diff --git a/src/api2/tape/drive.rs b/src/api2/tape/drive.rs
index 6ec8fc84..ee5f5c8a 100644
--- a/src/api2/tape/drive.rs
+++ b/src/api2/tape/drive.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ use crate::{
         open_drive,
         media_changer,
         update_changer_online_status,
-        mam_extract_media_usage,
+        linux_tape::{
+            LinuxTapeHandle,
+            open_linux_tape_device,
+        },
         file_formats::{
             MediaLabel,
             MediaSetLabel,
@@ -818,27 +821,13 @@ pub fn status(drive: String) -> Result<LinuxDriveAndMediaStatus, Error> {
 
     let drive_config: LinuxTapeDrive = config.lookup("linux", &drive)?;
 
-    let mut handle = drive_config.open()
+    // Note: use open_linux_tape_device, because this also works if no medium loaded
+    let file = open_linux_tape_device(&drive_config.path)
         .map_err(|err| format_err!("open drive '{}' ({}) failed - {}", drive, drive_config.path, err))?;
 
-    let drive_status = handle.get_drive_status()?;
+    let mut handle = LinuxTapeHandle::new(file);
 
-    let mam = handle.cartridge_memory()?;
-
-    let usage = mam_extract_media_usage(&mam)?;
-
-    let status = LinuxDriveAndMediaStatus {
-        blocksize: drive_status.blocksize,
-        density: drive_status.density,
-        status: format!("{:?}", drive_status.status),
-        file_number: drive_status.file_number,
-        block_number: drive_status.block_number,
-        manufactured: usage.manufactured,
-        bytes_read: usage.bytes_read,
-        bytes_written: usage.bytes_written,
-    };
-
-    Ok(status)
+    handle.get_drive_and_media_status()
 }
 
 #[sortable]
diff --git a/src/api2/types/tape/drive.rs b/src/api2/types/tape/drive.rs
index f599f08a..e42072e9 100644
--- a/src/api2/types/tape/drive.rs
+++ b/src/api2/types/tape/drive.rs
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ pub struct MamAttribute {
 }
 
 #[api()]
-#[derive(Serialize,Deserialize,Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize,Deserialize,Copy,Clone,Debug)]
 pub enum TapeDensity {
     /// No tape loaded
     None,
@@ -182,9 +182,12 @@ pub struct LinuxDriveAndMediaStatus {
     /// Current block number
     pub block_number: i32,
     /// Medium Manufacture Date (epoch)
-    pub manufactured: i64,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if="Option::is_none")]
+    pub manufactured: Option<i64>,
     /// Total Bytes Read in Medium Life
-    pub bytes_read: u64,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if="Option::is_none")]
+    pub bytes_read: Option<u64>,
     /// Total Bytes Written in Medium Life
-    pub bytes_written: u64,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if="Option::is_none")]
+    pub bytes_written: Option<u64>,
 }
diff --git a/src/bin/sg-tape-cmd.rs b/src/bin/sg-tape-cmd.rs
index d0fa04ed..5e1ff5dd 100644
--- a/src/bin/sg-tape-cmd.rs
+++ b/src/bin/sg-tape-cmd.rs
@@ -21,10 +21,8 @@ use proxmox::{
 use proxmox_backup::{
     api2::types::{
         LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
-        LinuxDriveAndMediaStatus,
     },
     tape::{
-        mam_extract_media_usage,
         linux_tape::{
             LinuxTapeHandle,
             open_linux_tape_device,
@@ -63,24 +61,8 @@ fn status(
 
     let result = proxmox::try_block!({
         let mut handle = get_tape_handle(device)?;
-
-        let drive_status = handle.get_drive_status()?;
-
-        let mam = handle.cartridge_memory()?;
-
-        let usage = mam_extract_media_usage(&mam)?;
-
-        Ok(LinuxDriveAndMediaStatus {
-            blocksize: drive_status.blocksize,
-            density: drive_status.density,
-            status: format!("{:?}", drive_status.status),
-            file_number: drive_status.file_number,
-            block_number: drive_status.block_number,
-            manufactured: usage.manufactured,
-            bytes_read: usage.bytes_read,
-            bytes_written: usage.bytes_written,
-        })
-    }).map_err(|err: Error| err.to_string());
+        handle.get_drive_and_media_status()
+   }).map_err(|err: Error| err.to_string());
 
     println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&result)?);
 
diff --git a/src/tape/drive/linux_tape.rs b/src/tape/drive/linux_tape.rs
index d3d35377..4b44ce2d 100644
--- a/src/tape/drive/linux_tape.rs
+++ b/src/tape/drive/linux_tape.rs
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@ use crate::{
     api2::types::{
         TapeDensity,
         MamAttribute,
+        LinuxDriveAndMediaStatus,
     },
     tape::{
         TapeRead,
         TapeWrite,
         read_mam_attributes,
+        mam_extract_media_usage,
         drive::{
             LinuxTapeDrive,
             TapeDriver,
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ impl LinuxTapeDrive {
 
         let file = open_linux_tape_device(&self.path)?;
 
-        let handle = LinuxTapeHandle::new(file);
+        let mut handle = LinuxTapeHandle::new(file);
 
         let drive_status = handle.get_drive_status()?;
         println!("drive status: {:?}", drive_status);
@@ -201,10 +203,40 @@ impl LinuxTapeHandle {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Get Tape configuration with MTIOCGET ioctl
-    pub fn get_drive_status(&self) -> Result<LinuxDriveStatus, Error> {
+    /// Get Tape and Media status
+    pub fn get_drive_and_media_status(&mut self) -> Result<LinuxDriveAndMediaStatus, Error>  {
 
-        self.mtnop()?;
+        let drive_status = self.get_drive_status()?;
+
+        let mut status = LinuxDriveAndMediaStatus {
+            blocksize: drive_status.blocksize,
+            density: drive_status.density,
+            status: format!("{:?}", drive_status.status),
+            file_number: drive_status.file_number,
+            block_number: drive_status.block_number,
+            manufactured: None,
+            bytes_read: None,
+            bytes_written: None,
+        };
+
+        if  drive_status.tape_is_ready() {
+
+            let mam = self.cartridge_memory()?;
+
+            let usage = mam_extract_media_usage(&mam)?;
+
+            status.manufactured = Some(usage.manufactured);
+            status.bytes_read = Some(usage.bytes_read);
+            status.bytes_written = Some(usage.bytes_written);
+        }
+
+        Ok(status)
+    }
+
+    /// Get Tape status/configuration with MTIOCGET ioctl
+    pub fn get_drive_status(&mut self) -> Result<LinuxDriveStatus, Error> {
+
+        let _ = self.mtnop(); // ignore errors (i.e. no tape loaded)
 
         let mut status = mtget::default();