diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.libraries.yml b/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.libraries.yml
index 6caaaf3..377667b 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.libraries.yml
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/content_moderation.libraries.yml
@@ -3,3 +3,8 @@ entity-moderation-form:
   css:
     layout:
       css/entity-moderation-form.css: {}
+moderation-state-widget:
+  version: VERSION
+  css:
+    layout:
+      css/moderation-state-widget.css: {}
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/css/moderation-state-widget.css b/core/modules/content_moderation/css/moderation-state-widget.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..edb21de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/css/moderation-state-widget.css
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+.field--widget-moderation-state-default label {
+  display: inline;
+}
+.field--widget-moderation-state-default label:after {
+  content: ":";
+}
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/ModerationStateWidget.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/ModerationStateWidget.php
index 2290dfe..3a2bd45 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/ModerationStateWidget.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/Field/FieldWidget/ModerationStateWidget.php
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Drupal\content_moderation\Plugin\Field\FieldWidget;
 
-use Drupal\Component\Utility\Html;
 use Drupal\content_moderation\Plugin\Field\ModerationStateFieldItemList;
-use Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityTypeManagerInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Field\FieldDefinitionInterface;
 use Drupal\Core\Field\FieldItemListInterface;
@@ -108,7 +106,7 @@ public static function create(ContainerInterface $container, array $configuratio
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public function formElement(FieldItemListInterface $items, $delta, array $element, array &$form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
-    /** @var ContentEntityInterface $entity */
+    /** @var \Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityInterface $entity */
     $entity = $items->getEntity();
 
     /* @var \Drupal\Core\Config\Entity\ConfigEntityInterface $bundle_entity */
@@ -119,43 +117,48 @@ public function formElement(FieldItemListInterface $items, $delta, array $elemen
     }
 
     $workflow = $this->moderationInformation->getWorkflowForEntity($entity);
-    $default = $items->get($delta)->value ? $workflow->getState($items->get($delta)->value) : $workflow->getInitialState();
-    if (!$default) {
+    $current_state = $items->get($delta)->value ? $workflow->getState($items->get($delta)->value) : $workflow->getInitialState();
+    if (!$current_state) {
       throw new \UnexpectedValueException(sprintf('The %s bundle has an invalid moderation state configuration, moderation states are enabled but no default is set.', $bundle_entity->label()));
     }
 
     /** @var \Drupal\workflows\Transition[] $transitions */
     $transitions = $this->validator->getValidTransitions($entity, $this->currentUser);
 
-    $target_states = [];
     $transition_labels = [];
+    $default_value = NULL;
     foreach ($transitions as $transition) {
-      $target_states[$transition->to()->id()] = $transition->to()->label();
-      $transition_labels[$transition->to()->id()] = $transition->label();
+      $transition_to_state = $transition->to();
+      if ($transition_to_state->id() === $current_state->id() && !$entity->isNew()) {
+        $default_value = $transition_to_state->id();
+        // Add the default transition to the top of the list.
+        $transition_labels = [
+          $transition_to_state->id() => $this->t('Keep @state', ['@state' => $transition_to_state->label()])
+        ] + $transition_labels;
+      }
+      else {
+        $transition_labels[$transition_to_state->id()] = $transition->label();
+      }
     }
 
-    $description_wrapper_id = Html::getUniqueId($this->fieldDefinition->getName() . '-state');
     $element += [
       '#type' => 'container',
       'current' => [
-        '#markup' => $this->t('<strong class="label">Current moderation state:</strong> @current_state', ['@current_state' => $default->label()]),
+        '#type' => 'item',
+        '#title' => $this->t('Current state'),
+        '#markup' => $current_state->label(),
+        '#access' => !$entity->isNew(),
       ],
       'state' => [
         '#type' => 'select',
-        '#title' => $this->t('New state'),
-        '#options' => $target_states,
-        '#default_value' => isset($target_states[$default->id()]) ? $default->id() : NULL,
-        '#empty_option' => $this->t('- Select new state -'),
+        '#title' => $this->t('On save'),
         '#key_column' => $this->column,
-        '#transitions' => $transition_labels,
-        '#description' => isset($transition_labels[$default->id()]) ? $this->t('<div id="@id">@transition when saved.</div>', ['@id' => $description_wrapper_id, '@transition' => $transition_labels[$default->id()]]) : '<div id="' . $description_wrapper_id . '"><div></div></div>',
-        '#ajax' => [
-          'callback' => [get_class($this), 'change'],
-          'event' => 'change',
-          'wrapper' => $description_wrapper_id,
-          'method' => 'html',
-        ]
-      ]
+        '#options' => $transition_labels,
+        '#default_value' => $default_value,
+      ],
+      '#attached' => [
+        'library' => ['content_moderation/moderation-state-widget']
+      ],
     ];
     $element['#element_validate'][] = [get_class($this), 'validateElement'];
 
@@ -163,31 +166,9 @@ public function formElement(FieldItemListInterface $items, $delta, array $elemen
   }
 
   /**
-   * Ajax callback for the moderation state field description.
-   *
-   * @param array $element
-   *   The form element.
-   * @param \Drupal\Core\Form\FormStateInterface $form_state
-   *   The form state.
-   *
-   * @return array
-   *   The render array to use for the field description.
-   */
-  public static function change(array $element, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
-    $field_name = $form_state->getTriggeringElement()['#parents'][0];
-    $state = $form_state->getValue($field_name)[0]['value'];
-    $transition_labels = $element[$field_name]['widget'][0]['state']['#transitions'];
-    return ['#plain_text' => isset($transition_labels[$state]) ? \Drupal::translation()->translate('@transition when saved.', ['@transition' => $transition_labels[$state]]) : ''];
-  }
-
-  /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   public static function validateElement(array $element, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
-    if (empty($element['state']['#value'])) {
-      $form_state->setError($element, \Drupal::translation()->translate('Please select a moderation state.'));
-      return;
-    }
     $form_state->setValueForElement($element, [$element['state']['#key_column'] => $element['state']['#value']]);
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Tests/ModerationFormTest.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Tests/ModerationFormTest.php
index 9522c78..1b7e133 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Tests/ModerationFormTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Tests/ModerationFormTest.php
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 namespace Drupal\content_moderation\Tests;
 
+use Drupal\workflows\Entity\Workflow;
+
 /**
  * Tests the moderation form, specifically on nodes.
  *
@@ -31,7 +33,11 @@ protected function setUp() {
    */
   public function testModerationForm() {
     // Create new moderated content in draft.
-    $this->drupalPostForm('node/add/moderated_content', [
+    $this->drupalGet('node/add/moderated_content');
+    // Since the node is being created there is no current state.
+    $this->assertNoText('Current state:');
+
+    $this->drupalPostForm(NULL, [
       'title[0][value]' => 'Some moderated content',
       'body[0][value]' => 'First version of the content.',
       'moderation_state[0][state]' => 'draft',
@@ -49,18 +55,21 @@ public function testModerationForm() {
     $this->drupalGet($latest_version_path);
     $this->assertResponse(403);
 
-    // Try saving with no moderation state.
+    // Test what occurs when the current state is not available to transition
+    // to.
+    $workflow = Workflow::load('editorial');
+    $workflow->setTransitionFromStates('create_new_draft', ['published'])->save();
     $this->drupalGet($edit_path);
+    $this->assertText('Current state: Draft');
+    $this->assertFieldsByValue($this->xpath('//select[@id="edit-moderation-state-0-state"]'), 'published');
+    $workflow->setTransitionFromStates('create_new_draft', ['draft', 'published'])->save();
+    $this->drupalGet($edit_path);
+    $this->assertText('Current state: Draft');
     $this->assertFieldsByValue($this->xpath('//select[@id="edit-moderation-state-0-state"]'), 'draft');
-    $this->drupalPostForm($edit_path, [
-      'body[0][value]' => 'Second version of the content.',
-      'moderation_state[0][state]' => '',
-    ], t('Save'));
-    $this->assertText('Please select a moderation state.');
+    $this->assertText("Keep Draft");
 
     // Update the draft.
     $this->drupalGet($edit_path);
-    $this->assertFieldsByValue($this->xpath('//select[@id="edit-moderation-state-0-state"]'), 'draft');
     $this->drupalPostForm($edit_path, [
       'body[0][value]' => 'Second version of the content.',
       'moderation_state[0][state]' => 'draft',
@@ -74,6 +83,7 @@ public function testModerationForm() {
     // Publish the draft.
     $this->drupalGet($edit_path);
     $this->assertFieldsByValue($this->xpath('//select[@id="edit-moderation-state-0-state"]'), 'draft');
+    $this->assertText("Keep Draft");
     $this->drupalPostForm($edit_path, [
       'body[0][value]' => 'Third version of the content.',
       'moderation_state[0][state]' => 'published',
@@ -82,6 +92,7 @@ public function testModerationForm() {
     // Archive the published entity.
     $this->drupalGet($edit_path);
     $this->assertFieldsByValue($this->xpath('//select[@id="edit-moderation-state-0-state"]'), 'published');
+    $this->assertText("Keep Published");
     $this->drupalPostForm($edit_path, [
       'body[0][value]' => 'Fourth version of the content.',
       'moderation_state[0][state]' => 'archived',
@@ -89,7 +100,7 @@ public function testModerationForm() {
 
     // Then back to Published so we can add a forward revision.
     $this->drupalGet($edit_path);
-    $this->assertFieldsByValue($this->xpath('//select[@id="edit-moderation-state-0-state"]'), '');
+    $this->assertFieldsByValue($this->xpath('//select[@id="edit-moderation-state-0-state"]'), 'draft');
     $this->drupalPostForm($edit_path, [
       'body[0][value]' => 'Fifth version of the content.',
       'moderation_state[0][state]' => 'published',