diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
index 4a416312ea..b80ccdda87 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ public function getConfiguration() {
    */
   public function getInitialState(WorkflowInterface $workflow, $entity = NULL) {
     if ($entity instanceof EntityPublishedInterface) {
-      return $workflow->getState($entity->isPublished() ? 'published' : 'draft');
+      return $workflow->getState($entity->isPublished() && !$entity->isNew() ? 'published' : 'draft');
     }
     return parent::getInitialState($workflow);
   }
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/InitialStateTest.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/InitialStateTest.php
index 0150d3c6e5..3db6a662ce 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/InitialStateTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/InitialStateTest.php
@@ -77,6 +77,12 @@ public function testInitialState() {
     $this->assertEquals('draft', $loaded_unpublished_node->moderation_state->value);
     $this->assertEquals('published', $loaded_published_node->moderation_state->value);
     $this->assertEquals('draft', $loaded_entity_test->moderation_state->value);
+
+    $presave_node = Node::create([
+      'type' => 'example',
+      'title' => 'Presave node',
+    ]);
+    $this->assertEquals('draft', $presave_node->moderation_state->value);
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/ModerationStateFieldItemListTest.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/ModerationStateFieldItemListTest.php
index 7e9a75c3f4..5a2f6a0b32 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/ModerationStateFieldItemListTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/ModerationStateFieldItemListTest.php
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ protected function setUp() {
    * Test the field item list when accessing an index.
    */
   public function testArrayIndex() {
-    $this->assertEquals('published', $this->testNode->moderation_state[0]->value);
+    $this->assertFalse($this->testNode->isPublished());
+    $this->assertEquals('draft', $this->testNode->moderation_state[0]->value);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ public function testArrayIteration() {
     foreach ($this->testNode->moderation_state as $item) {
       $states[] = $item->value;
     }
-    $this->assertEquals(['published'], $states);
+    $this->assertEquals(['draft'], $states);
   }
 
 }