diff --git a/docs/docs/services/stepfunctions.rst b/docs/docs/services/stepfunctions.rst
index cdabcc009..c00c0d9e4 100644
--- a/docs/docs/services/stepfunctions.rst
+++ b/docs/docs/services/stepfunctions.rst
@@ -31,13 +31,40 @@ stepfunctions
 - [X] delete_state_machine
 - [ ] describe_activity
 - [X] describe_execution
+  
+        The status of every execution is set to 'RUNNING' by default.
+        Set the following environment variable if you want to get a FAILED status back:
+
+        .. sourcecode:: bash
+
+            SF_EXECUTION_HISTORY_TYPE=FAILURE
+        
+
 - [ ] describe_map_run
 - [X] describe_state_machine
 - [ ] describe_state_machine_for_execution
 - [ ] get_activity_task
 - [X] get_execution_history
+  
+        A static list of successful events is returned by default.
+        Set the following environment variable if you want to get a static list of events for a failed execution:
+
+        .. sourcecode:: bash
+
+            SF_EXECUTION_HISTORY_TYPE=FAILURE
+        
+
 - [ ] list_activities
 - [X] list_executions
+  
+        The status of every execution is set to 'RUNNING' by default.
+        Set the following environment variable if you want to get a FAILED status back:
+
+        .. sourcecode:: bash
+
+            SF_EXECUTION_HISTORY_TYPE=FAILURE
+        
+
 - [ ] list_map_runs
 - [X] list_state_machines
 - [X] list_tags_for_resource
diff --git a/moto/stepfunctions/models.py b/moto/stepfunctions/models.py
index 318713d45..64d4eea45 100644
--- a/moto/stepfunctions/models.py
+++ b/moto/stepfunctions/models.py
@@ -230,7 +230,11 @@ class Execution:
         self.start_date = iso_8601_datetime_with_milliseconds(datetime.now())
         self.state_machine_arn = state_machine_arn
         self.execution_input = execution_input
-        self.status = "RUNNING"
+        self.status = (
+            "RUNNING"
+            if settings.get_sf_execution_history_type() == "SUCCESS"
+            else "FAILED"
+        )
         self.stop_date = None
 
     def get_execution_history(self, roleArn):
@@ -510,6 +514,14 @@ class StepFunctionBackend(BaseBackend):
 
     @paginate(pagination_model=PAGINATION_MODEL)
     def list_executions(self, state_machine_arn, status_filter=None):
+        """
+        The status of every execution is set to 'RUNNING' by default.
+        Set the following environment variable if you want to get a FAILED status back:
+
+        .. sourcecode:: bash
+
+            SF_EXECUTION_HISTORY_TYPE=FAILURE
+        """
         executions = self.describe_state_machine(state_machine_arn).executions
 
         if status_filter:
@@ -519,6 +531,14 @@ class StepFunctionBackend(BaseBackend):
         return executions
 
     def describe_execution(self, execution_arn):
+        """
+        The status of every execution is set to 'RUNNING' by default.
+        Set the following environment variable if you want to get a FAILED status back:
+
+        .. sourcecode:: bash
+
+            SF_EXECUTION_HISTORY_TYPE=FAILURE
+        """
         self._validate_execution_arn(execution_arn)
         state_machine = self._get_state_machine_for_execution(execution_arn)
         exctn = next(
@@ -532,6 +552,14 @@ class StepFunctionBackend(BaseBackend):
         return exctn
 
     def get_execution_history(self, execution_arn):
+        """
+        A static list of successful events is returned by default.
+        Set the following environment variable if you want to get a static list of events for a failed execution:
+
+        .. sourcecode:: bash
+
+            SF_EXECUTION_HISTORY_TYPE=FAILURE
+        """
         self._validate_execution_arn(execution_arn)
         state_machine = self._get_state_machine_for_execution(execution_arn)
         execution = next(
diff --git a/tests/test_stepfunctions/test_stepfunctions.py b/tests/test_stepfunctions/test_stepfunctions.py
index 31eb7f186..d68e17c2f 100644
--- a/tests/test_stepfunctions/test_stepfunctions.py
+++ b/tests/test_stepfunctions/test_stepfunctions.py
@@ -950,6 +950,12 @@ def test_state_machine_get_execution_history_contains_expected_failure_events_wh
     execution_history["events"].should.have.length_of(3)
     execution_history["events"].should.equal(expected_events)
 
+    exc = client.describe_execution(executionArn=execution["executionArn"])
+    assert exc["status"] == "FAILED"
+
+    exc = client.list_executions(stateMachineArn=sm["stateMachineArn"])["executions"][0]
+    assert exc["status"] == "FAILED"
+
 
 def _get_default_role():
     return "arn:aws:iam::" + ACCOUNT_ID + ":role/unknown_sf_role"