diff --git a/modal/_asgi.py b/modal/_asgi.py
index 142e55e20..7139c8555 100644
--- a/modal/_asgi.py
+++ b/modal/_asgi.py
@@ -16,10 +16,11 @@
 
 
 class LifespanManager:
-    def __init__(self, asgi_app):
+    def __init__(self, asgi_app, state):
         self.asgi_app = asgi_app
         self.queue = None
         self.startup_complete = None
+        self.state = state
 
     async def background_task(self):
         self.queue = asyncio.Queue()
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ async def send(message):
             else:
                 raise ValueError(f"Unexpected message type: {message['type']}")
 
-        await self.asgi_app({"type": "lifespan"}, receive, send)
+        await self.asgi_app({"type": "lifespan", "state": self.state}, receive, send)
 
     async def lifespan_startup(self):
         if self.queue is None or self.shutdown is None:
@@ -61,7 +62,12 @@ async def lifespan_shutdown(self):
 def asgi_app_wrapper(
     asgi_app, function_io_manager
 ) -> Tuple[Callable[..., AsyncGenerator], Callable[..., Awaitable[None]], Callable[..., Awaitable[None]]]:
+    state = {}  # used for lifespan state
+
     async def fn(scope):
+        if "state" in scope:
+            raise ValueError("Unpexected state in ASGI scope")
+        scope["state"] = state
         function_call_id = current_function_call_id()
         assert function_call_id, "internal error: function_call_id not set in asgi_app() scope"
 
@@ -173,7 +179,7 @@ async def receive():
                     app_task.result()  # consume/raise exceptions if there are any!
                     break
 
-    return fn, LifespanManager(asgi_app)
+    return fn, LifespanManager(asgi_app, state)
 
 
 def wsgi_app_wrapper(wsgi_app, function_io_manager):