diff --git a/js/components/forms/ccpo_approval.js b/js/components/forms/ccpo_approval.js
index a00abde3..f286a594 100644
--- a/js/components/forms/ccpo_approval.js
+++ b/js/components/forms/ccpo_approval.js
@@ -9,10 +9,14 @@ export default {
     LocalDatetime
   },
 
+  props: {
+    initialState: String
+  },
+
   data: function () {
     return {
-      approving: false,
-      denying: false
+      approving: this.initialState === 'approving',
+      denying: this.initialState === 'denying'
     }
   },
 
diff --git a/templates/requests/approval.html b/templates/requests/approval.html
index 3aacf79e..bd7c99ba 100644
--- a/templates/requests/approval.html
+++ b/templates/requests/approval.html
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@
       <form method="POST" action="{{ url_for("requests.submit_approval", request_id=jedi_request.id) }}" autocomplete="off">
         {{ review_form.csrf_token }}
 
-        <ccpo-approval inline-template>
+        {% set initialState = 'approving' if review_form.errors else '' %}
+        <ccpo-approval inline-template initial-state="{{ initialState }}">
           <div>
             <div class='panel'>
 
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@
 
                 <div class='usa-input'>
                   <fieldset class='usa-input__choices usa-input__choices--inline'>
-                    <input v-on:change='setReview' type='radio' name='review' id='review-approving' value='approving'/>
+                    <input v-on:change='setReview' type='radio' name='review' id='review-approving' value='approving' {{ 'checked' if initialState == 'approving' }}/>
                     <label for='review-approving'>Ready for approval</label>
 
                     <input v-on:change='setReview' type='radio' name='review' id='review-denying' value='denying'/>