diff --git a/src/ui/public/chrome/api/controls.js b/src/ui/public/chrome/api/controls.js
index 771a995474a45..5a99fa0f3b433 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/chrome/api/controls.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/chrome/api/controls.js
@@ -11,14 +11,20 @@ export default function (chrome, internals) {
    *     determines if the Kibana chrome should be displayed
    */
 
-  let def = true;
-  internals.setVisibleDefault = (_def) => def = Boolean(_def);
+  let permanentlyHideChrome = false;
+  internals.permanentlyHideChrome = () => {
+    permanentlyHideChrome = true;
+    internals.visible = false;
+  };
 
   /**
    * @param {boolean} display - should the chrome be displayed
    * @return {chrome}
    */
   chrome.setVisible = function (display) {
+    if (permanentlyHideChrome) {
+      return chrome;
+    }
     internals.visible = Boolean(display);
     return chrome;
   };
@@ -27,7 +33,7 @@ export default function (chrome, internals) {
    * @return {boolean} - display state of the chrome
    */
   chrome.getVisible = function () {
-    if (_.isUndefined(internals.visible)) return def;
+    if (_.isUndefined(internals.visible)) return !permanentlyHideChrome;
     return internals.visible;
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.html b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.html
index 6aaa3bc54ee6a..1d6a34e84bfd6 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.html
+++ b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.html
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <div class="content" chrome-context data-test-subj="kibanaChrome">
   <global-nav
     chrome="chrome"
+    data-test-subj="globalNav"
     is-visible="chrome.getVisible()"
     logo-brand="chrome.getBrand('logo')"
     small-logo-brand="chrome.getBrand('smallLogo')"
diff --git a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.js b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.js
index 0c5cbe2e9503f..f2b438916a1e3 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/chrome/directives/kbn_chrome.js
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ export function kbnChromeProvider(chrome, internals) {
         const getUnhashableStates = Private(getUnhashableStatesProvider);
 
         // are we showing the embedded version of the chrome?
-        internals.setVisibleDefault(!$location.search().embed);
+        if (Boolean($location.search().embed)) {
+          internals.permanentlyHideChrome();
+        }
 
         // listen for route changes, propogate to tabs
         const onRouteChange = function () {
diff --git a/test/functional/apps/dashboard/_dashboard.js b/test/functional/apps/dashboard/_dashboard.js
index 054ee1a4543d1..3ae4ea1476175 100644
--- a/test/functional/apps/dashboard/_dashboard.js
+++ b/test/functional/apps/dashboard/_dashboard.js
@@ -190,6 +190,36 @@ export default function ({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
       });
     });
 
+    describe('embed mode', () => {
+      it('hides the chrome', async () => {
+        let isChromeVisible = await PageObjects.common.isChromeVisible();
+        expect(isChromeVisible).to.be(true);
+
+        const currentUrl = await remote.getCurrentUrl();
+        const newUrl = currentUrl + '&embed=true';
+        // Embed parameter only works on a hard refresh.
+        const useTimeStamp = true;
+        await remote.get(newUrl.toString(), useTimeStamp);
+
+        await retry.try(async () => {
+          isChromeVisible = await PageObjects.common.isChromeVisible();
+          expect(isChromeVisible).to.be(false);
+        });
+      });
+
+      after(async function () {
+        console.log('showing chrome again');
+        const currentUrl = await remote.getCurrentUrl();
+        const newUrl = currentUrl.replace('&embed=true', '');
+        // First use the timestamp to cause a hard refresh so the new embed parameter works correctly.
+        let useTimeStamp = true;
+        await remote.get(newUrl.toString(), useTimeStamp);
+        // Then get rid of the timestamp so the rest of the tests work with state and app switching.
+        useTimeStamp = false;
+        await remote.get(newUrl.toString(), useTimeStamp);
+      });
+    });
+
     describe('add new visualization link', () => {
       it('adds a new visualization', async () => {
         await PageObjects.dashboard.clickAddVisualization();
diff --git a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.js b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.js
index 56714a95b3047..7e093da521a86 100644
--- a/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.js
+++ b/test/functional/page_objects/common_page.js
@@ -257,7 +257,9 @@ export function CommonPageProvider({ getService, getPageObjects }) {
     }
 
     async isChromeVisible() {
-      return await testSubjects.exists('kibanaChrome');
+      const globalNavShown = await testSubjects.exists('globalNav');
+      const topNavShown = await testSubjects.exists('top-nav');
+      return globalNavShown && topNavShown;
     }
 
     async waitForTopNavToBeVisible() {