diff --git a/app/src/examples/example3/index.ts b/app/src/examples/example3/index.ts
index 10a56a2b6..7da058d09 100644
--- a/app/src/examples/example3/index.ts
+++ b/app/src/examples/example3/index.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ export const registerExample3: HawtioPlugin = () => {
     title: 'Example 3',
     path: '/example3',
     component: Example3,
-    headerItems: [ToolbarItemComp1, ToolbarItemComp2],
+    headerItems: {
+      components: [ToolbarItemComp1, ToolbarItemComp2],
+      universal: false,
+    },
     isActive: async () => true,
   })
 }
diff --git a/packages/hawtio/src/core/core.ts b/packages/hawtio/src/core/core.ts
index e3accaa2e..8c6bc000d 100644
--- a/packages/hawtio/src/core/core.ts
+++ b/packages/hawtio/src/core/core.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,17 @@ import $ from 'jquery'
 import { eventService } from './event-service'
 import { log } from './globals'
 
+export interface HeaderItems {
+  // The components that should be populated as
+  // dropdown items on the header bar
+  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+  components: React.ComponentType<any>[]
+
+  // Should components remain visible on header even when
+  // the plugin is not being displayed.
+  universal: boolean
+}
+
 /**
  * Internal representation of a Hawtio plugin.
  */
@@ -13,8 +24,7 @@ export interface Plugin {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
   component: React.ComponentType<any>
 
-  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-  headerItems?: React.ComponentType<any>[]
+  headerItems?: HeaderItems
 
   /**
    * Returns if this plugin should be activated.
diff --git a/packages/hawtio/src/ui/page/HawtioHeader.tsx b/packages/hawtio/src/ui/page/HawtioHeader.tsx
index 657a4068d..b90de40b2 100644
--- a/packages/hawtio/src/ui/page/HawtioHeader.tsx
+++ b/packages/hawtio/src/ui/page/HawtioHeader.tsx
@@ -109,20 +109,31 @@ const HawtioHeaderToolbar: React.FunctionComponent = () => {
    * Determine which plugin is currently displaying
    * based on the path of the current location
    */
-  const pluginFromLocation = (): Plugin | null => {
+  const filterPlugins = (): Plugin[] => {
     const path = location.pathname
-    return plugins.find(plugin => path.startsWith(plugin.path)) ?? null
+    return plugins.filter(plugin => {
+      if (path.startsWith(plugin.path)) return true
+
+      if (!plugin.headerItems) return false
+
+      return plugin.headerItems.universal === true
+    })
   }
 
-  const plugin = pluginFromLocation()
+  const filteredPlugins = filterPlugins()
 
   return (
     <Toolbar id='hawtio-header-toolbar'>
       <ToolbarContent>
         <ToolbarGroup>
-          {plugin?.headerItems?.map((comp, index) => (
-            <ToolbarItem key={`hawtio-header-toolbar-plugin-item-${index}`}>{React.createElement(comp)}</ToolbarItem>
-          ))}
+          {filteredPlugins.map(
+            plugin =>
+              plugin.headerItems?.components.map((comp, index) => (
+                <ToolbarItem key={`hawtio-header-toolbar-plugin-item-${index}`}>
+                  {React.createElement(comp)}
+                </ToolbarItem>
+              )),
+          )}
         </ToolbarGroup>
         <ToolbarGroup>
           <ToolbarItem>