diff --git a/.changeset/rare-fireants-tickle.md b/.changeset/rare-fireants-tickle.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8668d4c287
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/rare-fireants-tickle.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/core-components': patch
+---
+
+Added optional `initialShowDropDown` prop to `SidebarSubmenuItem` to internally manage the initial display state of the dropdown items.
diff --git a/packages/core-components/api-report.md b/packages/core-components/api-report.md
index 7fd706db43..2a146e70e0 100644
--- a/packages/core-components/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/core-components/api-report.md
@@ -1128,6 +1128,7 @@ export type SidebarSubmenuItemProps = {
   icon?: IconComponent;
   dropdownItems?: SidebarSubmenuItemDropdownItem[];
   exact?: boolean;
+  initialShowDropdown?: boolean;
 };
 
 // @public
diff --git a/packages/core-components/src/layout/Sidebar/SidebarSubmenuItem.tsx b/packages/core-components/src/layout/Sidebar/SidebarSubmenuItem.tsx
index 0503f58f1c..19834268f9 100644
--- a/packages/core-components/src/layout/Sidebar/SidebarSubmenuItem.tsx
+++ b/packages/core-components/src/layout/Sidebar/SidebarSubmenuItem.tsx
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ export type SidebarSubmenuItemProps = {
   icon?: IconComponent;
   dropdownItems?: SidebarSubmenuItemDropdownItem[];
   exact?: boolean;
+  initialShowDropdown?: boolean;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -149,7 +150,9 @@ export const SidebarSubmenuItem = (props: SidebarSubmenuItemProps) => {
   const currentLocation = useLocation();
   let isActive = isLocationMatch(currentLocation, toLocation, exact);
 
-  const [showDropDown, setShowDropDown] = useState(false);
+  const [showDropDown, setShowDropDown] = useState(
+    props.initialShowDropdown ?? false,
+  );
   const handleClickDropdown = () => {
     setShowDropDown(!showDropDown);
   };