diff --git a/dhis-2/dhis-api/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/trackedentityfilter/EntityQueryCriteria.java b/dhis-2/dhis-api/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/trackedentityfilter/EntityQueryCriteria.java
index 3a532f4d27a6..19e8bd49521f 100644
--- a/dhis-2/dhis-api/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/trackedentityfilter/EntityQueryCriteria.java
+++ b/dhis-2/dhis-api/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/trackedentityfilter/EntityQueryCriteria.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public class EntityQueryCriteria implements Serializable {
    * Property indicating whether to filter tracked entity instances whose enrollments are marked for
    * followup or not
    */
-  private Boolean followUp = false;
+  private Boolean followUp;
 
   /** Property indication the OU for the filter. */
   private String organisationUnit;
diff --git a/dhis-2/dhis-test-integration/src/test/java/org/hisp/dhis/trackedentityfilter/TrackedEntityInstanceFilterServiceTest.java b/dhis-2/dhis-test-integration/src/test/java/org/hisp/dhis/trackedentityfilter/TrackedEntityInstanceFilterServiceTest.java
index 0d7bbf91aca8..b9ee33e1c247 100644
--- a/dhis-2/dhis-test-integration/src/test/java/org/hisp/dhis/trackedentityfilter/TrackedEntityInstanceFilterServiceTest.java
+++ b/dhis-2/dhis-test-integration/src/test/java/org/hisp/dhis/trackedentityfilter/TrackedEntityInstanceFilterServiceTest.java
@@ -95,6 +95,25 @@ void testAddGet() {
     assertEquals(trackedEntityInstanceFilterB, trackedEntityInstanceFilterService.get(idB));
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void testAddFilterWithAndWithoutFollowUp() {
+    TrackedEntityInstanceFilter filterWithOutFollowUp =
+        createTrackedEntityInstanceFilter('A', programA);
+    TrackedEntityInstanceFilter filterWithFollowUp =
+        createTrackedEntityInstanceFilter('B', programB);
+    filterWithFollowUp.getEntityQueryCriteria().setFollowUp(true);
+
+    long idA = trackedEntityInstanceFilterService.add(filterWithOutFollowUp);
+    long idB = trackedEntityInstanceFilterService.add(filterWithFollowUp);
+    TrackedEntityInstanceFilter fetchedA = trackedEntityInstanceFilterService.get(idA);
+    TrackedEntityInstanceFilter fetchedB = trackedEntityInstanceFilterService.get(idB);
+
+    assertEquals(filterWithOutFollowUp, fetchedA);
+    assertNull(fetchedA.getEntityQueryCriteria().getFollowUp());
+    assertEquals(filterWithFollowUp, trackedEntityInstanceFilterService.get(idB));
+    assertTrue(fetchedB.getEntityQueryCriteria().getFollowUp());
+  }
+
   @Test
   void testDefaultPrivateAccess() {
     long idA =