diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms.py b/bookwyrm/forms.py
index edf1d9e4..6cc81c04 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/forms.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class ReviewForm(CustomForm):
 class CommentForm(CustomForm):
     class Meta:
         model = models.Comment
-        fields = ["user", "book", "content", "content_warning", "sensitive", "privacy"]
+        fields = ["user", "book", "content", "content_warning", "sensitive", "privacy", "progress", "mode"]
 
 
 class QuotationForm(CustomForm):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0055_auto_20210321_0025.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0055_auto_20210321_0025.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..446181f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0055_auto_20210321_0025.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.1.6 on 2021-03-21 00:25
+
+import django.core.validators
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('bookwyrm', '0054_auto_20210319_1942'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='comment',
+            name='mode',
+            field=models.CharField(blank=True, choices=[('PG', 'page'), ('PCT', 'percent')], default='PG', max_length=3, null=True),
+        ),
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='comment',
+            name='progress',
+            field=models.IntegerField(blank=True, null=True, validators=[django.core.validators.MinValueValidator(0)]),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/status.py b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
index 09a7c4ec..60c00f5a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/status.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from .activitypub_mixin import ActivitypubMixin, ActivityMixin
 from .activitypub_mixin import OrderedCollectionPageMixin
 from .base_model import BookWyrmModel
 from .fields import image_serializer
+from .readthrough import ProgressMode
 from . import fields
 
 
@@ -229,6 +230,13 @@ class Comment(Status):
         "Edition", on_delete=models.PROTECT, activitypub_field="inReplyToBook"
     )
 
+    # this is it's own field instead of a foreign key to the progress update
+    # so that the update can be deleted without impacting the status
+    progress = models.IntegerField(validators=[MinValueValidator(0)], null=True, blank=True)
+    mode = models.CharField(
+        max_length=3, choices=ProgressMode.choices, default=ProgressMode.PAGE, null=True, blank=True
+    )
+
     @property
     def pure_content(self):
         """ indicate the book in question for mastodon (or w/e) users """
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status_form.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status_form.html
index d0b763bf..75f5d28b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status_form.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status_form.html
@@ -60,13 +60,14 @@
 
         {% with readthrough=book.latest_readthrough %}
         <div class="field">
-            <label class="label" for="progress">{% trans "Progress:" %}</label>
+            <input type="hidden" name="id" value="{{ readthrough.id }}"/>
+            <label class="label" for="progress-{{ uuid }}">{% trans "Progress:" %}</label>
             <div class="field has-addons mb-0">
                 <div class="control">
                     <input
                      aria-label="{% if readthrough.progress_mode == 'PG' %}Current page{% else %}Percent read{% endif %}"
                      class="input" type="number" min="0"
-                     name="progress" size="3" value="{{ readthrough.progress|default:'' }}">
+                     name="progress" size="3" value="{{ readthrough.progress|default:'' }}" id="progress-{{ uuid }}">
                 </div>
                 <div class="control select">
                     <select name="progress_mode" aria-label="Progress mode">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/status.py b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
index 0cb5974b..fb548690 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN
 from bookwyrm.status import delete_status
 from bookwyrm.utils import regex
 from .helpers import handle_remote_webfinger
+from .reading import edit_readthrough
 
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
@@ -64,6 +65,10 @@ class CreateStatus(View):
             status.quote = to_markdown(status.quote)
 
         status.save(created=True)
+
+        # update a readthorugh, if needed
+        edit_readthrough(request)
+
         return redirect(request.headers.get("Referer", "/"))