diff --git a/app/controllers/root_controller.rb b/app/controllers/root_controller.rb
index 18afffd96..47294fa56 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) }
+    sanitised_states_filter_params = if user_has_submitted_filters?
+                                       states_filter_params&.select { |fp| PERMITTED_FILTER_STATES.include?(fp) }
+                                     else
+                                       DEFAULT_FILTER_STATES
+                                     end
     assignee_filter = filter_params_hash[:assignee_filter]
     content_type_filter = filter_params_hash[:content_type_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, :content_type_filter, :title_filter, states_filter: [])
   end
diff --git a/test/functional/root_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/root_controller_test.rb
index 3e5d5e858..ddf3407a2 100644
--- a/test/functional/root_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/root_controller_test.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,49 @@ class RootControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
       assert_template "root/index"
     end
 
+    should "default the state filter checkboxes 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 "default the applied state filters when no filters are specified" do
+      FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "draft")
+      FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "amends_needed")
+      FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "in_review", review_requested_at: 1.hour.ago)
+      fact_check_edition = FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "fact_check", title: "Check yo fax")
+      fact_check_edition.new_action(FactoryBot.create(:user), "send_fact_check")
+      FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "fact_check_received")
+      FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "ready")
+      FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "scheduled_for_publishing", publish_at: Time.zone.now + 1.hour)
+      FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "published")
+      FactoryBot.create(:edition, state: "archived")
+
+      get :index
+
+      assert_select "p.publications-table__heading", "6 document(s)"
+      assert_select "span.govuk-tag--draft", "Draft"
+      assert_select "span.govuk-tag--amends_needed", "Amends needed"
+      assert_select "span.govuk-tag--in_review", "In review"
+      assert_select "span.govuk-tag--fact_check", "Fact check"
+      assert_select "span.govuk-tag--fact_check_received", "Fact check received"
+      assert_select "span.govuk-tag--ready", "Ready"
+    end
+
     should "filter publications by state" do
       FactoryBot.create(:guide_edition, state: "draft")
       FactoryBot.create(:guide_edition, state: "published")
@@ -66,7 +109,7 @@ class RootControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
                    edition_states: [],
                  ))
 
-      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