diff --git a/lingvo/core/BUILD b/lingvo/core/BUILD
index 718edb9f1..a77cc4d03 100644
--- a/lingvo/core/BUILD
+++ b/lingvo/core/BUILD
@@ -2383,6 +2383,16 @@ py_library(
     ],
 )
 
+py_test(
+    name = "program_utils_test",
+    srcs = ["program_utils_test.py"],
+    deps = [
+        ":program_utils",
+        ":test_utils",
+        "//lingvo:compat",
+    ],
+)
+
 py_library(
     name = "program_lib",
     srcs = ["program.py"],
diff --git a/lingvo/core/program_utils.py b/lingvo/core/program_utils.py
index 5bc2d47b3..abb320a08 100644
--- a/lingvo/core/program_utils.py
+++ b/lingvo/core/program_utils.py
@@ -67,23 +67,34 @@ def __init__(self, program_dir):
         if content:
           self.ckpt_key = content[0]
         if len(content) > 1:
-          self.decoded_datasets = content[1:]
+          for dataset_name in content[1:]:
+            self._AddDecodedDataset(dataset_name)
+
+  def _AddDecodedDataset(self, dataset_name):
+    if dataset_name and dataset_name not in self.decoded_datasets:
+      self.decoded_datasets.append(dataset_name)
+
+  def _WriteStatusFile(self):
+    content = '\n'.join([self.ckpt_key] + self.decoded_datasets) + '\n'
+    tmp_status_file = self.status_file + '.tmp'
+    with tf.io.gfile.GFile(tmp_status_file, 'w') as f:
+      f.write(content)
+    tf.io.gfile.rename(tmp_status_file, self.status_file, overwrite=True)
 
   def UpdateCkpt(self, ckpt_key):
     """Update checkpoint key in the status."""
     if ckpt_key != self.ckpt_key:
       self.ckpt_key = ckpt_key
       self.decoded_datasets = []
-      with tf.io.gfile.GFile(self.status_file, 'w') as f:
-        f.write(self.ckpt_key)
+      self._WriteStatusFile()
 
   def UpdateDataset(self, dataset_name, summaries):
     """Update decoded dataset in the status."""
     cache_file = os.path.join(self.cache_dir, f'{dataset_name}.csv')
     with tf.io.gfile.GFile(cache_file, 'w') as f:
       f.write(SummaryToCsv(summaries))
-    with tf.io.gfile.GFile(self.status_file, 'w+') as f:
-      f.write(f.read().strip() + '\n' + dataset_name)
+    self._AddDecodedDataset(dataset_name)
+    self._WriteStatusFile()
 
   def TryLoadCache(self, ckpt_key, dataset_name):
     """Try load summary cache for ckpt_key, dataset_name.
@@ -102,8 +113,6 @@ def TryLoadCache(self, ckpt_key, dataset_name):
         return None
       with tf.io.gfile.GFile(cache_file, 'r') as f:
         summaries = CsvToSummary(f.read())
-      with tf.io.gfile.GFile(self.status_file, 'w+') as f:
-        f.write(f.read().strip() + '\n' + dataset_name)
       return summaries
     return None
 
diff --git a/lingvo/core/program_utils_test.py b/lingvo/core/program_utils_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2072a7f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lingvo/core/program_utils_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# Copyright 2026 The TensorFlow Authors. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+# ==============================================================================
+"""Tests for program_utils."""
+
+import os
+
+import lingvo.compat as tf
+from lingvo.core import program_utils
+from lingvo.core import test_utils
+
+
+class DecodeStatusCacheTest(test_utils.TestCase):
+
+  def _Summary(self, tag, value):
+    return tf.Summary(
+        value=[tf.Summary.Value(tag=tag, simple_value=value)])
+
+  def testUpdateDatasetPreservesCheckpointAndDecodedDatasets(self):
+    program_dir = self.create_tempdir().full_path
+    cache = program_utils.DecodeStatusCache(program_dir)
+
+    cache.UpdateCkpt('ckpt-123')
+    cache.UpdateDataset('Dev', {'acc': self._Summary('acc', 0.5)})
+    cache.UpdateDataset('Test', {'loss': self._Summary('loss', 1.25)})
+    cache.UpdateDataset('Dev', {'acc': self._Summary('acc', 0.75)})
+
+    reloaded_cache = program_utils.DecodeStatusCache(program_dir)
+
+    self.assertEqual('ckpt-123', reloaded_cache.ckpt_key)
+    self.assertEqual(['Dev', 'Test'], reloaded_cache.decoded_datasets)
+
+    summaries = reloaded_cache.TryLoadCache('ckpt-123', 'Dev')
+    self.assertIsNotNone(summaries)
+    self.assertIn('acc', summaries)
+    self.assertAlmostEqual(0.75, summaries['acc'].value[0].simple_value)
+    self.assertEqual(['Dev', 'Test'], reloaded_cache.decoded_datasets)
+
+    status_file = os.path.join(program_dir, 'decoded_datasets.txt')
+    with tf.io.gfile.GFile(status_file, 'r') as f:
+      self.assertEqual(['ckpt-123', 'Dev', 'Test'],
+                       [line.strip() for line in f.readlines()])
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+  test_utils.main()