diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/config/schema/content_moderation.schema.yml b/core/modules/content_moderation/config/schema/content_moderation.schema.yml
index d48ffe439f..7b14efbe49 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/config/schema/content_moderation.schema.yml
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/config/schema/content_moderation.schema.yml
@@ -33,3 +33,6 @@ workflow.type_settings.content_moderation:
         sequence:
           type: string
           label: 'Bundle ID'
+    default_moderation_state:
+      type: string
+      label: 'Default moderation state'
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.module b/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.module
index 3481c243e1..347cbaf8aa 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.module
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.module
@@ -207,6 +207,15 @@ function content_moderation_entity_access(EntityInterface $entity, $operation, A
     }
   }
 
+  // Do not allow users to delete the state that is configured as the default
+  // state for the workflow.
+  if ($entity instanceof WorkflowInterface) {
+    $configuration = $entity->getTypePlugin()->getConfiguration();
+    if (!empty($configuration['default_moderation_state']) && $operation === sprintf('delete-state:%s', $configuration['default_moderation_state'])) {
+      return AccessResult::forbidden()->addCacheableDependency($entity);
+    }
+  }
+
   return $access_result;
 }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.post_update.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.post_update.php
index ff5a28a9d3..49f8fd73fc 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.post_update.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.post_update.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  * Post update functions for the Content Moderation module.
  */
 
+use Drupal\Core\Config\Entity\ConfigEntityUpdater;
 use Drupal\Core\Site\Settings;
 use Drupal\workflows\Entity\Workflow;
 
@@ -94,3 +95,18 @@ function content_moderation_post_update_update_cms_default_revisions(&$sandbox)
 
   $sandbox['offset'] += $sandbox['limit'];
 }
+
+/**
+ * Set the default moderation state for new content to 'draft'.
+ */
+function content_moderation_post_update_set_default_moderation_state(&$sandbox) {
+  \Drupal::classResolver(ConfigEntityUpdater::class)->update($sandbox, 'workflow', function (Workflow $workflow) {
+    if ($workflow->get('type') === 'content_moderation') {
+      $configuration = $workflow->getTypePlugin()->getConfiguration();
+      $configuration['default_moderation_state'] = 'draft';
+      $workflow->getTypePlugin()->setConfiguration($configuration);
+      return TRUE;
+    }
+    return FALSE;
+  });
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Form/ContentModerationConfigureForm.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Form/ContentModerationConfigureForm.php
index 274b9f8e37..f43451ec63 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Form/ContentModerationConfigureForm.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Form/ContentModerationConfigureForm.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 use Drupal\Core\Form\FormStateInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Url;
 use Drupal\workflows\Plugin\WorkflowTypeConfigureFormBase;
+use Drupal\workflows\State;
 use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerInterface;
 
 /**
@@ -128,6 +129,21 @@ public function buildConfigurationForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_sta
         ],
       ];
     }
+
+    $workflow_type_configuration = $this->workflowType->getConfiguration();
+    $form['workflow_settings'] = [
+      '#type' => 'details',
+      '#title' => $this->t('Workflow Settings'),
+      '#open' => TRUE,
+    ];
+    $form['workflow_settings']['default_moderation_state'] = [
+      '#title' => $this->t('Default moderation state'),
+      '#type' => 'select',
+      '#required' => TRUE,
+      '#options' => array_map([State::class, 'labelCallback'], $this->workflowType->getStates()),
+      '#description' => $this->t('Select the state that new content will be assigned. This state will appear as the default in content forms and the available target states will be based on the transitions available from this state.'),
+      '#default_value' => isset($workflow_type_configuration['default_moderation_state']) ? $workflow_type_configuration['default_moderation_state'] : 'draft',
+    ];
     return $form;
   }
 
@@ -135,8 +151,9 @@ public function buildConfigurationForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_sta
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function submitConfigurationForm(array &$form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
-    // Configuration is updated from modal windows launched from this form, no
-    // need to change any configuration here.
+    $configuration = $this->workflowType->getConfiguration();
+    $configuration['default_moderation_state'] = $form_state->getValue(['workflow_settings', 'default_moderation_state']);
+    $this->workflowType->setConfiguration($configuration);
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
index 358314a4ca..5182c6b3fd 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
@@ -306,11 +306,11 @@ public function getInitialState($entity = NULL) {
     if (!($entity instanceof ContentEntityInterface)) {
       throw new \InvalidArgumentException('A content entity object must be supplied.');
     }
-    if ($entity instanceof EntityPublishedInterface) {
-      return $this->getState($entity->isPublished() && !$entity->isNew() ? 'published' : 'draft');
+    if ($entity instanceof EntityPublishedInterface && !$entity->isNew()) {
+      return $this->getState($entity->isPublished() ? 'published' : 'draft');
     }
-    // Workflows determines the initial state for non-publishable entities.
-    return parent::getInitialState();
+
+    return $this->getState(!empty($this->configuration['default_moderation_state']) ? $this->configuration['default_moderation_state'] : 'draft');
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Functional/DefaultModerationStateTest.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Functional/DefaultModerationStateTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f5f6a5c004
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Functional/DefaultModerationStateTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Drupal\Tests\content_moderation\Functional;
+
+/**
+ * Tests setting a custom default moderation state.
+ *
+ * @group content_moderation
+ */
+class DefaultModerationStateTest extends ModerationStateTestBase {
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  protected function setUp() {
+    parent::setUp();
+    $this->drupalLogin($this->adminUser);
+    $this->createContentTypeFromUi('Moderated content', 'moderated_content', TRUE);
+    $this->grantUserPermissionToCreateContentOfType($this->adminUser, 'moderated_content');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Test a workflow with a default moderation state set.
+   */
+  public function testPublishedDefaultState() {
+    // Set the default moderation state to be "published".
+    $this->drupalPostForm('admin/config/workflow/workflows/manage/' . $this->workflow->id(), [
+      'type_settings[workflow_settings][default_moderation_state]' => 'published',
+    ], 'Save');
+
+    $this->drupalGet('node/add/moderated_content');
+    $this->assertEquals('published', $this->assertSession()->selectExists('moderation_state[0][state]')->getValue());
+    $this->submitForm([
+      'title[0][value]' => 'moderated content',
+    ], 'Save');
+
+    $node = $this->getNodeByTitle('moderated content');
+    $this->assertEquals('published', $node->moderation_state->value);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Test access to deleting the default state.
+   */
+  public function testDeleteDefaultStateAccess() {
+    $this->drupalGet('admin/config/workflow/workflows/manage/editorial/state/archived/delete');
+    $this->assertSession()->statusCodeEquals(200);
+
+    $this->drupalPostForm('admin/config/workflow/workflows/manage/' . $this->workflow->id(), [
+      'type_settings[workflow_settings][default_moderation_state]' => 'archived',
+    ], 'Save');
+
+    $this->drupalGet('admin/config/workflow/workflows/manage/editorial/state/archived/delete');
+    $this->assertSession()->statusCodeEquals(403);
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Functional/DefaultModerationStateUpdateTest.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Functional/DefaultModerationStateUpdateTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..35ba1dd1e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Functional/DefaultModerationStateUpdateTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Drupal\Tests\content_moderation\Functional;
+
+use Drupal\FunctionalTests\Update\UpdatePathTestBase;
+use Drupal\workflows\Entity\Workflow;
+
+/**
+ * Tests the upgrade path for updating the 'default_moderation_state' setting.
+ *
+ * @group Update
+ * @group legacy
+ *
+ * @see content_moderation_post_update_set_default_moderation_state()
+ */
+class DefaultModerationStateUpdateTest extends UpdatePathTestBase {
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  protected function setDatabaseDumpFiles() {
+    $this->databaseDumpFiles = [
+      __DIR__ . '/../../../../system/tests/fixtures/update/drupal-8.4.0.bare.standard.php.gz',
+      __DIR__ . '/../../fixtures/update/drupal-8.4.0-content_moderation_installed.php',
+    ];
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests updating the default moderation state setting.
+   */
+  public function testUpdateDefaultModerationState() {
+    $workflow = Workflow::load('editorial');
+    $this->assertArrayNotHasKey('default_moderation_state', $workflow->getTypePlugin()->getConfiguration());
+
+    $this->runUpdates();
+
+    $workflow = Workflow::load('editorial');
+    $this->assertEquals('draft', $workflow->getTypePlugin()->getConfiguration()['default_moderation_state']);
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/ModerationStateFieldItemListTest.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/ModerationStateFieldItemListTest.php
index af0bb4fd7d..844e77d930 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/ModerationStateFieldItemListTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/ModerationStateFieldItemListTest.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 use Drupal\node\Entity\Node;
 use Drupal\node\Entity\NodeType;
 use Drupal\Tests\content_moderation\Traits\ContentModerationTestTrait;
+use Drupal\workflows\Entity\Workflow;
 
 /**
  * @coversDefaultClass \Drupal\content_moderation\Plugin\Field\ModerationStateFieldItemList
@@ -281,4 +282,36 @@ public function moderatedEntityWithExistingIdTestCases() {
     ];
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Test customising the default moderation state.
+   */
+  public function testWorkflowCustomisedInitialState() {
+    $workflow = Workflow::load('editorial');
+    $configuration = $workflow->getTypePlugin()->getConfiguration();
+
+    // Test a node for a workflow that hasn't been updated to include the
+    // 'default_moderation_state' setting. We must be backwards compatible with
+    // configuration that was exported before this change was introduced.
+    $this->assertFalse(isset($configuration['default_moderation_state']));
+    $legacy_configuration_node = Node::create([
+      'title' => 'Test title',
+      'type' => 'example',
+    ]);
+    $this->assertEquals('draft', $legacy_configuration_node->moderation_state->value);
+    $legacy_configuration_node->save();
+    $this->assertEquals('draft', $legacy_configuration_node->moderation_state->value);
+
+    $configuration['default_moderation_state'] = 'published';
+    $workflow->getTypePlugin()->setConfiguration($configuration);
+    $workflow->save();
+
+    $updated_default_node = Node::create([
+      'title' => 'Test title',
+      'type' => 'example',
+    ]);
+    $this->assertEquals('published', $updated_default_node->moderation_state->value);
+    $legacy_configuration_node->save();
+    $this->assertEquals('published', $updated_default_node->moderation_state->value);
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/profiles/demo_umami/config/install/workflows.workflow.editorial.yml b/core/profiles/demo_umami/config/install/workflows.workflow.editorial.yml
index 9959410e1e..601289de94 100644
--- a/core/profiles/demo_umami/config/install/workflows.workflow.editorial.yml
+++ b/core/profiles/demo_umami/config/install/workflows.workflow.editorial.yml
@@ -65,3 +65,4 @@ type_settings:
       - article
       - page
       - recipe
+  default_moderation_state: draft
diff --git a/core/profiles/standard/config/optional/workflows.workflow.editorial.yml b/core/profiles/standard/config/optional/workflows.workflow.editorial.yml
index 52dbc27542..0d1154b36e 100644
--- a/core/profiles/standard/config/optional/workflows.workflow.editorial.yml
+++ b/core/profiles/standard/config/optional/workflows.workflow.editorial.yml
@@ -57,3 +57,4 @@ type_settings:
         - draft
         - published
   entity_types: {  }
+  default_moderation_state: draft