diff --git a/packages/plugins/tracker-linear/src/index.ts b/packages/plugins/tracker-linear/src/index.ts
index cfc2940d2..5bf2ed008 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/tracker-linear/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/plugins/tracker-linear/src/index.ts
@@ -282,10 +282,11 @@ function createLinearTracker(): Tracker {
       const filter: Record<string, unknown> = {};
       const variables: Record<string, unknown> = {};
 
-      if (filters.state === "open") {
-        filter["state"] = { type: { nin: ["completed", "canceled"] } };
-      } else if (filters.state === "closed") {
+      if (filters.state === "closed") {
         filter["state"] = { type: { in: ["completed", "canceled"] } };
+      } else if (filters.state !== "all") {
+        // Default to open (exclude completed/canceled) to match tracker-github
+        filter["state"] = { type: { nin: ["completed", "canceled"] } };
       }
 
       if (filters.assignee) {
diff --git a/packages/plugins/tracker-linear/test/index.test.ts b/packages/plugins/tracker-linear/test/index.test.ts
index 111cfb0dc..9a96ea573 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/tracker-linear/test/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugins/tracker-linear/test/index.test.ts
@@ -421,6 +421,17 @@ describe("tracker-linear plugin", () => {
       });
     });
 
+    it("defaults to open state when no state specified", async () => {
+      mockLinearAPI({ issues: { nodes: [] } });
+      await tracker.listIssues!({}, project);
+
+      const writeCall = requestMock.mock.results[0].value.write.mock.calls[0][0];
+      const body = JSON.parse(writeCall);
+      expect(body.variables.filter.state).toEqual({
+        type: { nin: ["completed", "canceled"] },
+      });
+    });
+
     it("passes assignee filter", async () => {
       mockLinearAPI({ issues: { nodes: [] } });
       await tracker.listIssues!({ assignee: "Alice" }, project);