diff --git a/jdaviz/configs/cubeviz/plugins/slice/slice.vue b/jdaviz/configs/cubeviz/plugins/slice/slice.vue
index eb4878e50e..90848761fc 100644
--- a/jdaviz/configs/cubeviz/plugins/slice/slice.vue
+++ b/jdaviz/configs/cubeviz/plugins/slice/slice.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <template>
   <j-tray-plugin
     :config="config"
-    plugin_key="Slice"
+    :plugin_key="plugin_key || 'Slice'"
     :api_hints_enabled.sync="api_hints_enabled"
     :description="docs_description || 'Select slice of the cube to show in the image viewers.  The slice can also be changed interactively in the spectrum viewer by activating the slice tool.'"
     :irrelevant_msg="irrelevant_msg"
diff --git a/jdaviz/configs/cubeviz/plugins/spectral_extraction/spectral_extraction.vue b/jdaviz/configs/cubeviz/plugins/spectral_extraction/spectral_extraction.vue
index 1a60c21863..f22cbff4d2 100644
--- a/jdaviz/configs/cubeviz/plugins/spectral_extraction/spectral_extraction.vue
+++ b/jdaviz/configs/cubeviz/plugins/spectral_extraction/spectral_extraction.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <template>
   <j-tray-plugin
     :config="config"
-    plugin_key="Spectral Extraction"
+    :plugin_key="plugin_key || Spectral Extraction"
     :api_hints_enabled.sync="api_hints_enabled"
     :description="docs_description || 'Extract a '+resulting_product_name+' from a spectral cube.'"
     :link="docs_link || 'https://jdaviz.readthedocs.io/en/'+vdocs+'/'+config+'/plugins.html#spectral-extraction'"
diff --git a/jdaviz/core/template_mixin.py b/jdaviz/core/template_mixin.py
index 27ce6ef771..38b92e846d 100644
--- a/jdaviz/core/template_mixin.py
+++ b/jdaviz/core/template_mixin.py
@@ -394,6 +394,7 @@ class PluginTemplateMixin(TemplateMixin):
     _plugin_name = None  # noqa overwritten by the registry - won't be populated by plugins instantiated directly
     disabled_msg = Unicode("").tag(sync=True)  # noqa if non-empty, will show this message in place of plugin content
     irrelevant_msg = Unicode("").tag(sync=True)  # noqa if non-empty, will exclude from the tray, and show this message in place of any content in other instances
+    plugin_key = Unicode("").tag(sync=True) # set to non-empty to override value in vue file (when supported by vue file)
     docs_link = Unicode("").tag(sync=True)  # set to non-empty to override value in vue file
     docs_description = Unicode("").tag(sync=True)  # set to non-empty to override value in vue file
     plugin_opened = Bool(False).tag(sync=True)  # noqa any instance of the plugin is open (recently sent an "alive" ping)