count?: number }).count ?? 0;
+                    if (count > 0) {
+                        setStatusToRemove(status);
+                        setIssuesUsingStatus(count);
+                        const remaining = Object.keys(statuses).filter((s) => s !== status);
+                        setReassignToStatus(remaining[0] || "");
+                        return;
+                    }
+
+                    const nextStatuses = Object.keys(statuses).filter((s) => s !== status);
+                    void updateStatuses(
+                        Object.fromEntries(nextStatuses.map((statusKey) => [statusKey, statuses[statusKey]])),
+                    );
+                },
+                onError: (error) => {
+                    console.error("error checking status usage:", error);
+                },
+            });
+        } catch (err) {
+            console.error("error checking status usage:", err);
+        }
     };
 
     const moveStatus = async (status: string, direction: "up" | "down") => {
@@ -276,7 +300,7 @@ function OrganisationsDialog({
                 )}
             </DialogTrigger>
 
-            <DialogContent className="sm:max-w-md w-full max-w-[calc(100vw-2rem)]">
+            <DialogContent className="max-w-lg w-full max-w-[calc(100vw-2rem)]">
                 <DialogHeader>
                     <DialogTitle>Organisations</DialogTitle>
                 </DialogHeader>
@@ -471,7 +495,7 @@ function OrganisationsDialog({
                                                                         Object.keys(statuses).length <= 1
                                                                     }
                                                                     onSelect={() =>
-                                                                        handleRemoveStatusClick(status)
+                                                                        void handleRemoveStatusClick(status)
                                                                     }
                                                                     className="hover:bg-destructive/10"
                                                                 >
@@ -587,7 +611,7 @@ function OrganisationsDialog({
                             }
                         }}
                     >
-                        <DialogContent className="sm:max-w-lg">
+                        <DialogContent className="w-md">
                             <DialogHeader>
                                 <DialogTitle>Remove Status</DialogTitle>
                             </DialogHeader>
@@ -596,7 +620,8 @@ function OrganisationsDialog({
                                 {statusToRemove ? (
                                     <StatusTag status={statusToRemove} colour={statuses[statusToRemove]} />
                                 ) : null}{" "}
-                                status? Which status would you like issues with this status to be set to?
+                                status? <span className="font-700 text-foreground">{issuesUsingStatus}</span>{" "}
+                                issues are using it. Which status would you like these issues to use instead?
                             </p>
                             <Select value={reassignToStatus} onValueChange={setReassignToStatus}>
                                 <SelectTrigger className="w-min">
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/components/status-tag.tsx b/packages/frontend/src/components/status-tag.tsx
index 22dbc68..81d9095 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/components/status-tag.tsx
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/components/status-tag.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { DEFAULT_STATUS_COLOUR } from "@issue/shared";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 const DARK_TEXT_COLOUR = "#0a0a0a";
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ const isLight = (hex: string): boolean => {
 
 export default function StatusTag({
     status,
-    colour,
+    colour = DEFAULT_STATUS_COLOUR,
     className,
 }: {
     status: string;
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/lib/server/issue/index.ts b/packages/frontend/src/lib/server/issue/index.ts
index 831bde0..fe59352 100644
--- a/packages/frontend/src/lib/server/issue/index.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/lib/server/issue/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 export { byProject } from "@/lib/server/issue/byProject";
 export { create } from "@/lib/server/issue/create";
 export { replaceStatus } from "@/lib/server/issue/replaceStatus";
+export { statusCount } from "@/lib/server/issue/statusCount";
 export { update } from "@/lib/server/issue/update";
diff --git a/packages/frontend/src/lib/server/issue/statusCount.ts b/packages/frontend/src/lib/server/issue/statusCount.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..82ea7c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/frontend/src/lib/server/issue/statusCount.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { getServerURL } from "@/lib/utils";
+import type { ServerQueryInput } from "..";
+
+export async function statusCount({
+    organisationId,
+    status,
+    onSuccess,
+    onError,
+}: {
+    organisationId: number;
+    status: string;
+} & ServerQueryInput) {
+    const url = new URL(`${getServerURL()}/issues/status-count`);
+    url.searchParams.set("organisationId", `${organisationId}`);
+    url.searchParams.set("status", status);
+
+    const res = await fetch(url.toString(), {
+        credentials: "include",
+    });
+
+    if (!res.ok) {
+        const error = await res.text();
+        onError?.(error || `failed to get issue status count (${res.status})`);
+    } else {
+        const data = await res.json();
+        onSuccess?.(data, res);
+    }
+}