diff --git a/editor/effects.js b/editor/effects.js
index d21cea89577674..5b665b13a19f5a 100644
--- a/editor/effects.js
+++ b/editor/effects.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
 	autosave,
 	queueAutosave,
 	savePost,
+	editPost,
 } from './actions';
 import {
 	getCurrentPost,
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ import {
 	getPostEdits,
 	isCurrentPostPublished,
 	isEditedPostDirty,
+	isEditedPostNew,
 	isEditedPostSaveable,
 } from './selectors';
 
@@ -219,7 +221,7 @@ export default {
 		) );
 	},
 	AUTOSAVE( action, store ) {
-		const { getState } = store;
+		const { getState, dispatch } = store;
 		const state = getState();
 		if ( ! isEditedPostSaveable( state ) || ! isEditedPostDirty( state ) ) {
 			return;
@@ -234,7 +236,12 @@ export default {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		return savePost();
+		// Change status from auto-draft to draft
+		if ( isEditedPostNew( state ) ) {
+			dispatch( editPost( { status: 'draft' } ) );
+		}
+
+		dispatch( savePost() );
 	},
 	QUEUE_AUTOSAVE: debounce( ( action, store ) => {
 		store.dispatch( autosave() );
diff --git a/editor/test/effects.js b/editor/test/effects.js
index 570feee943da2b..ec2cef6215aee4 100644
--- a/editor/test/effects.js
+++ b/editor/test/effects.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { getBlockTypes, unregisterBlockType, registerBlockType, createBlock } fr
 /**
  * Internal dependencies
  */
-import { mergeBlocks, focusBlock, replaceBlocks } from '../actions';
+import { mergeBlocks, focusBlock, replaceBlocks, editPost, savePost } from '../actions';
 import effects from '../effects';
 import * as selectors from '../selectors';
 
@@ -153,42 +153,60 @@ describe( 'effects', () => {
 
 	describe( '.AUTOSAVE', () => {
 		const handler = effects.AUTOSAVE;
-		const store = { getState: () => {} };
+		const dispatch = jest.fn();
+		const store = { getState: () => {}, dispatch };
 
 		it( 'should do nothing for unsaveable', () => {
 			selectors.isEditedPostSaveable.mockReturnValue( false );
 			selectors.isEditedPostDirty.mockReturnValue( true );
 			selectors.isCurrentPostPublished.mockReturnValue( false );
+			selectors.isEditedPostNew.mockReturnValue( true );
 
-			expect( handler( {}, store ) ).toBeUndefined();
+			expect( dispatch ).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 		} );
 
 		it( 'should do nothing for clean', () => {
 			selectors.isEditedPostSaveable.mockReturnValue( true );
 			selectors.isEditedPostDirty.mockReturnValue( false );
 			selectors.isCurrentPostPublished.mockReturnValue( false );
+			selectors.isEditedPostNew.mockReturnValue( true );
 
-			expect( handler( {}, store ) ).toBeUndefined();
+			expect( dispatch ).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 		} );
 
 		it( 'should return autosave action for saveable, dirty, published post', () => {
 			selectors.isEditedPostSaveable.mockReturnValue( true );
 			selectors.isEditedPostDirty.mockReturnValue( true );
 			selectors.isCurrentPostPublished.mockReturnValue( true );
+			selectors.isEditedPostNew.mockReturnValue( true );
 
-			expect( handler( {}, store ) ).toBeUndefined();
 			// TODO: Publish autosave
-			// expect( handler( {}, store ) ).toEqual( { } );
+			expect( dispatch ).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		} );
+
+		it( 'should set auto-draft to draft before save', () => {
+			selectors.isEditedPostSaveable.mockReturnValue( true );
+			selectors.isEditedPostDirty.mockReturnValue( true );
+			selectors.isCurrentPostPublished.mockReturnValue( false );
+			selectors.isEditedPostNew.mockReturnValue( true );
+
+			handler( {}, store );
+
+			expect( dispatch ).toHaveBeenCalledTimes( 2 );
+			expect( dispatch ).toHaveBeenCalledWith( editPost( { status: 'draft' } ) );
+			expect( dispatch ).toHaveBeenCalledWith( savePost() );
 		} );
 
 		it( 'should return update action for saveable, dirty draft', () => {
 			selectors.isEditedPostSaveable.mockReturnValue( true );
 			selectors.isEditedPostDirty.mockReturnValue( true );
 			selectors.isCurrentPostPublished.mockReturnValue( false );
+			selectors.isEditedPostNew.mockReturnValue( false );
 
-			expect( handler( {}, store ) ).toEqual( {
-				type: 'REQUEST_POST_UPDATE',
-			} );
+			handler( {}, store );
+
+			expect( dispatch ).toHaveBeenCalledTimes( 1 );
+			expect( dispatch ).toHaveBeenCalledWith( savePost() );
 		} );
 	} );
 } );