diff --git a/controllers/policymetrics/metrics.go b/controllers/policymetrics/metrics.go
index c9b57ed3..0db69cc2 100644
--- a/controllers/policymetrics/metrics.go
+++ b/controllers/policymetrics/metrics.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 var policyStatusGauge = prometheus.NewGaugeVec(
 	prometheus.GaugeOpts{
 		Name: "policy_governance_info",
-		Help: "The compliance status of the named policy. 0 == Compliant. 1 == NonCompliant",
+		Help: "The compliance status of the named policy. 0 == Compliant. 1 == NonCompliant. -1 == Unknown/Pending",
 	},
 	[]string{
 		"type",              // "root" or "propagated"
diff --git a/controllers/policymetrics/policymetrics_controller.go b/controllers/policymetrics/policymetrics_controller.go
index 3b569040..1b4ae670 100644
--- a/controllers/policymetrics/policymetrics_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/policymetrics/policymetrics_controller.go
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ func (r *MetricReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, request ctrl.Request)
 		statusMetric.Set(0)
 	} else if pol.Status.ComplianceState == policiesv1.NonCompliant {
 		statusMetric.Set(1)
+	} else {
+		statusMetric.Set(-1)
 	}
 
 	return reconcile.Result{}, nil