diff --git a/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/__snapshots__/get_nav_links.test.ts.snap b/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/__snapshots__/get_nav_links.test.ts.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..4b6ee8f19b882
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/__snapshots__/get_nav_links.test.ts.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+// Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
+
+exports[` 1`] = `
+Array [
+  Object {
+    "category": undefined,
+    "disableSubUrlTracking": undefined,
+    "disabled": false,
+    "euiIconType": undefined,
+    "hidden": false,
+    "icon": undefined,
+    "id": "link-a",
+    "linkToLastSubUrl": false,
+    "order": 0,
+    "subUrlBase": "/some-custom-url",
+    "title": "AppA",
+    "tooltip": "",
+    "url": "/some-custom-url",
+  },
+  Object {
+    "category": undefined,
+    "disableSubUrlTracking": true,
+    "disabled": false,
+    "euiIconType": undefined,
+    "hidden": false,
+    "icon": undefined,
+    "id": "link-b",
+    "linkToLastSubUrl": false,
+    "order": 0,
+    "subUrlBase": undefined,
+    "title": "link-b",
+    "tooltip": "",
+    "url": "/app/link-b",
+  },
+  Object {
+    "category": undefined,
+    "disableSubUrlTracking": undefined,
+    "disabled": false,
+    "euiIconType": undefined,
+    "hidden": false,
+    "icon": undefined,
+    "id": "app-a",
+    "linkToLastSubUrl": false,
+    "order": 0,
+    "subUrlBase": undefined,
+    "title": "AppA",
+    "tooltip": "",
+    "url": "/app/app-a",
+  },
+  Object {
+    "category": undefined,
+    "disableSubUrlTracking": undefined,
+    "disabled": false,
+    "euiIconType": undefined,
+    "hidden": false,
+    "icon": undefined,
+    "id": "app-b",
+    "linkToLastSubUrl": false,
+    "order": 0,
+    "subUrlBase": undefined,
+    "title": "AppB",
+    "tooltip": "",
+    "url": "/app/app-b",
+  },
+]
+`;
diff --git a/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/get_nav_links.test.ts b/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/get_nav_links.test.ts
index e88524d9b378b..5fd394cba636a 100644
--- a/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/get_nav_links.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/get_nav_links.test.ts
@@ -123,5 +123,165 @@ describe('getNavLinks', () => {
         );
       }).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(`"Unknown plugin id \\"notExistingPlugin\\""`);
     });
+
+    it('uses all known properties of the navlink', () => {
+      const navlinks = getNavLinks(
+        createLegacyExports({
+          uiAppSpecs: [
+            {
+              id: 'app-a',
+              title: 'AppA',
+              category: {
+                label: 'My Category',
+              },
+              order: 42,
+              url: '/some-custom-url',
+              subUrlBase: '/some-custom-url/sub',
+              disableSubUrlTracking: true,
+              icon: 'fa-snowflake',
+              euiIconType: 'euiIcon',
+              linkToLastSubUrl: true,
+              hidden: false,
+              tooltip: 'My tooltip',
+            },
+          ],
+        }),
+        []
+      );
+      expect(navlinks.length).toBe(1);
+      expect(navlinks[0]).toEqual({
+        id: 'app-a',
+        title: 'AppA',
+        category: {
+          label: 'My Category',
+        },
+        order: 42,
+        url: '/some-custom-url',
+        subUrlBase: '/some-custom-url/sub',
+        disableSubUrlTracking: true,
+        icon: 'fa-snowflake',
+        euiIconType: 'euiIcon',
+        linkToLastSubUrl: true,
+        hidden: false,
+        disabled: false,
+        tooltip: 'My tooltip',
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('generating from navLinkSpecs', () => {
+    it('generates navlinks from legacy navLink specs', () => {
+      const navlinks = getNavLinks(
+        createLegacyExports({
+          navLinkSpecs: [
+            {
+              id: 'link-a',
+              title: 'AppA',
+              url: '/some-custom-url',
+            },
+            {
+              id: 'link-b',
+              disableSubUrlTracking: true,
+            },
+          ],
+        }),
+        createPluginSpecs('pluginA')
+      );
+
+      expect(navlinks.length).toEqual(2);
+      expect(navlinks[0]).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          id: 'link-a',
+          title: 'AppA',
+          url: '/some-custom-url',
+          hidden: false,
+          disabled: false,
+        })
+      );
+      expect(navlinks[1]).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          id: 'link-b',
+          title: 'link-b',
+          url: '/app/link-b',
+          disableSubUrlTracking: true,
+        })
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('uses all known properties of the navlink', () => {
+      const navlinks = getNavLinks(
+        createLegacyExports({
+          navLinkSpecs: [
+            {
+              id: 'link-a',
+              title: 'AppA',
+              category: {
+                label: 'My Second Cat',
+              },
+              order: 72,
+              url: '/some-other-custom',
+              subUrlBase: '/some-other-custom/sub',
+              disableSubUrlTracking: true,
+              icon: 'fa-corn',
+              euiIconType: 'euiIconBis',
+              linkToLastSubUrl: false,
+              hidden: false,
+              tooltip: 'My other tooltip',
+            },
+          ],
+        }),
+        []
+      );
+      expect(navlinks.length).toBe(1);
+      expect(navlinks[0]).toEqual({
+        id: 'link-a',
+        title: 'AppA',
+        category: {
+          label: 'My Second Cat',
+        },
+        order: 72,
+        url: '/some-other-custom',
+        subUrlBase: '/some-other-custom/sub',
+        disableSubUrlTracking: true,
+        icon: 'fa-corn',
+        euiIconType: 'euiIconBis',
+        linkToLastSubUrl: false,
+        hidden: false,
+        disabled: false,
+        tooltip: 'My other tooltip',
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('generating from both apps and navlinks', () => {
+    const navlinks = getNavLinks(
+      createLegacyExports({
+        uiAppSpecs: [
+          {
+            id: 'app-a',
+            title: 'AppA',
+          },
+          {
+            id: 'app-b',
+            title: 'AppB',
+          },
+        ],
+        navLinkSpecs: [
+          {
+            id: 'link-a',
+            title: 'AppA',
+            url: '/some-custom-url',
+          },
+          {
+            id: 'link-b',
+            disableSubUrlTracking: true,
+          },
+        ],
+      }),
+      []
+    );
+
+    expect(navlinks.length).toBe(4);
+    expect(navlinks).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/get_nav_links.ts b/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/get_nav_links.ts
index 26c17347eeb36..3d05f284a88d2 100644
--- a/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/get_nav_links.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/legacy/plugins/get_nav_links.ts
@@ -17,62 +17,51 @@
  * under the License.
  */
 
-import { LegacyUiExports, LegacyNavLink, LegacyPluginSpec } from '../types';
+import {
+  LegacyUiExports,
+  LegacyNavLink,
+  LegacyPluginSpec,
+  LegacyNavLinkSpec,
+  LegacyAppSpec,
+} from '../types';
 
-const REMOVE_FROM_ARRAY: LegacyNavLink[] = [];
-
-function getUiAppsNavLinks({ uiAppSpecs = [] }: LegacyUiExports, pluginSpecs: LegacyPluginSpec[]) {
-  return uiAppSpecs.flatMap(spec => {
-    if (!spec) {
-      return REMOVE_FROM_ARRAY;
-    }
+function convertToNavLink(spec: LegacyNavLinkSpec | LegacyAppSpec): LegacyNavLink {
+  if (!spec.id) {
+    throw new Error('Every app must specify an id');
+  }
+  return {
+    id: spec.id,
+    category: spec.category,
+    title: spec.title ?? spec.id,
+    order: typeof spec.order === 'number' ? spec.order : 0,
+    url: spec.url ?? `/app/${spec.id}`,
+    subUrlBase: spec.subUrlBase ?? spec.url,
+    disableSubUrlTracking: spec.disableSubUrlTracking,
+    icon: spec.icon,
+    euiIconType: spec.euiIconType,
+    linkToLastSubUrl: spec.linkToLastSubUrl ?? false,
+    hidden: spec.hidden ?? false,
+    disabled: spec.disabled ?? false,
+    tooltip: spec.tooltip ?? '',
+  };
+}
 
-    const id = spec.id;
+function isHidden(app: LegacyAppSpec) {
+  return app.listed === false || app.hidden === true;
+}
 
-    if (!id) {
-      throw new Error('Every app must specify an id');
-    }
+export function getNavLinks(uiExports: LegacyUiExports, pluginSpecs: LegacyPluginSpec[]) {
+  const navLinkSpecs = uiExports.navLinkSpecs || [];
+  const appSpecs = (uiExports.uiAppSpecs || []).filter(
+    app => app !== undefined && !isHidden(app)
+  ) as LegacyAppSpec[];
 
-    if (spec.pluginId && !pluginSpecs.some(plugin => plugin.getId() === spec.pluginId)) {
+  const pluginIds = (pluginSpecs || []).map(spec => spec.getId());
+  appSpecs.forEach(spec => {
+    if (spec.pluginId && !pluginIds.includes(spec.pluginId)) {
       throw new Error(`Unknown plugin id "${spec.pluginId}"`);
     }
-
-    const listed = typeof spec.listed === 'boolean' ? spec.listed : true;
-
-    if (spec.hidden || !listed) {
-      return REMOVE_FROM_ARRAY;
-    }
-
-    return {
-      id,
-      category: spec.category,
-      title: spec.title,
-      order: typeof spec.order === 'number' ? spec.order : 0,
-      icon: spec.icon,
-      euiIconType: spec.euiIconType,
-      url: spec.url || `/app/${id}`,
-      linkToLastSubUrl: spec.linkToLastSubUrl,
-    };
   });
-}
 
-export function getNavLinks(uiExports: LegacyUiExports, pluginSpecs: LegacyPluginSpec[]) {
-  return (uiExports.navLinkSpecs || [])
-    .map<LegacyNavLink>(spec => ({
-      id: spec.id,
-      category: spec.category,
-      title: spec.title,
-      order: typeof spec.order === 'number' ? spec.order : 0,
-      url: spec.url,
-      subUrlBase: spec.subUrlBase || spec.url,
-      disableSubUrlTracking: spec.disableSubUrlTracking,
-      icon: spec.icon,
-      euiIconType: spec.euiIconType,
-      linkToLastSub: 'linkToLastSubUrl' in spec ? spec.linkToLastSubUrl : false,
-      hidden: 'hidden' in spec ? spec.hidden : false,
-      disabled: 'disabled' in spec ? spec.disabled : false,
-      tooltip: spec.tooltip || '',
-    }))
-    .concat(getUiAppsNavLinks(uiExports, pluginSpecs))
-    .sort((a, b) => a.order - b.order);
+  return [...navLinkSpecs, ...appSpecs].map(convertToNavLink).sort((a, b) => a.order - b.order);
 }
diff --git a/src/core/server/legacy/types.ts b/src/core/server/legacy/types.ts
index d51058ca561c6..6b05f3853cb16 100644
--- a/src/core/server/legacy/types.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/legacy/types.ts
@@ -131,16 +131,16 @@ export type VarsReplacer = (
  * @internal
  * @deprecated
  */
-export type LegacyNavLinkSpec = Record<string, unknown> & ChromeNavLink;
+export type LegacyNavLinkSpec = Partial<ChromeNavLink>;
 
 /**
  * @internal
  * @deprecated
  */
-export type LegacyAppSpec = Pick<
-  ChromeNavLink,
-  'title' | 'order' | 'icon' | 'euiIconType' | 'url' | 'linkToLastSubUrl' | 'hidden' | 'category'
-> & { pluginId?: string; id?: string; listed?: boolean };
+export type LegacyAppSpec = Partial<ChromeNavLink> & {
+  pluginId?: string;
+  listed?: boolean;
+};
 
 /**
  * @internal