diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6d6d0b9b..a32bd9a2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ chronological order. Releases follow [semantic versioning](https://semver.org/)
 releases are available on [PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/pytask) and
 [Anaconda.org](https://anaconda.org/conda-forge/pytask).
 
+## 0.5.6 - 2025-xx-xx
+
+- {pull}`696` allows setting the status of a task in the `pytask_execute_task_log_start` hook which enables pending tasks to be displayed by pytask-parallel.
+
 ## 0.5.5 - 2025-07-25
 
 - {pull}`692` documents how to use pytask with workspaces.
diff --git a/src/_pytask/execute.py b/src/_pytask/execute.py
index d52b6fa0..ca345e21 100644
--- a/src/_pytask/execute.py
+++ b/src/_pytask/execute.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 from _pytask.exceptions import ExecutionError
 from _pytask.exceptions import NodeLoadError
 from _pytask.exceptions import NodeNotFoundError
+from _pytask.logging_utils import TaskExecutionStatus
 from _pytask.mark import Mark
 from _pytask.mark_utils import has_mark
 from _pytask.node_protocols import PNode
@@ -99,7 +100,9 @@ def pytask_execute_build(session: Session) -> bool | None:
 @hookimpl
 def pytask_execute_task_protocol(session: Session, task: PTask) -> ExecutionReport:
     """Follow the protocol to execute each task."""
-    session.hook.pytask_execute_task_log_start(session=session, task=task)
+    session.hook.pytask_execute_task_log_start(
+        session=session, task=task, status=TaskExecutionStatus.RUNNING
+    )
     try:
         session.hook.pytask_execute_task_setup(session=session, task=task)
         session.hook.pytask_execute_task(session=session, task=task)
diff --git a/src/_pytask/hookspecs.py b/src/_pytask/hookspecs.py
index 02ce0721..4f8bfab9 100644
--- a/src/_pytask/hookspecs.py
+++ b/src/_pytask/hookspecs.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     import click
     from pluggy import PluginManager
 
+    from _pytask.logging_utils import TaskExecutionStatus
     from _pytask.models import NodeInfo
     from _pytask.node_protocols import PNode
     from _pytask.node_protocols import PProvisionalNode
@@ -255,7 +256,9 @@ def pytask_execute_task_protocol(session: Session, task: PTask) -> ExecutionRepo
 
 
 @hookspec(firstresult=True)
-def pytask_execute_task_log_start(session: Session, task: PTask) -> None:
+def pytask_execute_task_log_start(
+    session: Session, task: PTask, status: TaskExecutionStatus
+) -> None:
     """Start logging of task execution.
 
     This hook can be used to provide more verbose output during the execution.
diff --git a/src/_pytask/live.py b/src/_pytask/live.py
index 577d08b1..f9e75aaa 100644
--- a/src/_pytask/live.py
+++ b/src/_pytask/live.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 
 from _pytask.console import console
 from _pytask.console import format_task_name
-from _pytask.logging_utils import TaskExecutionStatus
 from _pytask.outcomes import CollectionOutcome
 from _pytask.outcomes import Exit
 from _pytask.outcomes import TaskOutcome
@@ -29,6 +28,7 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Generator
 
+    from _pytask.logging_utils import TaskExecutionStatus
     from _pytask.node_protocols import PTask
     from _pytask.reports import CollectionReport
     from _pytask.reports import ExecutionReport
@@ -165,7 +165,6 @@ class LiveExecution:
     n_entries_in_table: int
     verbose: int
     editor_url_scheme: str
-    initial_status: TaskExecutionStatus = TaskExecutionStatus.RUNNING
     sort_final_table: bool = False
     n_tasks: int | str = "x"
     _reports: list[_ReportEntry] = field(factory=list)
@@ -186,9 +185,11 @@ def pytask_execute_build(self) -> Generator[None, None, None]:
                 console.print(table)
 
     @hookimpl(tryfirst=True)
-    def pytask_execute_task_log_start(self, task: PTask) -> bool:
+    def pytask_execute_task_log_start(
+        self, task: PTask, status: TaskExecutionStatus
+    ) -> bool:
         """Mark a new task as running."""
-        self.add_task(new_running_task=task, status=self.initial_status)
+        self.add_task(new_running_task=task, status=status)
         return True
 
     @hookimpl