diff --git a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.test.tsx b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a6e3a327756b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ *
+ * The OpenSearch Contributors require contributions made to
+ * this file be licensed under the Apache-2.0 license or a
+ * compatible open source license.
+ *
+ * Any modifications Copyright OpenSearch Contributors. See
+ * GitHub history for details.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+ * license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+ * the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+ * not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+import { isActiveNavLink, createEuiListItem } from './nav_link';
+import { isModifiedOrPrevented } from './nav_link';
+import { ChromeNavLink } from '../../..';
+import { httpServiceMock } from '../../../http/http_service.mock';
+import React from 'react';
+
+describe('isModifiedOrPrevented', () => {
+  test('returns true if metaKey is pressed', () => {
+    const mockEvent: Partial<React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>> = {
+      metaKey: true,
+      altKey: false,
+      ctrlKey: false,
+      shiftKey: false,
+      defaultPrevented: false,
+    };
+
+    expect(
+      isModifiedOrPrevented(mockEvent as React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>)
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test('returns true if defaultPrevented is true', () => {
+    const mockEvent: Partial<React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>> = {
+      metaKey: false,
+      altKey: false,
+      ctrlKey: false,
+      shiftKey: false,
+      defaultPrevented: true,
+    };
+
+    expect(
+      isModifiedOrPrevented(mockEvent as React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>)
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test('returns false if no modifier keys are pressed and default is not prevented', () => {
+    const mockEvent: Partial<React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>> = {
+      metaKey: false,
+      altKey: false,
+      ctrlKey: false,
+      shiftKey: false,
+      defaultPrevented: false,
+    };
+
+    expect(
+      isModifiedOrPrevented(mockEvent as React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>)
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('isActiveNavLink', () => {
+  it('should return true if the currentId is "discover" and targetId is "discover"', () => {
+    expect(isActiveNavLink('discover', 'discover')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('should return true if the currentId is "data-explorer" and targetId is "data-explorer"', () => {
+    expect(isActiveNavLink('data-explorer', 'data-explorer')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('should return true if the currentId is "discover" and targetId is "data-explorer"', () => {
+    expect(isActiveNavLink('discover', 'data-explorer')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('should return false if the currentId and targetId do not match', () => {
+    expect(isActiveNavLink('dashboard', 'discover')).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+const mockBasePath = httpServiceMock.createSetupContract({ basePath: '/test' }).basePath;
+
+describe('createEuiListItem', () => {
+  const mockLink: Partial<ChromeNavLink> = {
+    href: 'test',
+    id: 'test',
+    title: 'Test App',
+    disabled: false,
+    euiIconType: 'inputOutput',
+    icon: 'testIcon',
+    tooltip: 'Test App Tooltip',
+  };
+
+  const mockProps = {
+    link: mockLink as ChromeNavLink,
+    appId: 'test',
+    basePath: mockBasePath,
+    dataTestSubj: 'test-subj',
+    onClick: jest.fn(),
+    navigateToApp: jest.fn(),
+    externalLink: false,
+  };
+
+  it('creates a list item with the correct properties', () => {
+    const listItem = createEuiListItem(mockProps);
+    expect(listItem.label).toBe(mockProps.link.tooltip);
+    expect(listItem.href).toBe(mockProps.link.href);
+    expect(listItem['data-test-subj']).toBe(mockProps.dataTestSubj);
+    expect(listItem.onClick).toBeDefined();
+    expect(listItem.isActive).toBe(isActiveNavLink(mockProps.appId, mockProps.link.id));
+    expect(listItem.isDisabled).toBe(mockProps.link.disabled);
+    expect(listItem.iconType).toBe(mockProps.link.euiIconType);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.tsx b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.tsx
index 11ff0b472bd0..3effc3a5d1ec 100644
--- a/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.tsx
+++ b/src/core/public/chrome/ui/header/nav_link.tsx
@@ -39,6 +39,14 @@ import { relativeToAbsolute } from '../../nav_links/to_nav_link';
 export const isModifiedOrPrevented = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>) =>
   event.metaKey || event.altKey || event.ctrlKey || event.shiftKey || event.defaultPrevented;
 
+export const isActiveNavLink = (currentId: string | undefined, targetId: string): boolean => {
+  if (currentId === 'discover' || currentId === 'data-explorer') {
+    return ['discover', 'data-explorer'].includes(targetId);
+  } else {
+    return currentId === targetId;
+  }
+};
+
 interface Props {
   link: ChromeNavLink;
   appId?: string;