diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/generate/generate.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/generate/generate.go
index dbe84d7fd64..6371353e202 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/generate/generate.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/generate/generate.go
@@ -181,6 +181,8 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func runGenerate(ctx context.Context, cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
+	modload.InitWorkfile()
+
 	if generateRunFlag != "" {
 		var err error
 		generateRunRE, err = regexp.Compile(generateRunFlag)
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/generate_workspace.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/generate_workspace.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5ba23932f1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/generate_workspace.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# This is a regression test for Issue #56098: Go generate
+# wasn't initializing workspace mode
+
+[short] skip
+
+go generate ./mod
+cmp ./mod/got.txt want.txt
+
+-- go.work --
+go 1.22
+
+use ./mod
+-- mod/go.mod --
+module example.com/mod
+-- mod/gen.go --
+//go:generate go run gen.go got.txt
+
+package main
+
+import "os"
+
+func main() {
+    outfile := os.Args[1]
+    os.WriteFile(outfile, []byte("Hello World!\n"), 0644)
+}
+-- want.txt --
+Hello World!
\ No newline at end of file