diff --git a/packages/third-parties/src/google/gtm.tsx b/packages/third-parties/src/google/gtm.tsx
index 1203525cc1e34..5a3d7d97ca211 100644
--- a/packages/third-parties/src/google/gtm.tsx
+++ b/packages/third-parties/src/google/gtm.tsx
@@ -5,14 +5,12 @@ import Script from 'next/script'
 
 import type { GTMParams } from '../types/google'
 
-let currDataLayerName: string | undefined = undefined
+let currDataLayerName = 'dataLayer'
 
 export function GoogleTagManager(props: GTMParams) {
   const { gtmId, dataLayerName = 'dataLayer', auth, preview, dataLayer } = props
 
-  if (currDataLayerName === undefined) {
-    currDataLayerName = dataLayerName
-  }
+  currDataLayerName = dataLayerName
 
   const gtmLayer = dataLayerName !== 'dataLayer' ? `&l=${dataLayerName}` : ''
   const gtmAuth = auth ? `&gtm_auth=${auth}` : ''
@@ -53,17 +51,10 @@ export function GoogleTagManager(props: GTMParams) {
   )
 }
 
-export const sendGTMEvent = (data: Object) => {
-  if (currDataLayerName === undefined) {
-    console.warn(`@next/third-parties: GTM has not been initialized`)
-    return
-  }
-
-  if (window[currDataLayerName]) {
-    window[currDataLayerName].push(data)
-  } else {
-    console.warn(
-      `@next/third-parties: GTM dataLayer ${currDataLayerName} does not exist`
-    )
-  }
+export const sendGTMEvent = (data: Object, dataLayerName?: string) => {
+  // special case if we are sending events before GTM init and we have custom dataLayerName
+  const dataLayer = dataLayerName || currDataLayerName
+  // define dataLayer so we can still queue up events before GTM init
+  window[dataLayer] = window[dataLayer] || []
+  window[dataLayer].push(data)
 }