diff --git a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/active_http_spinner.html b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/active_http_spinner.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..d7c9b64fbe3c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/active_http_spinner.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-right navbar-timepicker" >
+  <li ng-show="chrome.httpActive.length" class="navbar-text hidden-xs">
+    <div class="spinner"></div>
+  </li>
+</ul>
diff --git a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/append_nav_controls.js b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/append_nav_controls.js
index 1433ec0654428..d37b9c6fe0a74 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/append_nav_controls.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/append_nav_controls.js
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@ import $ from 'jquery';
 
 import chromeNavControlsRegistry from 'ui/registry/chrome_nav_controls';
 import UiModules from 'ui/modules';
+import spinnerHtml from './active_http_spinner.html';
+
+const spinner = {
+  name: 'active http requests',
+  template: spinnerHtml
+};
 
 export default function (chrome, internals) {
 
@@ -13,7 +19,7 @@ export default function (chrome, internals) {
         const parts = [$element.html()];
         const controls = Private(chromeNavControlsRegistry);
 
-        for (const control of controls.inOrder) {
+        for (const control of [spinner, ...controls.inOrder]) {
           parts.unshift(
             `<!-- nav control ${control.name} -->`,
             control.template
diff --git a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.js b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.js
index d6e9ddeed4a43..e06b373a3c15b 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export default function (chrome, internals) {
         onRouteChange();
 
         // and some local values
-        $scope.httpActive = $http.pendingRequests;
+        chrome.httpActive = $http.pendingRequests;
         $scope.notifList = require('ui/notify')._notifs;
         $scope.appSwitcherTemplate = new ConfigTemplate({
           switcher: '<app-switcher></app-switcher>'