diff --git a/.changeset/rare-melons-battle.md b/.changeset/rare-melons-battle.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..85fd72c763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/rare-melons-battle.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-catalog-react': minor
+---
+
+Add `initialFilter` prop to EntityLifecyclePicker. This allows you to set an initial lifecycle for the catalog.
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-react/api-report.md b/plugins/catalog-react/api-report.md
index 9528c55326..095b6832a4 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-react/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/catalog-react/api-report.md
@@ -194,7 +194,9 @@ export class EntityLifecycleFilter implements EntityFilter {
 }
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const EntityLifecyclePicker: () => JSX.Element | null;
+export const EntityLifecyclePicker: (props: {
+  initialFilter?: string[];
+}) => JSX.Element | null;
 
 // @public
 export const EntityListContext: React_2.Context<
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-react/src/components/EntityLifecyclePicker/EntityLifecyclePicker.test.tsx b/plugins/catalog-react/src/components/EntityLifecyclePicker/EntityLifecyclePicker.test.tsx
index ef77f7615f..3ee610ddaf 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-react/src/components/EntityLifecyclePicker/EntityLifecyclePicker.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/catalog-react/src/components/EntityLifecyclePicker/EntityLifecyclePicker.test.tsx
@@ -210,4 +210,21 @@ describe('<EntityLifecyclePicker/>', () => {
       lifecycles: undefined,
     });
   });
+  it('responds to initialFilter prop', () => {
+    const updateFilters = jest.fn();
+    render(
+      <MockEntityListContextProvider
+        value={{
+          entities: sampleEntities,
+          backendEntities: sampleEntities,
+          updateFilters,
+        }}
+      >
+        <EntityLifecyclePicker initialFilter={['production']} />
+      </MockEntityListContextProvider>,
+    );
+    expect(updateFilters).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith({
+      lifecycles: new EntityLifecycleFilter(['production']),
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-react/src/components/EntityLifecyclePicker/EntityLifecyclePicker.tsx b/plugins/catalog-react/src/components/EntityLifecyclePicker/EntityLifecyclePicker.tsx
index b941f94531..77925598e1 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-react/src/components/EntityLifecyclePicker/EntityLifecyclePicker.tsx
+++ b/plugins/catalog-react/src/components/EntityLifecyclePicker/EntityLifecyclePicker.tsx
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ const icon = <CheckBoxOutlineBlankIcon fontSize="small" />;
 const checkedIcon = <CheckBoxIcon fontSize="small" />;
 
 /** @public */
-export const EntityLifecyclePicker = () => {
+export const EntityLifecyclePicker = (props: { initialFilter?: string[] }) => {
+  const { initialFilter = [] } = props;
   const classes = useStyles();
   const {
     updateFilters,
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ export const EntityLifecyclePicker = () => {
   const [selectedLifecycles, setSelectedLifecycles] = useState(
     queryParamLifecycles.length
       ? queryParamLifecycles
-      : filters.lifecycles?.values ?? [],
+      : filters.lifecycles?.values ?? initialFilter,
   );
 
   // Set selected lifecycles on query parameter updates; this happens at initial page load and from