diff --git a/aio/src/app/layout/nav-item/nav-item.component.ts b/aio/src/app/layout/nav-item/nav-item.component.ts
index 26e7e77a69..55189fcaec 100644
--- a/aio/src/app/layout/nav-item/nav-item.component.ts
+++ b/aio/src/app/layout/nav-item/nav-item.component.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export class NavItemComponent implements OnChanges {
   ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges) {
     if (changes['selectedNodes'] || changes['node']) {
       this.isSelected = this.selectedNodes.indexOf(this.node) !== -1;
+      this.isExpanded = this.isExpanded || this.isSelected;
     }
     this.setClasses();
   }