diff --git a/rq/worker.py b/rq/worker.py
index c9faa7e..9048e68 100644
--- a/rq/worker.py
+++ b/rq/worker.py
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ import traceback
 import logging
 from .queue import Queue, get_failed_queue
 from .connections import get_current_connection
-from .job import Job, Status
+from .job import Status
 from .utils import make_colorizer, utcnow, utcformat
 from .logutils import setup_loghandlers
-from .exceptions import NoQueueError, UnpickleError, DequeueTimeout
+from .exceptions import NoQueueError, DequeueTimeout
 from .timeouts import death_penalty_after
 from .version import VERSION
 from rq.compat import text_type, as_text
@@ -213,14 +213,24 @@ class Worker(object):
             p.expire(self.key, 60)
             p.execute()
 
-    def set_state(self, new_state):
-        self._state = new_state
-        self.connection.hset(self.key, 'state', new_state)
+    def set_state(self, state):
+        self._state = state
+        self.connection.hset(self.key, 'state', state)
+
+    def _set_state(self, state):
+        self.set_state(state)
 
     def get_state(self):
         return self._state
 
-    state = property(get_state, set_state)
+    def _get_state(self):
+        """Raise a DeprecationWarning if ``worker.state == X`` is used"""
+        raise DeprecationWarning(
+            "worker.state is deprecated, use worker.get_state() instead."
+        )
+        return self.get_state()
+    
+    state = property(_get_state, _set_state)
 
     @property
     def stopped(self):
@@ -263,7 +273,7 @@ class Worker(object):
 
             # If shutdown is requested in the middle of a job, wait until
             # finish before shutting down
-            if self.state == 'busy':
+            if self.get_state() == 'busy':
                 self._stopped = True
                 self.log.debug('Stopping after current horse is finished. '
                                'Press Ctrl+C again for a cold shutdown.')
@@ -289,13 +299,13 @@ class Worker(object):
         did_perform_work = False
         self.register_birth()
         self.log.info('RQ worker started, version %s' % VERSION)
-        self.state = 'starting'
+        self.set_state('starting')
         try:
             while True:
                 if self.stopped:
                     self.log.info('Stopping on request.')
                     break
-                self.state = 'idle'
+                self.set_state('idle')
                 qnames = self.queue_names()
                 self.procline('Listening on %s' % ','.join(qnames))
                 self.log.info('')
@@ -309,7 +319,7 @@ class Worker(object):
                 except StopRequested:
                     break
 
-                self.state = 'busy'
+                self.set_state('busy')
 
                 job, queue = result
                 # Use the public setter here, to immediately update Redis