diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
index 4a416312ea..fab2f7a2f0 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 use Drupal\Component\Serialization\Json;
 use Drupal\content_moderation\ModerationInformationInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Access\AccessResult;
+use Drupal\Core\Database\Connection;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeBundleInfoInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeManagerInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityPublishedInterface;
@@ -57,6 +58,11 @@ class ContentModeration extends WorkflowTypeFormBase implements ContainerFactory
   protected $moderationInfo;
 
   /**
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection
+   */
+  protected $database;
+
+  /**
    * Constructs a ContentModeration object.
    *
    * @param array $configuration
@@ -69,12 +75,15 @@ class ContentModeration extends WorkflowTypeFormBase implements ContainerFactory
    *   The entity type manager.
    * @param \Drupal\content_moderation\ModerationInformationInterface $moderation_info
    *   Moderation information service.
+   * @param \Drupal\Core\Database\Connection $database
+   *   The database connection.
    */
-  public function __construct(array $configuration, $plugin_id, $plugin_definition, EntityTypeManagerInterface $entity_type_manager, EntityTypeBundleInfoInterface $entity_type_bundle_info, ModerationInformationInterface $moderation_info) {
+  public function __construct(array $configuration, $plugin_id, $plugin_definition, EntityTypeManagerInterface $entity_type_manager, EntityTypeBundleInfoInterface $entity_type_bundle_info, ModerationInformationInterface $moderation_info, Connection $database) {
     parent::__construct($configuration, $plugin_id, $plugin_definition);
     $this->entityTypeManager = $entity_type_manager;
     $this->entityTypeBundleInfo = $entity_type_bundle_info;
     $this->moderationInfo = $moderation_info;
+    $this->database = $database;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -87,7 +96,8 @@ public static function create(ContainerInterface $container, array $configuratio
       $plugin_definition,
       $container->get('entity_type.manager'),
       $container->get('entity_type.bundle.info'),
-      $container->get('content_moderation.moderation_information')
+      $container->get('content_moderation.moderation_information'),
+      $container->get('database')
     );
   }
 
@@ -131,6 +141,25 @@ public function decorateState(StateInterface $state) {
   /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
+  public function deleteState($state_id) {
+    $new_state = $this->configuration['states'][$state_id]['published'] ? 'published' : 'draft';
+    $content_moderation_state_type = $this->entityTypeManager->getDefinition('content_moderation_state');
+    $this->database
+      ->update($content_moderation_state_type->getDataTable())
+      ->condition('moderation_state', $state_id)
+      ->fields(['moderation_state' => $new_state])
+      ->execute();
+    $this->database
+      ->update($content_moderation_state_type->getRevisionDataTable())
+      ->condition('moderation_state', $state_id)
+      ->fields(['moderation_state' => $new_state])
+      ->execute();
+    parent::deleteState($state_id);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
   public function buildStateConfigurationForm(FormStateInterface $form_state, WorkflowInterface $workflow, StateInterface $state = NULL) {
     /** @var \Drupal\content_moderation\ContentModerationState $state */
     $is_required_state = isset($state) ? in_array($state->id(), $this->getRequiredStates(), TRUE) : FALSE;
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/DeleteWorkflowStateTest.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/DeleteWorkflowStateTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..266c157708
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/DeleteWorkflowStateTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Drupal\Tests\content_moderation\Kernel;
+
+use Drupal\KernelTests\KernelTestBase;
+use Drupal\node\Entity\Node;
+use Drupal\node\Entity\NodeType;
+use Drupal\workflows\Entity\Workflow;
+
+/**
+ * Tests how Content Moderation handles the deletion of a workflow state.
+ *
+ * @group content_moderation
+ */
+class DeleteWorkflowStateTest extends KernelTestBase {
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  public static $modules = [
+    'node',
+    'content_moderation',
+    'user',
+    'system',
+    'text',
+    'workflows',
+  ];
+
+  /**
+   * @var \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeManager
+   */
+  protected $entityTypeManager;
+
+  /**
+   * {@inheritdoc}
+   */
+  protected function setUp() {
+    parent::setUp();
+
+    $this->installSchema('node', 'node_access');
+    $this->installEntitySchema('node');
+    $this->installEntitySchema('user');
+    $this->installEntitySchema('content_moderation_state');
+    $this->installConfig('content_moderation');
+
+    $this->entityTypeManager = $this->container->get('entity_type.manager');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Test deleting a node's moderation state.
+   */
+  function testNodeModeration() {
+    $node_type = NodeType::create([
+      'type' => 'example',
+    ]);
+    $node_type->save();
+
+    $workflow = Workflow::load('editorial');
+    $workflow->addState('test', 'Test');
+    $workflow->addState('unpub_test', 'Unpublished Test');
+    $workflow->getTypePlugin()->setConfiguration([
+      'states' => [
+        'test' => [
+          'published' => TRUE,
+          'default_revision' => TRUE,
+        ],
+        'unpub_test' => [
+          'published' => FALSE,
+          'default_revision' => FALSE,
+        ],
+      ],
+    ]);
+    $workflow->addTransition('test', 'Test', ['draft'], 'test');
+    $workflow->addTransition('unpub_test', 'Unpublished Test', ['draft'], 'unpub_test');
+    $workflow->getTypePlugin()->addEntityTypeAndBundle('node', 'example');
+    $workflow->save();
+
+    // Tests deleting a published moderation state.
+    $node = Node::create([
+      'type' => 'example',
+      'title' => 'Test title',
+    ]);
+    $node->moderation_state->value = 'test';
+    $node->save();
+    $this->assertEquals('test', $node->moderation_state->value);
+    $this->assertTrue($node->isPublished());
+
+    $workflow->deleteState('test');
+    $workflow->save();
+
+    $loaded_node = Node::load($node->id());
+    $this->assertEquals('published', $loaded_node->moderation_state->value);
+    $this->assertTrue($loaded_node->isPublished());
+
+    // Tests deleting an unpublished moderation state.
+    $node2 = Node::create([
+      'type' => 'example',
+      'title' => 'Test title 2',
+    ]);
+    $node2->moderation_state->value = 'unpub_test';
+    $node2->save();
+    $this->assertEquals('unpub_test', $node2->moderation_state->value);
+    $this->assertFalse($node2->isPublished());
+
+    $workflow->deleteState('unpub_test');
+    $workflow->save();
+
+    $loaded_node2 = Node::load($node2->id());
+    $this->assertEquals('draft', $loaded_node2->moderation_state->value);
+    $this->assertFalse($loaded_node2->isPublished());
+  }
+
+}