diff --git a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/__snapshots__/collapsible_nav.test.tsx.snap b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/__snapshots__/collapsible_nav.test.tsx.snap
index ed97db020035e..9bb101334beb7 100644
--- a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/__snapshots__/collapsible_nav.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/__snapshots__/collapsible_nav.test.tsx.snap
@@ -125,12 +125,14 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
         "aria-label": "recent 1",
         "href": "recent 1",
         "label": "recent 1",
+        "onClick": undefined,
         "title": "recent 1",
       },
       Object {
         "aria-label": "recent 2",
         "href": "recent 2",
         "label": "recent 2",
+        "onClick": undefined,
         "title": "recent 2",
       },
     ]
@@ -298,6 +300,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                         >
                           <div
                             class="euiAccordion euiAccordion-isOpen euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                           >
                             <div
                               class="euiAccordion__triggerWrapper"
@@ -358,6 +361,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                         <a
                                           aria-label="recent 1"
                                           class="euiListGroupItem__button"
+                                          data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink--recent"
                                           href="recent 1"
                                           title="recent 1"
                                         >
@@ -375,6 +379,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                         <a
                                           aria-label="recent 2"
                                           class="euiListGroupItem__button"
+                                          data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink--recent"
                                           href="recent 2"
                                           title="recent 2"
                                         >
@@ -934,6 +939,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                           >
                             <div
                               class="euiAccordion euiAccordion-isOpen euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                              data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                             >
                               <div
                                 class="euiAccordion__triggerWrapper"
@@ -994,6 +1000,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                           <a
                                             aria-label="recent 1"
                                             class="euiListGroupItem__button"
+                                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink--recent"
                                             href="recent 1"
                                             title="recent 1"
                                           >
@@ -1011,6 +1018,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                           <a
                                             aria-label="recent 2"
                                             class="euiListGroupItem__button"
+                                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink--recent"
                                             href="recent 2"
                                             title="recent 2"
                                           >
@@ -1638,6 +1646,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                       className="euiFlexItem eui-yScroll"
                     >
                       <EuiCollapsibleNavGroup
+                        data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                         initialIsOpen={true}
                         isCollapsible={true}
                         key="recentlyViewed"
@@ -1668,6 +1677,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                             </ForwardRef>
                           }
                           className="euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                          data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                           id="mockId"
                           initialIsOpen={true}
                           onToggle={[Function]}
@@ -1675,6 +1685,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                         >
                           <div
                             className="euiAccordion euiAccordion-isOpen euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                             onToggle={[Function]}
                           >
                             <div
@@ -1756,14 +1767,18 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                           Array [
                                             Object {
                                               "aria-label": "recent 1",
+                                              "data-test-subj": "collapsibleNavAppLink--recent",
                                               "href": "recent 1",
                                               "label": "recent 1",
+                                              "onClick": [Function],
                                               "title": "recent 1",
                                             },
                                             Object {
                                               "aria-label": "recent 2",
+                                              "data-test-subj": "collapsibleNavAppLink--recent",
                                               "href": "recent 2",
                                               "label": "recent 2",
+                                              "onClick": [Function],
                                               "title": "recent 2",
                                             },
                                           ]
@@ -1783,9 +1798,11 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                           <EuiListGroupItem
                                             aria-label="recent 1"
                                             color="subdued"
+                                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink--recent"
                                             href="recent 1"
                                             key="title-0"
                                             label="recent 1"
+                                            onClick={[Function]}
                                             showToolTip={false}
                                             size="s"
                                             title="recent 1"
@@ -1797,7 +1814,9 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                               <a
                                                 aria-label="recent 1"
                                                 className="euiListGroupItem__button"
+                                                data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink--recent"
                                                 href="recent 1"
+                                                onClick={[Function]}
                                                 title="recent 1"
                                               >
                                                 <span
@@ -1812,9 +1831,11 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                           <EuiListGroupItem
                                             aria-label="recent 2"
                                             color="subdued"
+                                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink--recent"
                                             href="recent 2"
                                             key="title-1"
                                             label="recent 2"
+                                            onClick={[Function]}
                                             showToolTip={false}
                                             size="s"
                                             title="recent 2"
@@ -1826,7 +1847,9 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders links grouped by category 1`] = `
                                               <a
                                                 aria-label="recent 2"
                                                 className="euiListGroupItem__button"
+                                                data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink--recent"
                                                 href="recent 2"
+                                                onClick={[Function]}
                                                 title="recent 2"
                                               >
                                                 <span
@@ -3274,6 +3297,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders the default nav 2`] = `
                       className="euiFlexItem eui-yScroll"
                     >
                       <EuiCollapsibleNavGroup
+                        data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                         initialIsOpen={true}
                         isCollapsible={true}
                         key="recentlyViewed"
@@ -3304,6 +3328,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders the default nav 2`] = `
                             </ForwardRef>
                           }
                           className="euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                          data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                           id="mockId"
                           initialIsOpen={true}
                           onToggle={[Function]}
@@ -3311,6 +3336,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders the default nav 2`] = `
                         >
                           <div
                             className="euiAccordion euiAccordion-isOpen euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                             onToggle={[Function]}
                           >
                             <div
@@ -3748,6 +3774,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders the default nav 3`] = `
                         >
                           <div
                             class="euiAccordion euiAccordion-isOpen euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                           >
                             <div
                               class="euiAccordion__triggerWrapper"
@@ -3939,6 +3966,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders the default nav 3`] = `
                           >
                             <div
                               class="euiAccordion euiAccordion-isOpen euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                              data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                             >
                               <div
                                 class="euiAccordion__triggerWrapper"
@@ -4198,6 +4226,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders the default nav 3`] = `
                       className="euiFlexItem eui-yScroll"
                     >
                       <EuiCollapsibleNavGroup
+                        data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                         initialIsOpen={true}
                         isCollapsible={true}
                         key="recentlyViewed"
@@ -4228,6 +4257,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders the default nav 3`] = `
                             </ForwardRef>
                           }
                           className="euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                          data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                           id="mockId"
                           initialIsOpen={true}
                           onToggle={[Function]}
@@ -4235,6 +4265,7 @@ exports[`CollapsibleNav renders the default nav 3`] = `
                         >
                           <div
                             className="euiAccordion euiAccordion-isOpen euiCollapsibleNavGroup euiCollapsibleNavGroup--withHeading"
+                            data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
                             onToggle={[Function]}
                           >
                             <div
diff --git a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/collapsible_nav.test.tsx b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/collapsible_nav.test.tsx
index 0917f47ebe9b1..527f0df598c7c 100644
--- a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/collapsible_nav.test.tsx
+++ b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/collapsible_nav.test.tsx
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ import { mount, ReactWrapper } from 'enzyme';
 import React from 'react';
 import sinon from 'sinon';
 import { CollapsibleNav } from './collapsible_nav';
-import { AppCategory } from '../../../../types';
 import { DEFAULT_APP_CATEGORIES } from '../../..';
 import { StubBrowserStorage } from 'test_utils/stub_browser_storage';
+import { NavLink, RecentNavLink } from './nav_link';
 
 jest.mock('@elastic/eui/lib/services/accessibility/html_id_generator', () => ({
   htmlIdGenerator: () => () => 'mockId',
@@ -31,24 +31,25 @@ jest.mock('@elastic/eui/lib/services/accessibility/html_id_generator', () => ({
 
 const { kibana, observability, security, management } = DEFAULT_APP_CATEGORIES;
 
-function mockLink(label: string, category?: AppCategory) {
+function mockLink({ label = 'discover', category, onClick }: Partial<NavLink>) {
   return {
     key: label,
     label,
     href: label,
     isActive: true,
-    onClick: () => {},
+    onClick: onClick || (() => {}),
     category,
     'data-test-subj': label,
   };
 }
 
-function mockRecentNavLink(label: string) {
+function mockRecentNavLink({ label = 'recent', onClick }: Partial<RecentNavLink>) {
   return {
     href: label,
     label,
     title: label,
     'aria-label': label,
+    onClick,
   };
 }
 
@@ -67,6 +68,20 @@ function mockProps() {
   };
 }
 
+function expectShownNavLinksCount(component: ReactWrapper, count: number) {
+  expect(
+    component.find('.euiAccordion-isOpen a[data-test-subj^="collapsibleNavAppLink"]').length
+  ).toEqual(count);
+}
+
+function expectNavIsClosed(component: ReactWrapper) {
+  expectShownNavLinksCount(component, 0);
+}
+
+function clickGroup(component: ReactWrapper, group: string) {
+  component.find(`[data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-${group}"] button`).simulate('click');
+}
+
 describe('CollapsibleNav', () => {
   // this test is mostly an "EUI works as expected" sanity check
   it('renders the default nav', () => {
@@ -88,16 +103,19 @@ describe('CollapsibleNav', () => {
   it('renders links grouped by category', () => {
     // just a test of category functionality, categories are not accurate
     const navLinks = [
-      mockLink('discover', kibana),
-      mockLink('siem', security),
-      mockLink('metrics', observability),
-      mockLink('monitoring', management),
-      mockLink('visualize', kibana),
-      mockLink('dashboard', kibana),
-      mockLink('canvas'), // links should be able to be rendered top level as well
-      mockLink('logs', observability),
+      mockLink({ label: 'discover', category: kibana }),
+      mockLink({ label: 'siem', category: security }),
+      mockLink({ label: 'metrics', category: observability }),
+      mockLink({ label: 'monitoring', category: management }),
+      mockLink({ label: 'visualize', category: kibana }),
+      mockLink({ label: 'dashboard', category: kibana }),
+      mockLink({ label: 'canvas' }), // links should be able to be rendered top level as well
+      mockLink({ label: 'logs', category: observability }),
+    ];
+    const recentNavLinks = [
+      mockRecentNavLink({ label: 'recent 1' }),
+      mockRecentNavLink({ label: 'recent 2' }),
     ];
-    const recentNavLinks = [mockRecentNavLink('recent 1'), mockRecentNavLink('recent 2')];
     const component = mount(
       <CollapsibleNav
         {...mockProps()}
@@ -110,28 +128,53 @@ describe('CollapsibleNav', () => {
   });
 
   it('remembers collapsible section state', () => {
-    function expectNavLinksCount(component: ReactWrapper, count: number) {
-      expect(
-        component.find('.euiAccordion-isOpen a[data-test-subj="collapsibleNavAppLink"]').length
-      ).toEqual(count);
-    }
-
-    const navLinks = [
-      mockLink('discover', kibana),
-      mockLink('siem', security),
-      mockLink('metrics', observability),
-      mockLink('monitoring', management),
-      mockLink('visualize', kibana),
-      mockLink('dashboard', kibana),
-      mockLink('logs', observability),
-    ];
-    const component = mount(<CollapsibleNav {...mockProps()} isOpen={true} navLinks={navLinks} />);
-    expectNavLinksCount(component, 7);
-    component.find('[data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-kibana"] button').simulate('click');
-    expectNavLinksCount(component, 4);
+    const navLinks = [mockLink({ category: kibana }), mockLink({ category: observability })];
+    const recentNavLinks = [mockRecentNavLink({})];
+    const component = mount(
+      <CollapsibleNav
+        {...mockProps()}
+        isOpen={true}
+        navLinks={navLinks}
+        recentNavLinks={recentNavLinks}
+      />
+    );
+    expectShownNavLinksCount(component, 3);
+    clickGroup(component, 'kibana');
+    clickGroup(component, 'recentlyViewed');
+    expectShownNavLinksCount(component, 1);
     component.setProps({ isOpen: false });
-    expectNavLinksCount(component, 0); // double check the nav closed
+    expectNavIsClosed(component);
+    component.setProps({ isOpen: true });
+    expectShownNavLinksCount(component, 1);
+  });
+
+  it('closes the nav after clicking a link', () => {
+    const onClick = sinon.spy();
+    const onIsOpenUpdate = sinon.spy();
+    const navLinks = [mockLink({ category: kibana, onClick })];
+    const recentNavLinks = [mockRecentNavLink({ onClick })];
+    const component = mount(
+      <CollapsibleNav
+        {...mockProps()}
+        isOpen={true}
+        navLinks={navLinks}
+        recentNavLinks={recentNavLinks}
+      />
+    );
+    component.setProps({
+      onIsOpenUpdate: (isOpen: boolean) => {
+        component.setProps({ isOpen });
+        onIsOpenUpdate();
+      },
+    });
+
+    component.find('[data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"] a').simulate('click');
+    expect(onClick.callCount).toEqual(1);
+    expect(onIsOpenUpdate.callCount).toEqual(1);
+    expectNavIsClosed(component);
     component.setProps({ isOpen: true });
-    expectNavLinksCount(component, 4);
+    component.find('[data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-kibana"] a').simulate('click');
+    expect(onClick.callCount).toEqual(2);
+    expect(onIsOpenUpdate.callCount).toEqual(2);
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/collapsible_nav.tsx b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/collapsible_nav.tsx
index 9adcc19b0f0e7..81970bc4a2675 100644
--- a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/collapsible_nav.tsx
+++ b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/collapsible_nav.tsx
@@ -159,18 +159,23 @@ export function CollapsibleNav({
           isCollapsible={true}
           initialIsOpen={getIsCategoryOpen('recentlyViewed', storage)}
           onToggle={isCategoryOpen => setIsCategoryOpen('recentlyViewed', isCategoryOpen, storage)}
+          data-test-subj="collapsibleNavGroup-recentlyViewed"
         >
           {recentNavLinks.length > 0 ? (
             <EuiListGroup
               aria-label={i18n.translate('core.ui.recentlyViewedAriaLabel', {
                 defaultMessage: 'Recently viewed links',
               })}
-              listItems={recentNavLinks.map(link => {
-                // TODO #64541
-                // Can remove icon from recent links completely
-                const { iconType, ...linkWithoutIcon } = link;
-                return linkWithoutIcon;
-              })}
+              // TODO #64541
+              // Can remove icon from recent links completely
+              listItems={recentNavLinks.map(({ iconType, onClick = () => {}, ...link }) => ({
+                'data-test-subj': 'collapsibleNavAppLink--recent',
+                onClick: (e: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>) => {
+                  onIsOpenUpdate(false);
+                  onClick(e);
+                },
+                ...link,
+              }))}
               maxWidth="none"
               color="subdued"
               gutterSize="none"
@@ -191,7 +196,7 @@ export function CollapsibleNav({
         {orderedCategories.map((categoryName, i) => {
           const category = categoryDictionary[categoryName]!;
           const links = allCategorizedLinks[categoryName].map(
-            ({ label, href, isActive, isDisabled, onClick }: NavLink) => ({
+            ({ label, href, isActive, isDisabled, onClick }) => ({
               label,
               href,
               isActive,
diff --git a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.tsx b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.tsx
index 22708c796d7dc..8003c22b99a36 100644
--- a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.tsx
+++ b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.tsx
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ export interface RecentNavLink {
   title: string;
   'aria-label': string;
   iconType?: string;
+  onClick?(event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>): void;
 }
 
 /**