diff --git a/Helper/QualKardHelper.php b/Helper/QualKardHelper.php
index 3cfdb78..4452011 100644
--- a/Helper/QualKardHelper.php
+++ b/Helper/QualKardHelper.php
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ class QualKardHelper extends Base
 {
     const SCORE = array('hairy' => 0.0, 'hard' => 1.3, 'medium' => 3.0, 'easy' => 5.0);
 
+    // Stored qualkard_avg value for an unread card. A literal, non-empty marker: it survives PHP's
+    // empty() -- which drops the numeric string "0" on save -- and stays distinct from a real average
+    // of 0 (a card graded hairy from new). Graded averages are stored with decimals for the same reason.
+    const UNREAD = 'new';
+
     /**
      * Running average. New card (unread, $old === null) seeds at N - 23%; otherwise the qualcard mean.
      */
@@ -81,6 +86,18 @@ class QualKardHelper extends Base
         return array('label' => $pct.'%', 'class' => $class);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * A stored qualkard_avg -> float, or null when the card is unread. The unread marker is the
+     * literal self::UNREAD; '' and null are also treated as unread for any card written before it.
+     *
+     * @param  string|null $raw
+     * @return float|null
+     */
+    private static function parseAvg($raw)
+    {
+        return ($raw === '' || $raw === null || $raw === self::UNREAD) ? null : (float) $raw;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Is QualKard enabled for this board?
      *
@@ -168,7 +185,7 @@ class QualKardHelper extends Base
         }
 
         $this->taskPositionModel->movePosition($project_id, $task_id, $this->col($project_id, 'draft'), 1, (int) $task['swimlane_id'], false);
-        $this->taskMetadataModel->save($task_id, array('qualkard_avg' => '')); // '' = unread
+        $this->taskMetadataModel->save($task_id, array('qualkard_avg' => self::UNREAD)); // brand-new card
         $this->arm($task_id, $project_id);
         $this->db->table(TaskModel::TABLE)->eq('id', $task_id)->update(array('date_due' => 0));
     }
@@ -194,13 +211,14 @@ class QualKardHelper extends Base
      */
     public function grade($task_id, $score)
     {
-        $raw = $this->taskMetadataModel->get($task_id, 'qualkard_avg', '');
-        $old = ($raw === '' || $raw === null) ? null : (float) $raw;
+        $raw = $this->taskMetadataModel->get($task_id, 'qualkard_avg', self::UNREAD);
+        $old = self::parseAvg($raw);
         $avg = self::nextAverage($old, $score);
         $due = self::dueFrom($avg);
 
+        // Store with decimals so an exact 0 is "0.0000", never the empty()-dropped "0".
         $this->taskMetadataModel->save($task_id, array(
-            'qualkard_avg' => (string) $avg,
+            'qualkard_avg' => sprintf('%.4f', $avg),
             'recoreco_anchor' => $due,
         ));
         $this->db->table(TaskModel::TABLE)->eq('id', $task_id)->update(array('date_due' => $due));
@@ -214,9 +232,8 @@ class QualKardHelper extends Base
      */
     public function cardBadge($task_id)
     {
-        $raw = $this->taskMetadataModel->get($task_id, 'qualkard_avg', '');
-        $avg = ($raw === '' || $raw === null) ? null : (float) $raw;
+        $raw = $this->taskMetadataModel->get($task_id, 'qualkard_avg', self::UNREAD);
 
-        return self::badge($avg);
+        return self::badge(self::parseAvg($raw));
     }
 }
diff --git a/Plugin.php b/Plugin.php
index ee8d733..4b68c9d 100644
--- a/Plugin.php
+++ b/Plugin.php
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class Plugin extends Base
 
     public function getPluginVersion()
     {
-        return '1.0.0';
+        return '1.1.0';
     }
 
     public function getPluginHomepage()
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 71749bb..f2a2316 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-QualKard v1.0
+QualKard v1.1