diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/lv2_plugin.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/lv2_plugin.h
index 66c44884ea..d62ddb140e 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/lv2_plugin.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/lv2_plugin.h
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ class LV2Plugin : public ARDOUR::Plugin, public ARDOUR::Workee
 	LV2_Feature    _log_feature;
 	LV2_Feature    _work_schedule_feature;
 	LV2_Feature    _options_feature;
+	LV2_Feature    _def_state_feature;
 
 	// Options passed to plugin
 	int32_t _block_length;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/lv2_plugin.cc b/libs/ardour/lv2_plugin.cc
index d368d1d9ab..d464ed6f2e 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/lv2_plugin.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/lv2_plugin.cc
@@ -288,6 +288,8 @@ LV2Plugin::init(const void* c_plugin, framecnt_t rate)
 	_log_feature.URI             = LV2_LOG__log;
 	_work_schedule_feature.URI   = LV2_WORKER__schedule;
 	_work_schedule_feature.data  = NULL;
+	_def_state_feature.URI       = LV2_STATE_PREFIX "loadDefaultState";  // Post LV2-1.2.0
+	_def_state_feature.data      = NULL;
 
 	const LilvPlugin* plugin = _impl->plugin;
 
@@ -309,10 +311,11 @@ LV2Plugin::init(const void* c_plugin, framecnt_t rate)
 	_features[4] = _uri_map.urid_map_feature();
 	_features[5] = _uri_map.urid_unmap_feature();
 	_features[6] = &_log_feature;
+	_features[7] = &_def_state_feature;
 
 	lv2_atom_forge_init(&_impl->forge, _uri_map.urid_map());
 
-	unsigned n_features = 7;
+	unsigned n_features = 8;
 #ifdef HAVE_NEW_LV2
 	LV2_URID atom_Int = _uri_map.uri_to_id(LV2_ATOM__Int);
 	LV2_Options_Option options[] = {
@@ -384,6 +387,13 @@ LV2Plugin::init(const void* c_plugin, framecnt_t rate)
 		throw failed_constructor();
 	}
 
+	// Load default state
+	LilvState* state = lilv_state_new_from_world(
+		_world.world, _uri_map.urid_map(), lilv_plugin_get_uri(_impl->plugin));
+	if (state) {
+		lilv_state_restore(state, _impl->instance, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL);
+	}
+
 	_sample_rate = rate;
 
 	const uint32_t num_ports = this->num_ports();