diff --git a/e2e-tests/development-runtime/cypress/integration/navigation/linking.js b/e2e-tests/development-runtime/cypress/integration/navigation/linking.js
index 587f015b99cfd..8225ecf39104e 100644
--- a/e2e-tests/development-runtime/cypress/integration/navigation/linking.js
+++ b/e2e-tests/development-runtime/cypress/integration/navigation/linking.js
@@ -150,16 +150,31 @@ describe(`navigation`, () => {
       })
 
       it(`should trigger an effect after a search param has changed`, () => {
-        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, `Waiting for effect`)
+        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(
+          `have.text`,
+          `Waiting for effect`
+        )
         cy.findByTestId(`send-search-message`).click().waitForRouteChange()
-        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, `?message=searchParam`)
+        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(
+          `have.text`,
+          `?message=searchParam`
+        )
       })
 
       it(`should trigger an effect after the hash has changed`, () => {
-        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, `Waiting for effect`)
+        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(
+          `have.text`,
+          `Waiting for effect`
+        )
         cy.findByTestId(`send-hash-message`).click().waitForRouteChange()
         cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, `#message-hash`)
       })
+
+      it(`should trigger an effect after the state has changed`, () => {
+        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, ``)
+        cy.findByTestId(`send-state-message`).click().waitForRouteChange()
+        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, `this is a message using the state`)
+      })
     })
   }
 
@@ -173,7 +188,10 @@ describe(`navigation`, () => {
       it(`should trigger an effect after a search param has changed`, () => {
         cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, ``)
         cy.findByTestId(`send-search-message`).click().waitForRouteChange()
-        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, `?message=searchParam`)
+        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(
+          `have.text`,
+          `?message=searchParam`
+        )
       })
 
       it(`should trigger an effect after the hash has changed`, () => {
@@ -181,6 +199,12 @@ describe(`navigation`, () => {
         cy.findByTestId(`send-hash-message`).click().waitForRouteChange()
         cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, `#message-hash`)
       })
+
+      it(`should trigger an effect after the state has changed`, () => {
+        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, ``)
+        cy.findByTestId(`send-state-message`).click().waitForRouteChange()
+        cy.findByTestId(`effect-message`).should(`have.text`, `this is a message using the state`)
+      })
     })
   }
 
diff --git a/e2e-tests/development-runtime/src/pages/navigation-effects.js b/e2e-tests/development-runtime/src/pages/navigation-effects.js
index f3c041d5c90ea..e9ad800964198 100644
--- a/e2e-tests/development-runtime/src/pages/navigation-effects.js
+++ b/e2e-tests/development-runtime/src/pages/navigation-effects.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ export default function NavigationEffects({ location }) {
 
   const searchParam = location.search
   const searchHash = location.hash
+  const searchState = location?.state?.message
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setMessage(searchParam)
@@ -17,7 +18,12 @@ export default function NavigationEffects({ location }) {
     setMessage(searchHash)
   }, [searchHash])
 
-  const handleClick = next => navigate(`${next}`, { replace: true })
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setMessage(searchState)
+  }, [searchState])
+
+  const handleClick = (next, options = { replace: true }) =>
+    navigate(`${next}`, options)
 
   return (
     <Layout>
@@ -35,6 +41,17 @@ export default function NavigationEffects({ location }) {
       >
         Send Hash
       </button>
+
+      <button
+        data-testid="send-state-message"
+        onClick={() =>
+          handleClick("/navigation-effects", {
+            state: { message: "this is a message using the state" },
+          })
+        }
+      >
+        Send state
+      </button>
     </Layout>
   )
 }
diff --git a/packages/gatsby/cache-dir/navigation.js b/packages/gatsby/cache-dir/navigation.js
index 3521b1359eef2..43d252a102d0f 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby/cache-dir/navigation.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby/cache-dir/navigation.js
@@ -195,6 +195,18 @@ class RouteAnnouncer extends React.Component {
   }
 }
 
+const compareLocationProps = (prevLocation, nextLocation) => {
+  if (prevLocation.href !== nextLocation.href) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  if (prevLocation?.state?.key !== nextLocation?.state?.key) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
+
 // Fire on(Pre)RouteUpdate APIs
 class RouteUpdates extends React.Component {
   constructor(props) {
@@ -207,16 +219,15 @@ class RouteUpdates extends React.Component {
   }
 
   shouldComponentUpdate(prevProps) {
-    if (this.props.location.href !== prevProps.location.href) {
+    if (compareLocationProps(prevProps.location, this.props.location)) {
       onPreRouteUpdate(this.props.location, prevProps.location)
       return true
     }
-
     return false
   }
 
   componentDidUpdate(prevProps) {
-    if (this.props.location.href !== prevProps.location.href) {
+    if (compareLocationProps(prevProps.location, this.props.location)) {
       onRouteUpdate(this.props.location, prevProps.location)
     }
   }