diff --git a/rclcpp_lifecycle/include/rclcpp_lifecycle/lifecycle_node.hpp b/rclcpp_lifecycle/include/rclcpp_lifecycle/lifecycle_node.hpp
index 80ec76a769..50d4717ec3 100644
--- a/rclcpp_lifecycle/include/rclcpp_lifecycle/lifecycle_node.hpp
+++ b/rclcpp_lifecycle/include/rclcpp_lifecycle/lifecycle_node.hpp
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ class LifecycleNode : public node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface,
    */
   RCLCPP_LIFECYCLE_PUBLIC
   const State &
-  get_current_state();
+  get_current_state() const;
 
   /// Return a list with the available states.
   /**
diff --git a/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node.cpp b/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node.cpp
index f2db5f3950..773febda95 100644
--- a/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node.cpp
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ LifecycleNode::register_on_error(
 }
 
 const State &
-LifecycleNode::get_current_state()
+LifecycleNode::get_current_state() const
 {
   return impl_->get_current_state();
 }
diff --git a/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node_interface_impl.cpp b/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node_interface_impl.cpp
index f176cbf535..30c0ba3c0e 100644
--- a/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node_interface_impl.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node_interface_impl.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ LifecycleNode::LifecycleNodeInterfaceImpl::init(bool enable_communication_interf
         nullptr);
     }
   }
+
+  current_state_ = State(state_machine_.current_state);
 }
 
 bool
@@ -327,9 +329,8 @@ LifecycleNode::LifecycleNodeInterfaceImpl::on_get_transition_graph(
 }
 
 const State &
-LifecycleNode::LifecycleNodeInterfaceImpl::get_current_state()
+LifecycleNode::LifecycleNodeInterfaceImpl::get_current_state() const
 {
-  current_state_ = State(state_machine_.current_state);
   return current_state_;
 }
 
@@ -396,6 +397,9 @@ LifecycleNode::LifecycleNodeInterfaceImpl::change_state(
     return RCL_RET_ERROR;
   }
 
+  // Update the internal current_state_
+  current_state_ = State(state_machine_.current_state);
+
   auto get_label_for_return_code =
     [](node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn cb_return_code) -> const char *{
       auto cb_id = static_cast<uint8_t>(cb_return_code);
@@ -421,6 +425,9 @@ LifecycleNode::LifecycleNodeInterfaceImpl::change_state(
     return RCL_RET_ERROR;
   }
 
+  // Update the internal current_state_
+  current_state_ = State(state_machine_.current_state);
+
   // error handling ?!
   // TODO(karsten1987): iterate over possible ret value
   if (cb_return_code == node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn::ERROR) {
@@ -437,6 +444,10 @@ LifecycleNode::LifecycleNodeInterfaceImpl::change_state(
       return RCL_RET_ERROR;
     }
   }
+
+  // Update the internal current_state_
+  current_state_ = State(state_machine_.current_state);
+
   // This true holds in both cases where the actual callback
   // was successful or not, since at this point we have a valid transistion
   // to either a new primary state or error state
diff --git a/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node_interface_impl.hpp b/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node_interface_impl.hpp
index d973278005..9777bbf3a8 100644
--- a/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node_interface_impl.hpp
+++ b/rclcpp_lifecycle/src/lifecycle_node_interface_impl.hpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class LifecycleNode::LifecycleNodeInterfaceImpl final
     std::function<node_interfaces::LifecycleNodeInterface::CallbackReturn(const State &)> & cb);
 
   const State &
-  get_current_state();
+  get_current_state() const;
 
   std::vector<State>
   get_available_states() const;