diff --git a/app/controllers/root_controller.rb b/app/controllers/root_controller.rb
index 156b65c86..bec92150c 100644
--- a/app/controllers/root_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/root_controller.rb
@@ -15,10 +15,16 @@ class RootController < ApplicationController
     archived
   ].freeze
 
+  DEFAULT_FILTER_STATES = %w[draft amends_needed in_review fact_check fact_check_received ready].freeze
+
   def index
     filter_params_hash = filter_params.to_h
     states_filter_params = filter_params_hash[:states_filter]
-    sanitised_states_filter_params = states_filter_params&.select { |fp| PERMITTED_FILTER_STATES.include?(fp) }
+    if user_has_submitted_filters?
+      sanitised_states_filter_params = states_filter_params&.select { |fp| PERMITTED_FILTER_STATES.include?(fp) }
+    else
+      sanitised_states_filter_params = DEFAULT_FILTER_STATES
+    end
     assignee_filter = filter_params_hash[:assignee_filter]
     format_filter = filter_params_hash[:format_filter]
     title_filter = filter_params_hash[:title_filter]
@@ -33,6 +39,10 @@ def index
 
 private
 
+  def user_has_submitted_filters?
+    filter_params.to_h[:title_filter]
+  end
+
   def filter_params
     params.permit(:page, :assignee_filter, :format_filter, :title_filter, states_filter: [])
   end
diff --git a/test/functional/root_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/root_controller_test.rb
index 52a0a8eb4..6512fdfb7 100644
--- a/test/functional/root_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/root_controller_test.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,26 @@ class RootControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
       assert_template "root/index"
     end
 
+    should "default the state filters when no filters are specified" do
+      get :index
+
+      # These filters should be 'checked'
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='draft'][checked]"
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='amends_needed'][checked]"
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='in_review'][checked]"
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='fact_check'][checked]"
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='fact_check_received'][checked]"
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='ready'][checked]"
+
+      # These filters should NOT be 'checked'
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='scheduled_for_publishing']"
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='scheduled_for_publishing'][checked]", false
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='published']"
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='published'][checked]", false
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='archived']"
+      assert_select "input.govuk-checkboxes__input[value='archived'][checked]", false
+    end
+
     should "filter publications by state" do
       FactoryBot.create(:guide_edition, state: "draft")
       FactoryBot.create(:guide_edition, state: "published")
@@ -59,7 +79,7 @@ class RootControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
         .with(has_entry(:states_filter, %w[draft]))
         .returns(stub(editions: Kaminari.paginate_array([]).page(1), available_users: []))
 
-      get :index, params: { states_filter: %w[draft not_a_real_state] }
+      get :index, params: { title_filter: "", states_filter: %w[draft not_a_real_state] }
     end
 
     should "show the first page of publications when no page is specified" do