diff --git a/backport-changelog/6.9/8063.md b/backport-changelog/6.9/8063.md
index 6f880a29a90e59..0ace9df3963a10 100644
--- a/backport-changelog/6.9/8063.md
+++ b/backport-changelog/6.9/8063.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/8063
 
 * https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/67125
 * https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/71840
+* https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/72156
 * https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/71811
 * https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/72003
 * https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/72029
diff --git a/lib/compat/wordpress-6.9/template-activate.php b/lib/compat/wordpress-6.9/template-activate.php
index 0506a45129f536..216d65f9bf5a5c 100644
--- a/lib/compat/wordpress-6.9/template-activate.php
+++ b/lib/compat/wordpress-6.9/template-activate.php
@@ -450,6 +450,11 @@ function gutenberg_set_active_template_theme( $changes, $request ) {
 	$changes->tax_input = array(
 		'wp_theme' => isset( $request['theme'] ) ? $request['theme'] : get_stylesheet(),
 	);
+	// All new templates saved will receive meta so we can distinguish between
+	// templates created the old way as edits and templates created the new way.
+	$changes->meta_input = array(
+		'is_inactive_by_default' => true,
+	);
 	return $changes;
 }
 
@@ -477,6 +482,19 @@ function gutenberg_migrate_existing_templates() {
 				'terms'    => get_stylesheet(),
 			),
 		),
+		// Only get templates that are not inactive by default.
+		'meta_query'          => array(
+			'relation' => 'OR',
+			array(
+				'key'     => 'is_inactive_by_default',
+				'compare' => 'NOT EXISTS',
+			),
+			array(
+				'key'     => 'is_inactive_by_default',
+				'value'   => false,
+				'compare' => '=',
+			),
+		),
 	);
 
 	$template_query   = new WP_Query( $wp_query_args );