diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
index 288ac0e1f0..5c1d827bbf 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/src/Plugin/WorkflowType/ContentModeration.php
@@ -133,11 +133,17 @@ public function decorateState(StateInterface $state) {
    */
   public function deleteState($state_id) {
     $new_state = $this->configuration['states'][$state_id]['published'] ? 'published' : 'draft';
-    $content_moderation_states = $this->entityTypeManager->getStorage('content_moderation_state')->loadByProperties(['moderation_state' => $state_id]);
-    foreach ($content_moderation_states as $content_moderation_state) {
-      $content_moderation_state->moderation_state->value = $new_state;
-      $content_moderation_state->save();
-    }
+    $content_moderation_state_type = $this->entityTypeManager->getDefinition('content_moderation_state');
+    \Drupal::database()
+      ->update($content_moderation_state_type->getDataTable())
+      ->condition('moderation_state', $state_id)
+      ->fields(['moderation_state' => $new_state])
+      ->execute();
+    \Drupal::database()
+      ->update($content_moderation_state_type->getRevisionDataTable())
+      ->condition('moderation_state', $state_id)
+      ->fields(['moderation_state' => $new_state])
+      ->execute();
     parent::deleteState($state_id);
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/DeleteWorkflowStateTest.php b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/DeleteWorkflowStateTest.php
index cd40182e9a..31421888d0 100644
--- a/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/DeleteWorkflowStateTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/content_moderation/tests/src/Kernel/DeleteWorkflowStateTest.php
@@ -57,18 +57,25 @@ function testNodeModeration() {
 
     $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addState('unpub_test', 'Unpublished Test');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',
@@ -87,7 +94,28 @@ function testNodeModeration() {
 
     $loaded_node = Node::load($node->id());
     $this->assertEquals('published', $loaded_node->moderation_state->value);
-    $this->assertTrue($node->isPublished());
+    $this->assertTrue($loaded_node->isPublished());
+
+    // Tests deleting an unpublished moderation state.
+    $node2 = Node::create([
+      'type' => 'example',
+      'title' => 'Test title 2',
+    ]);
+    $node2->setUnpublished()->save();
+    $this->assertEquals('draft', $node2->moderation_state->value);
+    $this->assertFalse($node2->isPublished());
+
+    $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());
   }
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}