diff --git a/packages/gatsby-plugin-manifest/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/gatsby-ssr.js.snap b/packages/gatsby-plugin-manifest/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/gatsby-ssr.js.snap
index 52c5840f11c93..ca1c76f2732bd 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-plugin-manifest/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/gatsby-ssr.js.snap
+++ b/packages/gatsby-plugin-manifest/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/gatsby-ssr.js.snap
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest CORS Generation Does not add crossOrigin when 'crossOrigin' is blank 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ Array [
     type="image/png"
   />,
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ Array [
     type="image/png"
   />,
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -160,6 +163,7 @@ Array [
     type="image/png"
   />,
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -219,6 +223,7 @@ Array [
     type="image/png"
   />,
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -268,6 +273,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Cache Busting doesn't add cache busting in manual mode 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -297,6 +303,7 @@ Array [
     type="image/png"
   />,
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -306,6 +313,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Favicon Does not add a link favicon if "include_favicon" option is set to false 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -315,6 +323,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Favicon Does not add a link favicon if in manual mode 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -324,6 +333,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Legacy Icons Does create legacy links if "legacy" not specified in automatic mode 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -373,6 +383,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Legacy Icons Does create legacy links if "legacy" not specified in hybrid mode. 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -392,6 +403,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Legacy Icons Does create legacy links if "legacy" not specified in manual mode. 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -411,6 +423,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Legacy Icons Does not create legacy links If "legacy" options is false and in automatic 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -420,6 +433,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Legacy Icons Does not create legacy links If "legacy" options is false and in hybrid mode 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -429,6 +443,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Legacy Icons Does not create legacy links If "legacy" options is false and in manual mode 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -442,6 +457,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Manifest Link Generation Add a "theme color" meta tag if "theme_color_in_head" is set to true 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -465,6 +481,7 @@ Array [
     type="image/png"
   />,
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -518,6 +535,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Manifest Link Generation Adds a "theme color" meta tag to head if "theme_color_in_head" is not provided 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -531,6 +549,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Manifest Link Generation Adds correct (default) i18n "manifest" link to head 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -580,6 +599,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Manifest Link Generation Adds correct (es) i18n "manifest" link to head 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest_es.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -629,6 +649,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Manifest Link Generation Does not add a "theme color" meta tag if "theme_color_in_head" is set to false 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
@@ -638,6 +659,7 @@ Array [
 exports[`gatsby-plugin-manifest Manifest Link Generation Does not add a "theme_color" meta tag to head if "theme_color" option is not provided. 1`] = `
 Array [
   <link
+    crossOrigin="anonymous"
     href="/manifest.webmanifest"
     rel="manifest"
   />,
diff --git a/packages/gatsby-plugin-manifest/src/gatsby-ssr.js b/packages/gatsby-plugin-manifest/src/gatsby-ssr.js
index 5359072a1c5b9..d2975ec27dbd6 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-plugin-manifest/src/gatsby-ssr.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-plugin-manifest/src/gatsby-ssr.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ exports.onRenderBody = (
     include_favicon: insertFaviconLinkTag,
     theme_color_in_head: insertMetaTag,
     theme_color,
-    crossOrigin,
+    crossOrigin = `anonymous`,
   }
 ) => {
   // We use this to build a final array to pass as the argument to setHeadComponents at the end of onRenderBody.