diff --git a/src/api/indicators/IndicatorAPI.js b/src/api/indicators/IndicatorAPI.js
index 98d78112ca..30f0b2d496 100644
--- a/src/api/indicators/IndicatorAPI.js
+++ b/src/api/indicators/IndicatorAPI.js
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ class IndicatorAPI extends EventEmitter {
         return sortedIndicators;
     }
 
-    simpleIndicator() {
-        return new SimpleIndicator(this.openmct);
+    simpleIndicator(key) {
+        return new SimpleIndicator(this.openmct, key);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ class IndicatorAPI extends EventEmitter {
      *
      */
     add(indicator) {
+        const keyExists = indicator.key !== undefined
+            && this.indicatorObjects.some(installedIndicator => indicator.key === installedIndicator.key);
+
+        if (keyExists) {
+            console.warn(`An Indicator with key { ${indicator.key} } has already been installed.`);
+        }
+
         if (!indicator.priority) {
             indicator.priority = this.openmct.priority.DEFAULT;
         }
@@ -72,6 +79,22 @@ class IndicatorAPI extends EventEmitter {
         this.emit('addIndicator', indicator);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @param {string} key the key of the indicator
+     * @param {number} priority the priority to set
+     */
+    setPriority(key, priority) {
+        const indicatorToPrioritize = this.indicatorObjects
+            .find(indicator => indicator.key === key);
+
+        if (indicatorToPrioritize !== undefined) {
+            indicatorToPrioritize.priority = priority;
+
+            this.emit('setPriority', indicatorToPrioritize);
+        } else {
+            console.warn(`Could not find an installed indicator: ${key}`);
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 export default IndicatorAPI;
diff --git a/src/api/indicators/IndicatorAPISpec.js b/src/api/indicators/IndicatorAPISpec.js
index 4a08dbbb42..a32ba4320e 100644
--- a/src/api/indicators/IndicatorAPISpec.js
+++ b/src/api/indicators/IndicatorAPISpec.js
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 import { createOpenMct, resetApplicationState } from '../../utils/testing';
 import SimpleIndicator from './SimpleIndicator';
 
+const NOTIFICATIONS_INDICATOR_KEY = 'notifications-indicator';
+
 describe("The Indicator API", () => {
     let openmct;
 
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ describe("The Indicator API", () => {
         const textNode = document.createTextNode(label);
         element.appendChild(textNode);
         const testIndicator = {
+            key: className,
             element,
             priority
         };
@@ -46,12 +49,22 @@ describe("The Indicator API", () => {
         return testIndicator;
     }
 
+    it("installs the notifications indicator by default", () => {
+        let indicators = openmct.indicators.getIndicatorObjectsByPriority();
+        const notificationIndicator = indicators.find(indicator => indicator.key === NOTIFICATIONS_INDICATOR_KEY);
+
+        expect(notificationIndicator.key).toEqual(NOTIFICATIONS_INDICATOR_KEY);
+    });
+
     it("can register an indicator", () => {
+        let indicators = openmct.indicators.getIndicatorObjectsByPriority();
+        const defaultIndicatorsLength = indicators.length;
         const testIndicator = generateIndicator('test-indicator', 'This is a test indicator', 2);
+
         openmct.indicators.add(testIndicator);
-        expect(openmct.indicators.indicatorObjects).toBeDefined();
-        // notifier indicator is installed by default
-        expect(openmct.indicators.indicatorObjects.length).toBe(2);
+        indicators = openmct.indicators.getIndicatorObjectsByPriority();
+
+        expect(indicators.length).toBe(defaultIndicatorsLength + 1);
     });
 
     it("can order indicators based on priority", () => {
@@ -67,10 +80,32 @@ describe("The Indicator API", () => {
         const testIndicator4 = generateIndicator('test-indicator-4', 'This is yet another test indicator', openmct.priority.HIGH);
         openmct.indicators.add(testIndicator4);
 
-        expect(openmct.indicators.indicatorObjects.length).toBe(5);
-        const indicatorObjectsByPriority = openmct.indicators.getIndicatorObjectsByPriority();
-        expect(indicatorObjectsByPriority.length).toBe(5);
-        expect(indicatorObjectsByPriority[2].priority).toBe(openmct.priority.DEFAULT);
+        let indicators = openmct.indicators.getIndicatorObjectsByPriority();
+
+        expect(indicators.length).toBe(5);
+        expect(indicators[2].priority).toBe(openmct.priority.DEFAULT);
+    });
+
+    it("can change priority of an installed indicator", () => {
+        const testIndicator1 = generateIndicator('test-indicator-1', 'This is a test indicator', openmct.priority.LOW);
+        openmct.indicators.add(testIndicator1);
+
+        const testIndicator2 = generateIndicator('test-indicator-2', 'This is another test indicator', openmct.priority.DEFAULT);
+        openmct.indicators.add(testIndicator2);
+
+        const testIndicator3 = generateIndicator('test-indicator-3', 'This is yet another test indicator', openmct.priority.LOW);
+        openmct.indicators.add(testIndicator3);
+
+        const testIndicator4 = generateIndicator('test-indicator-4', 'This is yet another test indicator', openmct.priority.HIGH);
+        openmct.indicators.add(testIndicator4);
+
+        let indicators = openmct.indicators.getIndicatorObjectsByPriority();
+
+        expect(indicators[0].key).toEqual('test-indicator-4');
+        openmct.indicators.setPriority('test-indicator-2', openmct.priority.HIGH + 1);
+        indicators = openmct.indicators.getIndicatorObjectsByPriority();
+
+        expect(indicators[0].key).toEqual('test-indicator-2');
     });
 
     it("the simple indicator can be added", () => {
diff --git a/src/api/indicators/SimpleIndicator.js b/src/api/indicators/SimpleIndicator.js
index 31ce745a52..52b2443f8f 100644
--- a/src/api/indicators/SimpleIndicator.js
+++ b/src/api/indicators/SimpleIndicator.js
@@ -27,10 +27,11 @@ import { convertTemplateToHTML } from '@/utils/template/templateHelpers';
 const DEFAULT_ICON_CLASS = 'icon-info';
 
 class SimpleIndicator extends EventEmitter {
-    constructor(openmct) {
+    constructor(openmct, key) {
         super();
 
         this.openmct = openmct;
+        this.key = key;
         this.element = convertTemplateToHTML(indicatorTemplate)[0];
         this.priority = openmct.priority.DEFAULT;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/URLIndicatorPlugin/URLIndicatorPlugin.js b/src/plugins/URLIndicatorPlugin/URLIndicatorPlugin.js
index bec6df1dc9..261fd98699 100644
--- a/src/plugins/URLIndicatorPlugin/URLIndicatorPlugin.js
+++ b/src/plugins/URLIndicatorPlugin/URLIndicatorPlugin.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ define(['./URLIndicator'],
     function URLIndicatorPlugin(URLIndicator) {
         return function (opts) {
             return function install(openmct) {
-                const simpleIndicator = openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator();
+                const simpleIndicator = openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator('url-indicator');
                 const urlIndicator = new URLIndicator(opts, simpleIndicator);
 
                 openmct.indicators.add(simpleIndicator);
diff --git a/src/plugins/operatorStatus/operatorStatus/OperatorStatusIndicator.js b/src/plugins/operatorStatus/operatorStatus/OperatorStatusIndicator.js
index 9eb96e938c..c9d4bca7ce 100644
--- a/src/plugins/operatorStatus/operatorStatus/OperatorStatusIndicator.js
+++ b/src/plugins/operatorStatus/operatorStatus/OperatorStatusIndicator.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export default class OperatorStatusIndicator extends AbstractStatusIndicator {
     }
 
     createIndicator() {
-        const operatorIndicator = this.openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator();
+        const operatorIndicator = this.openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator('operator-indicator');
 
         operatorIndicator.text("My Operator Status");
         operatorIndicator.description("Set my operator status");
diff --git a/src/plugins/operatorStatus/pollQuestion/PollQuestionIndicator.js b/src/plugins/operatorStatus/pollQuestion/PollQuestionIndicator.js
index ea85d5905d..4f01b3e7ae 100644
--- a/src/plugins/operatorStatus/pollQuestion/PollQuestionIndicator.js
+++ b/src/plugins/operatorStatus/pollQuestion/PollQuestionIndicator.js
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export default class PollQuestionIndicator extends AbstractStatusIndicator {
     }
 
     createIndicator() {
-        const pollQuestionIndicator = this.openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator();
+        const pollQuestionIndicator = this.openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator('poll-question-indicator');
 
         pollQuestionIndicator.text("Poll Question");
         pollQuestionIndicator.description("Set the current poll question");
diff --git a/src/plugins/performanceIndicator/plugin.js b/src/plugins/performanceIndicator/plugin.js
index e982ac4087..958edd6b32 100644
--- a/src/plugins/performanceIndicator/plugin.js
+++ b/src/plugins/performanceIndicator/plugin.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export default function PerformanceIndicator() {
     return function install(openmct) {
         let frames = 0;
         let lastCalculated = performance.now();
-        const indicator = openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator();
+        const indicator = openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator('performance-indicator');
 
         indicator.text('~ fps');
         indicator.statusClass('s-status-info');
diff --git a/src/plugins/persistence/couch/plugin.js b/src/plugins/persistence/couch/plugin.js
index eaaed04445..369ee30e29 100644
--- a/src/plugins/persistence/couch/plugin.js
+++ b/src/plugins/persistence/couch/plugin.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ const COUCH_SEARCH_ONLY_NAMESPACE = `COUCH_SEARCH_${Date.now()}`;
 
 export default function CouchPlugin(options) {
     return function install(openmct) {
-        const simpleIndicator = openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator();
+        const simpleIndicator = openmct.indicators.simpleIndicator('couch-indicator');
         openmct.indicators.add(simpleIndicator);
         const couchStatusIndicator = new CouchStatusIndicator(simpleIndicator);
         install.couchProvider = new CouchObjectProvider(openmct, options, NAMESPACE, couchStatusIndicator);