diff --git a/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator.cc b/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator.cc
index 448329b88..e5e87b69b 100644
--- a/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator.cc
+++ b/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator.cc
@@ -26,19 +26,15 @@ constexpr char kStateChangeTag[] = "STATE_CHANGE";
 constexpr char kDisallowTag[] = "DISALLOW";
 constexpr char kAllowTag[] = "ALLOW";
 
-enum GateState {
-  GATE_UNINITIALIZED,
-  GATE_ALLOW,
-  GATE_DISALLOW,
-};
-
-std::string ToString(GateState state) {
+std::string ToString(GateCalculatorOptions::GateState state) {
   switch (state) {
-    case GATE_UNINITIALIZED:
+    case GateCalculatorOptions::UNSPECIFIED:
+      return "UNSPECIFIED";
+    case GateCalculatorOptions::GATE_UNINITIALIZED:
       return "UNINITIALIZED";
-    case GATE_ALLOW:
+    case GateCalculatorOptions::GATE_ALLOW:
       return "ALLOW";
-    case GATE_DISALLOW:
+    case GateCalculatorOptions::GATE_DISALLOW:
       return "DISALLOW";
   }
   DLOG(FATAL) << "Unknown GateState";
@@ -153,10 +149,12 @@ class GateCalculator : public CalculatorBase {
 
     cc->SetOffset(TimestampDiff(0));
     num_data_streams_ = cc->Inputs().NumEntries("");
-    last_gate_state_ = GATE_UNINITIALIZED;
-    RET_CHECK_OK(CopyInputHeadersToOutputs(cc->Inputs(), &cc->Outputs()));
 
     const auto& options = cc->Options<::mediapipe::GateCalculatorOptions>();
+    last_gate_state_ = options.initial_gate_state();
+
+    RET_CHECK_OK(CopyInputHeadersToOutputs(cc->Inputs(), &cc->Outputs()));
+
     empty_packets_as_allow_ = options.empty_packets_as_allow();
 
     if (!use_side_packet_for_allow_disallow_ &&
@@ -184,10 +182,12 @@ class GateCalculator : public CalculatorBase {
         allow = !cc->Inputs().Tag(kDisallowTag).Get<bool>();
       }
     }
-    const GateState new_gate_state = allow ? GATE_ALLOW : GATE_DISALLOW;
+    const GateCalculatorOptions::GateState new_gate_state =
+        allow ? GateCalculatorOptions::GATE_ALLOW
+              : GateCalculatorOptions::GATE_DISALLOW;
 
     if (cc->Outputs().HasTag(kStateChangeTag)) {
-      if (last_gate_state_ != GATE_UNINITIALIZED &&
+      if (last_gate_state_ != GateCalculatorOptions::GATE_UNINITIALIZED &&
           last_gate_state_ != new_gate_state) {
         VLOG(2) << "State transition in " << cc->NodeName() << " @ "
                 << cc->InputTimestamp().Value() << " from "
@@ -223,7 +223,8 @@ class GateCalculator : public CalculatorBase {
   }
 
  private:
-  GateState last_gate_state_ = GATE_UNINITIALIZED;
+  GateCalculatorOptions::GateState last_gate_state_ =
+      GateCalculatorOptions::GATE_UNINITIALIZED;
   int num_data_streams_;
   bool empty_packets_as_allow_;
   bool use_side_packet_for_allow_disallow_ = false;
diff --git a/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator.proto b/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator.proto
index b7d597a63..4153d5f32 100644
--- a/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator.proto
+++ b/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator.proto
@@ -31,4 +31,13 @@ message GateCalculatorOptions {
   // Whether to allow or disallow the input streams to pass when no
   // ALLOW/DISALLOW input or side input is specified.
   optional bool allow = 2 [default = false];
+
+  enum GateState {
+    UNSPECIFIED = 0;
+    GATE_UNINITIALIZED = 1;
+    GATE_ALLOW = 2;
+    GATE_DISALLOW = 3;
+  }
+
+  optional GateState initial_gate_state = 3 [default = GATE_UNINITIALIZED];
 }
diff --git a/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator_test.cc b/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator_test.cc
index 192019820..8875bd7e3 100644
--- a/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator_test.cc
+++ b/mediapipe/calculators/core/gate_calculator_test.cc
@@ -458,5 +458,29 @@ TEST_F(GateCalculatorTest, AllowInitialNoStateTransition) {
   ASSERT_EQ(0, output.size());
 }
 
+// Must detect allow value for first timestamp as a state change when the
+// initial state is set to GATE_DISALLOW.
+TEST_F(GateCalculatorTest, StateChangeTriggeredWithInitialGateStateOption) {
+  SetRunner(R"(
+        calculator: "GateCalculator"
+        input_stream: "test_input"
+        input_stream: "ALLOW:allow"
+        output_stream: "test_output"
+        output_stream: "STATE_CHANGE:state_change"
+        options: {
+          [mediapipe.GateCalculatorOptions.ext] {
+            initial_gate_state: GATE_DISALLOW
+          }
+        }
+  )");
+
+  constexpr int64_t kTimestampValue0 = 42;
+  RunTimeStep(kTimestampValue0, "ALLOW", true);
+
+  const std::vector<Packet>& output =
+      runner()->Outputs().Get("STATE_CHANGE", 0).packets;
+  ASSERT_EQ(1, output.size());
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 }  // namespace mediapipe