diff --git a/src/core/public/application/integration_tests/router.test.tsx b/src/core/public/application/integration_tests/router.test.tsx
index 4d83ab67810af..0c5f5a138d58f 100644
--- a/src/core/public/application/integration_tests/router.test.tsx
+++ b/src/core/public/application/integration_tests/router.test.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import { createMemoryHistory, History, createHashHistory } from 'history';
 
 import { AppRouter, AppNotFound } from '../ui';
 import { EitherApp, MockedMounterMap, MockedMounterTuple } from '../test_types';
-import { createRenderer, createAppMounter, createLegacyAppMounter } from './utils';
+import { createRenderer, createAppMounter, createLegacyAppMounter, getUnmounter } from './utils';
 import { AppStatus } from '../types';
 
 describe('AppContainer', () => {
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ describe('AppContainer', () => {
     history.push(path);
     return update();
   };
-
   const mockMountersToMounters = () =>
     new Map([...mounters].map(([appId, { mounter }]) => [appId, mounter]));
   const setAppLeaveHandlerMock = () => undefined;
@@ -58,7 +57,8 @@ describe('AppContainer', () => {
       createLegacyAppMounter('legacyApp1', jest.fn()),
       createAppMounter('app2', '<div>App 2</div>'),
       createLegacyAppMounter('baseApp:legacyApp2', jest.fn()),
-      createAppMounter('app3', '<div>App 3</div>', '/custom/path'),
+      createAppMounter('app3', '<div>Chromeless A</div>', '/chromeless-a/path'),
+      createAppMounter('app4', '<div>Chromeless B</div>', '/chromeless-b/path'),
       createAppMounter('disabledApp', '<div>Disabled app</div>'),
       createLegacyAppMounter('disabledLegacyApp', jest.fn()),
     ] as Array<MockedMounterTuple<EitherApp>>);
@@ -75,23 +75,24 @@ describe('AppContainer', () => {
   });
 
   it('calls mount handler and returned unmount function when navigating between apps', async () => {
-    const dom1 = await navigate('/app/app1');
     const app1 = mounters.get('app1')!;
+    const app2 = mounters.get('app2')!;
+    let dom = await navigate('/app/app1');
 
     expect(app1.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(dom1?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+    expect(dom?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
       "<div><div>
       basename: /app/app1
       html: <span>App 1</span>
       </div></div>"
     `);
 
-    const app1Unmount = await app1.mounter.mount.mock.results[0].value;
-    const dom2 = await navigate('/app/app2');
+    const app1Unmount = await getUnmounter(app1);
+    dom = await navigate('/app/app2');
 
     expect(app1Unmount).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(mounters.get('app2')!.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expect(dom2?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+    expect(app2.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(dom?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
       "<div><div>
       basename: /app/app2
       html: <div>App 2</div>
@@ -99,6 +100,82 @@ describe('AppContainer', () => {
     `);
   });
 
+  it('can navigate between standard application and one with custom appRoute', async () => {
+    const standardApp = mounters.get('app1')!;
+    const chromelessApp = mounters.get('app3')!;
+    let dom = await navigate('/app/app1');
+
+    expect(standardApp.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(dom?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "<div><div>
+      basename: /app/app1
+      html: <span>App 1</span>
+      </div></div>"
+    `);
+
+    const standardAppUnmount = await getUnmounter(standardApp);
+    dom = await navigate('/chromeless-a/path');
+
+    expect(standardAppUnmount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(chromelessApp.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(dom?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "<div><div>
+      basename: /chromeless-a/path
+      html: <div>Chromeless A</div>
+      </div></div>"
+    `);
+
+    const chromelessAppUnmount = await getUnmounter(standardApp);
+    dom = await navigate('/app/app1');
+
+    expect(chromelessAppUnmount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(standardApp.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(dom?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "<div><div>
+      basename: /app/app1
+      html: <span>App 1</span>
+      </div></div>"
+    `);
+  });
+
+  it('can navigate between two applications with custom appRoutes', async () => {
+    const chromelessAppA = mounters.get('app3')!;
+    const chromelessAppB = mounters.get('app4')!;
+    let dom = await navigate('/chromeless-a/path');
+
+    expect(chromelessAppA.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(dom?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "<div><div>
+      basename: /chromeless-a/path
+      html: <div>Chromeless A</div>
+      </div></div>"
+    `);
+
+    const chromelessAppAUnmount = await getUnmounter(chromelessAppA);
+    dom = await navigate('/chromeless-b/path');
+
+    expect(chromelessAppAUnmount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(chromelessAppB.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(dom?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "<div><div>
+      basename: /chromeless-b/path
+      html: <div>Chromeless B</div>
+      </div></div>"
+    `);
+
+    const chromelessAppBUnmount = await getUnmounter(chromelessAppB);
+    dom = await navigate('/chromeless-a/path');
+
+    expect(chromelessAppBUnmount).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(chromelessAppA.mounter.mount).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(dom?.html()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      "<div><div>
+      basename: /chromeless-a/path
+      html: <div>Chromeless A</div>
+      </div></div>"
+    `);
+  });
+
   it('should not mount when partial route path matches', async () => {
     mounters.set(...createAppMounter('spaces', '<div>Custom Space</div>', '/spaces/fake-login'));
     mounters.set(...createAppMounter('login', '<div>Login Page</div>', '/fake-login'));
diff --git a/src/core/public/application/integration_tests/utils.tsx b/src/core/public/application/integration_tests/utils.tsx
index 6367d1fa12697..4f34438fc822a 100644
--- a/src/core/public/application/integration_tests/utils.tsx
+++ b/src/core/public/application/integration_tests/utils.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import { mount } from 'enzyme';
 import { I18nProvider } from '@kbn/i18n/react';
 
 import { App, LegacyApp, AppMountParameters } from '../types';
-import { MockedMounter, MockedMounterTuple } from '../test_types';
+import { EitherApp, MockedMounter, MockedMounterTuple, Mountable } from '../test_types';
 
 type Dom = ReturnType<typeof mount> | null;
 type Renderer = () => Dom | Promise<Dom>;
@@ -80,3 +80,7 @@ export const createLegacyAppMounter = (
     unmount: jest.fn(),
   },
 ];
+
+export function getUnmounter(app: Mountable<EitherApp>) {
+  return app.mounter.mount.mock.results[0].value;
+}
diff --git a/src/core/public/application/test_types.ts b/src/core/public/application/test_types.ts
index 3d992cb950eb4..b822597e510cb 100644
--- a/src/core/public/application/test_types.ts
+++ b/src/core/public/application/test_types.ts
@@ -26,18 +26,19 @@ export type ApplicationServiceContract = PublicMethodsOf<ApplicationService>;
 export type EitherApp = App | LegacyApp;
 /** @internal */
 export type MockedUnmount = jest.Mocked<AppUnmount>;
+
+/** @internal */
+export interface Mountable<T extends EitherApp> {
+  mounter: MockedMounter<T>;
+  unmount: MockedUnmount;
+}
+
 /** @internal */
 export type MockedMounter<T extends EitherApp> = jest.Mocked<Mounter<jest.Mocked<T>>>;
 /** @internal */
-export type MockedMounterTuple<T extends EitherApp> = [
-  string,
-  { mounter: MockedMounter<T>; unmount: MockedUnmount }
-];
+export type MockedMounterTuple<T extends EitherApp> = [string, Mountable<T>];
 /** @internal */
-export type MockedMounterMap<T extends EitherApp> = Map<
-  string,
-  { mounter: MockedMounter<T>; unmount: MockedUnmount }
->;
+export type MockedMounterMap<T extends EitherApp> = Map<string, Mountable<T>>;
 /** @internal */
 export type MockLifecycle<
   T extends keyof ApplicationService,
diff --git a/test/functional/services/browser.ts b/test/functional/services/browser.ts
index 59498bd8413a7..ae68be3ed7987 100644
--- a/test/functional/services/browser.ts
+++ b/test/functional/services/browser.ts
@@ -311,11 +311,23 @@ export async function BrowserProvider({ getService }: FtrProviderContext) {
     /**
      * Moves forwards in the browser history.
      * https://seleniumhq.github.io/selenium/docs/api/javascript/module/selenium-webdriver/lib/webdriver_exports_Navigation.html#forward
+     *
+     * @return {Promise<void>}
      */
     public async goForward() {
       await driver.navigate().forward();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Navigates to a URL via the browser history.
+     * https://seleniumhq.github.io/selenium/docs/api/javascript/module/selenium-webdriver/lib/webdriver_exports_Navigation.html#to
+     *
+     * @return {Promise<void>}
+     */
+    public async navigateTo(url: string) {
+      await driver.navigate().to(url);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sends a sequance of keyboard keys. For each key, this will record a pair of keyDown and keyUp actions
      * https://seleniumhq.github.io/selenium/docs/api/javascript/module/selenium-webdriver/lib/input_exports_Actions.html#sendKeys
diff --git a/test/plugin_functional/plugins/core_plugin_chromeless/public/plugin.tsx b/test/plugin_functional/plugins/core_plugin_chromeless/public/plugin.tsx
index 03870410fb334..7ce348fa2111e 100644
--- a/test/plugin_functional/plugins/core_plugin_chromeless/public/plugin.tsx
+++ b/test/plugin_functional/plugins/core_plugin_chromeless/public/plugin.tsx
@@ -31,12 +31,6 @@ export class CorePluginChromelessPlugin
         return renderApp(context, params);
       },
     });
-
-    return {
-      getGreeting() {
-        return 'Hello from Plugin Chromeless!';
-      },
-    };
   }
 
   public start() {}
diff --git a/test/plugin_functional/plugins/rendering_plugin/public/plugin.tsx b/test/plugin_functional/plugins/rendering_plugin/public/plugin.tsx
index 6e80b56953ca0..a4925cdb8f8df 100644
--- a/test/plugin_functional/plugins/rendering_plugin/public/plugin.tsx
+++ b/test/plugin_functional/plugins/rendering_plugin/public/plugin.tsx
@@ -26,13 +26,24 @@ export class RenderingPlugin implements Plugin {
     core.application.register({
       id: 'rendering',
       title: 'Rendering',
-      appRoute: '/render',
+      appRoute: '/render/core',
       async mount(context, { element }) {
         render(<h1 data-test-subj="renderingHeader">rendering service</h1>, element);
 
         return () => unmountComponentAtNode(element);
       },
     });
+
+    core.application.register({
+      id: 'custom-app-route',
+      title: 'Custom App Route',
+      appRoute: '/custom/appRoute',
+      async mount(context, { element }) {
+        render(<h1 data-test-subj="customAppRouteHeader">Custom App Route</h1>, element);
+
+        return () => unmountComponentAtNode(element);
+      },
+    });
   }
 
   public start() {}
diff --git a/test/plugin_functional/test_suites/core_plugins/rendering.ts b/test/plugin_functional/test_suites/core_plugins/rendering.ts
index d0025c82a7ba5..e30d81eedd985 100644
--- a/test/plugin_functional/test_suites/core_plugins/rendering.ts
+++ b/test/plugin_functional/test_suites/core_plugins/rendering.ts
@@ -22,43 +22,55 @@ import expect from '@kbn/expect';
 import '../../plugins/core_provider_plugin/types';
 import { PluginFunctionalProviderContext } from '../../services';
 
+declare global {
+  interface Window {
+    /**
+     * We use this global variable to track page history changes to ensure that
+     * navigation is done without causing a full page reload.
+     */
+    __RENDERING_SESSION__: string[];
+  }
+}
+
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-default-export
 export default function({ getService, getPageObjects }: PluginFunctionalProviderContext) {
   const PageObjects = getPageObjects(['common']);
+  const appsMenu = getService('appsMenu');
   const browser = getService('browser');
   const find = getService('find');
   const testSubjects = getService('testSubjects');
 
-  function navigate(path: string) {
-    return browser.get(`${PageObjects.common.getHostPort()}${path}`);
-  }
-
-  function getLegacyMode() {
+  const navigateTo = (path: string) =>
+    browser.navigateTo(`${PageObjects.common.getHostPort()}${path}`);
+  const navigateToApp = async (title: string) => {
+    await appsMenu.clickLink(title);
     return browser.execute(() => {
+      if (!('__RENDERING_SESSION__' in window)) {
+        window.__RENDERING_SESSION__ = [];
+      }
+
+      window.__RENDERING_SESSION__.push(window.location.pathname);
+    });
+  };
+  const getLegacyMode = () =>
+    browser.execute(() => {
       return JSON.parse(document.querySelector('kbn-injected-metadata')!.getAttribute('data')!)
         .legacyMode;
     });
-  }
-
-  function getUserSettings() {
-    return browser.execute(() => {
+  const getUserSettings = () =>
+    browser.execute(() => {
       return JSON.parse(document.querySelector('kbn-injected-metadata')!.getAttribute('data')!)
         .legacyMetadata.uiSettings.user;
     });
-  }
-
-  async function init() {
-    const loading = await testSubjects.find('kbnLoadingMessage', 5000);
-
-    return () => find.waitForElementStale(loading);
-  }
+  const exists = (selector: string) => testSubjects.exists(selector, { timeout: 2000 });
+  const findLoadingMessage = () => testSubjects.find('kbnLoadingMessage', 5000);
 
   describe('rendering service', () => {
     it('renders "core" application', async () => {
-      await navigate('/render/core');
+      await navigateTo('/render/core');
 
-      const [loaded, legacyMode, userSettings] = await Promise.all([
-        init(),
+      const [loadingMessage, legacyMode, userSettings] = await Promise.all([
+        findLoadingMessage(),
         getLegacyMode(),
         getUserSettings(),
       ]);
@@ -66,16 +78,16 @@ export default function({ getService, getPageObjects }: PluginFunctionalProvider
       expect(legacyMode).to.be(false);
       expect(userSettings).to.not.be.empty();
 
-      await loaded();
+      await find.waitForElementStale(loadingMessage);
 
-      expect(await testSubjects.exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(true);
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(true);
     });
 
     it('renders "core" application without user settings', async () => {
-      await navigate('/render/core?includeUserSettings=false');
+      await navigateTo('/render/core?includeUserSettings=false');
 
-      const [loaded, legacyMode, userSettings] = await Promise.all([
-        init(),
+      const [loadingMessage, legacyMode, userSettings] = await Promise.all([
+        findLoadingMessage(),
         getLegacyMode(),
         getUserSettings(),
       ]);
@@ -83,16 +95,16 @@ export default function({ getService, getPageObjects }: PluginFunctionalProvider
       expect(legacyMode).to.be(false);
       expect(userSettings).to.be.empty();
 
-      await loaded();
+      await find.waitForElementStale(loadingMessage);
 
-      expect(await testSubjects.exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(true);
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(true);
     });
 
     it('renders "legacy" application', async () => {
-      await navigate('/render/core_plugin_legacy');
+      await navigateTo('/render/core_plugin_legacy');
 
-      const [loaded, legacyMode, userSettings] = await Promise.all([
-        init(),
+      const [loadingMessage, legacyMode, userSettings] = await Promise.all([
+        findLoadingMessage(),
         getLegacyMode(),
         getUserSettings(),
       ]);
@@ -100,17 +112,17 @@ export default function({ getService, getPageObjects }: PluginFunctionalProvider
       expect(legacyMode).to.be(true);
       expect(userSettings).to.not.be.empty();
 
-      await loaded();
+      await find.waitForElementStale(loadingMessage);
 
-      expect(await testSubjects.exists('coreLegacyCompatH1')).to.be(true);
-      expect(await testSubjects.exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(false);
+      expect(await exists('coreLegacyCompatH1')).to.be(true);
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(false);
     });
 
     it('renders "legacy" application without user settings', async () => {
-      await navigate('/render/core_plugin_legacy?includeUserSettings=false');
+      await navigateTo('/render/core_plugin_legacy?includeUserSettings=false');
 
-      const [loaded, legacyMode, userSettings] = await Promise.all([
-        init(),
+      const [loadingMessage, legacyMode, userSettings] = await Promise.all([
+        findLoadingMessage(),
         getLegacyMode(),
         getUserSettings(),
       ]);
@@ -118,10 +130,56 @@ export default function({ getService, getPageObjects }: PluginFunctionalProvider
       expect(legacyMode).to.be(true);
       expect(userSettings).to.be.empty();
 
-      await loaded();
+      await find.waitForElementStale(loadingMessage);
+
+      expect(await exists('coreLegacyCompatH1')).to.be(true);
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(false);
+    });
+
+    it('navigates between standard application and one with custom appRoute', async () => {
+      await navigateTo('/');
+      await find.waitForElementStale(await findLoadingMessage());
+
+      await navigateToApp('App Status');
+      expect(await exists('appStatusApp')).to.be(true);
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(false);
+
+      await navigateToApp('Rendering');
+      expect(await exists('appStatusApp')).to.be(false);
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(true);
+
+      await navigateToApp('App Status');
+      expect(await exists('appStatusApp')).to.be(true);
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(false);
+
+      expect(
+        await browser.execute(() => {
+          return window.__RENDERING_SESSION__;
+        })
+      ).to.eql(['/app/app_status', '/render/core', '/app/app_status']);
+    });
+
+    it('navigates between applications with custom appRoutes', async () => {
+      await navigateTo('/');
+      await find.waitForElementStale(await findLoadingMessage());
+
+      await navigateToApp('Rendering');
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(true);
+      expect(await exists('customAppRouteHeader')).to.be(false);
+
+      await navigateToApp('Custom App Route');
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(false);
+      expect(await exists('customAppRouteHeader')).to.be(true);
+
+      await navigateToApp('Rendering');
+      expect(await exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(true);
+      expect(await exists('customAppRouteHeader')).to.be(false);
 
-      expect(await testSubjects.exists('coreLegacyCompatH1')).to.be(true);
-      expect(await testSubjects.exists('renderingHeader')).to.be(false);
+      expect(
+        await browser.execute(() => {
+          return window.__RENDERING_SESSION__;
+        })
+      ).to.eql(['/render/core', '/custom/appRoute', '/render/core']);
     });
   });
 }