diff --git a/sdk/src/main/java/io/dapr/client/AbstractDaprClient.java b/sdk/src/main/java/io/dapr/client/AbstractDaprClient.java
index c9660ca22..61a7ad5c1 100644
--- a/sdk/src/main/java/io/dapr/client/AbstractDaprClient.java
+++ b/sdk/src/main/java/io/dapr/client/AbstractDaprClient.java
@@ -493,7 +493,11 @@ abstract class AbstractDaprClient implements DaprClient, DaprPreviewClient {
    */
   @Override
   public Mono<Void> saveState(String storeName, String key, String etag, Object value, StateOptions options) {
-    State<?> state = new State<>(key, value, etag, options);
+    Map<String, String> meta = null;
+    if (value != null) {
+      meta = Collections.singletonMap("contentType", stateSerializer.getContentType());
+    }
+    State<?> state = new State<>(key, value, etag, meta, options);
     return this.saveBulkState(storeName, Collections.singletonList(state));
   }