diff --git a/lua/pending/diff.lua b/lua/pending/diff.lua
index 1107b31..85f083c 100644
--- a/lua/pending/diff.lua
+++ b/lua/pending/diff.lua
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ local store = require('pending.store')
 ---@field id? integer
 ---@field description? string
 ---@field priority? integer
+---@field status? string
 ---@field category? string
 ---@field due? string
 ---@field lnum integer
@@ -26,20 +27,17 @@ function M.parse_buffer(lines)
   local current_category = nil
 
   for i, line in ipairs(lines) do
-    local id, body = line:match('^/(%d+)/(  .+)$')
+    local id, body = line:match('^/(%d+)/(- %[.%] .*)$')
     if not id then
-      body = line:match('^(  .+)$')
+      body = line:match('^(- %[.%] .*)$')
     end
     if line == '' then
       table.insert(result, { type = 'blank', lnum = i })
     elseif id or body then
-      local stripped = body:match('^  (.+)$') or body
-      local prio_str = stripped:match('^%[(%d+)%] ')
-      local priority = 0
-      if prio_str then
-        priority = tonumber(prio_str)
-        stripped = stripped:sub(#prio_str + 4)
-      end
+      local stripped = body:match('^- %[.%] (.*)$') or body
+      local state_char = body:match('^- %[(.-)%]') or ' '
+      local priority = state_char == '!' and 1 or 0
+      local status = state_char == 'x' and 'done' or 'pending'
       local description, metadata = parse.body(stripped)
       if description and description ~= '' then
         table.insert(result, {
@@ -47,14 +45,15 @@ function M.parse_buffer(lines)
           id = id and tonumber(id) or nil,
           description = description,
           priority = priority,
+          status = status,
           category = metadata.cat or current_category or config.get().default_category,
           due = metadata.due,
           lnum = i,
         })
       end
-    elseif line:match('^%S') then
-      current_category = line
-      table.insert(result, { type = 'header', category = line, lnum = i })
+    elseif line:match('^## (.+)$') then
+      current_category = line:match('^## (.+)$')
+      table.insert(result, { type = 'header', category = current_category, lnum = i })
     end
   end
 
@@ -113,6 +112,15 @@ function M.apply(lines)
           task.due = entry.due
           changed = true
         end
+        if entry.status and task.status ~= entry.status then
+          task.status = entry.status
+          if entry.status == 'done' then
+            task['end'] = now
+          else
+            task['end'] = nil
+          end
+          changed = true
+        end
         if task.order ~= order_counter then
           task.order = order_counter
           changed = true
diff --git a/spec/diff_spec.lua b/spec/diff_spec.lua
index b8fcfd9..7e7a9cb 100644
--- a/spec/diff_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/diff_spec.lua
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ describe('diff', function()
   describe('parse_buffer', function()
     it('parses headers and tasks', function()
       local lines = {
-        'School',
-        '/1/  Do homework',
-        '/2/  ! Read chapter 5',
+        '## School',
+        '/1/- [ ] Do homework',
+        '/2/- [!] Read chapter 5',
         '',
-        'Errands',
-        '/3/  Buy groceries',
+        '## Errands',
+        '/3/- [ ] Buy groceries',
       }
       local result = diff.parse_buffer(lines)
       assert.are.equal(6, #result)
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ describe('diff', function()
 
     it('handles new tasks without ids', function()
       local lines = {
-        'Inbox',
-        '  New task here',
+        '## Inbox',
+        '- [ ] New task here',
       }
       local result = diff.parse_buffer(lines)
       assert.are.equal(2, #result)
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ describe('diff', function()
   describe('apply', function()
     it('creates new tasks from buffer lines', function()
       local lines = {
-        'Inbox',
-        '  First task',
-        '  Second task',
+        '## Inbox',
+        '- [ ] First task',
+        '- [ ] Second task',
       }
       diff.apply(lines)
       store.unload()
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ describe('diff', function()
       store.add({ description = 'Delete me' })
       store.save()
       local lines = {
-        'Inbox',
-        '/1/  Keep me',
+        '## Inbox',
+        '/1/- [ ] Keep me',
       }
       diff.apply(lines)
       store.unload()
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ describe('diff', function()
       store.add({ description = 'Original' })
       store.save()
       local lines = {
-        'Inbox',
-        '/1/  Renamed',
+        '## Inbox',
+        '/1/- [ ] Renamed',
       }
       diff.apply(lines)
       store.unload()
@@ -111,9 +111,9 @@ describe('diff', function()
       store.add({ description = 'Original' })
       store.save()
       local lines = {
-        'Inbox',
-        '/1/  Original',
-        '/1/  Copy of original',
+        '## Inbox',
+        '/1/- [ ] Original',
+        '/1/- [ ] Copy of original',
       }
       diff.apply(lines)
       store.unload()
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ describe('diff', function()
       store.add({ description = 'Moving task', category = 'Inbox' })
       store.save()
       local lines = {
-        'Work',
-        '/1/  Moving task',
+        '## Work',
+        '/1/- [ ] Moving task',
       }
       diff.apply(lines)
       store.unload()
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@ describe('diff', function()
       store.add({ description = 'Stable task', category = 'Inbox' })
       store.save()
       local lines = {
-        'Inbox',
-        '/1/  Stable task',
+        '## Inbox',
+        '/1/- [ ] Stable task',
       }
       diff.apply(lines)
       store.unload()
@@ -158,8 +158,8 @@ describe('diff', function()
       store.add({ description = 'Pay bill', due = '2026-03-15' })
       store.save()
       local lines = {
-        'Inbox',
-        '/1/  Pay bill',
+        '## Inbox',
+        '/1/- [ ] Pay bill',
       }
       diff.apply(lines)
       store.unload()
@@ -172,8 +172,8 @@ describe('diff', function()
       store.add({ description = 'Task name', priority = 1 })
       store.save()
       local lines = {
-        'Inbox',
-        '/1/  Task name',
+        '## Inbox',
+        '/1/- [ ] Task name',
       }
       diff.apply(lines)
       store.unload()