diff --git a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/common.py b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/common.py
index aa07154..93b83bb 100644
--- a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/common.py
+++ b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/common.py
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
+from typing import Any, ClassVar, Dict, FrozenSet, Union
+
 import pydantic
+from pydantic_core import PydanticUndefined
+from typing_extensions import LiteralString
 
 
 class Node(
@@ -12,4 +16,25 @@ class Node(
 ):
     """"""  # avoid inheriting docstring from `pydantic.BaseModel`
 
-    pass
+    fields_to_set_explicitly: ClassVar[FrozenSet[LiteralString]] = frozenset()
+    """set set these fields explicitly with their default value if they are not set,
+    such that they are always included even when dumping with 'exlude_unset'"""
+
+    @pydantic.model_validator(mode="before")
+    @classmethod
+    def set_fields_explicitly(
+        cls, data: Union[Any, Dict[str, Any]]
+    ) -> Union[Any, Dict[str, Any]]:
+        if isinstance(data, dict):
+            for name in cls.fields_to_set_explicitly:
+                if (
+                    name not in data
+                    and name in cls.model_fields
+                    and (
+                        (field_info := cls.model_fields[name]) is not PydanticUndefined
+                        or field_info.default_factory is not None
+                    )
+                ):
+                    data[name] = field_info.get_default(call_default_factory=True)
+
+        return data  # pyright: ignore[reportUnknownVariableType]
diff --git a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/db_structure/version_info.py b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/db_structure/version_info.py
index 6380777..a59a726 100644
--- a/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/db_structure/version_info.py
+++ b/bioimageio_collection_backoffice/db_structure/version_info.py
@@ -1,16 +1,27 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from datetime import datetime
-from typing import ClassVar, List, Literal, Optional, Sequence, Union
+from typing import (
+    ClassVar,
+    FrozenSet,
+    List,
+    Literal,
+    Optional,
+    Sequence,
+    Union,
+)
 
 import pydantic
-from typing_extensions import Annotated
+from typing_extensions import Annotated, LiteralString
 
 from .._settings import settings
 from ..common import Node
 
 
 class _StatusBase(Node, frozen=True):
+    fields_to_set_explicitly: ClassVar[FrozenSet[LiteralString]] = frozenset(
+        {"name", "step", "num_steps", "description"}
+    )
     timestamp: datetime = pydantic.Field(default_factory=datetime.now)
     run_url: Optional[str] = settings.run_url