diff --git a/pkg/services/navtree/navtreeimpl/navtree.go b/pkg/services/navtree/navtreeimpl/navtree.go
index d738b496ddd..f77e85e1d28 100644
--- a/pkg/services/navtree/navtreeimpl/navtree.go
+++ b/pkg/services/navtree/navtreeimpl/navtree.go
@@ -569,6 +569,19 @@ func (s *ServiceImpl) buildDataConnectionsNavLink(c *models.ReqContext) *navtree
 
 	baseUrl := s.cfg.AppSubURL + "/connections"
 
+	// Connect data
+	// FIXME: while we don't have a permissions for listing plugins the legacy check has to stay as a default
+	if plugins.ReqCanAdminPlugins(s.cfg)(c) || hasAccess(plugins.ReqCanAdminPlugins(s.cfg), plugins.AdminAccessEvaluator) {
+		children = append(children, &navtree.NavLink{
+			Id:        "connections-connect-data",
+			Text:      "Connect data",
+			SubTitle:  "Browse and create new connections",
+			IsSection: true,
+			Url:       s.cfg.AppSubURL + "/connections/connect-data",
+			Children:  []*navtree.NavLink{},
+		})
+	}
+
 	if hasAccess(ac.ReqOrgAdmin, datasources.ConfigurationPageAccess) {
 		// Your connections
 		children = append(children, &navtree.NavLink{
@@ -586,18 +599,6 @@ func (s *ServiceImpl) buildDataConnectionsNavLink(c *models.ReqContext) *navtree
 		})
 	}
 
-	// Connect data
-	// FIXME: while we don't have a permissions for listing plugins the legacy check has to stay as a default
-	if plugins.ReqCanAdminPlugins(s.cfg)(c) || hasAccess(plugins.ReqCanAdminPlugins(s.cfg), plugins.AdminAccessEvaluator) {
-		children = append(children, &navtree.NavLink{
-			Id:       "connections-connect-data",
-			Text:     "Connect data",
-			SubTitle: "Browse and create new connections",
-			Url:      s.cfg.AppSubURL + "/connections/connect-data",
-			Children: []*navtree.NavLink{},
-		})
-	}
-
 	if len(children) > 0 {
 		// Connections (main)
 		navLink = &navtree.NavLink{
diff --git a/public/app/features/connections/Connections.test.tsx b/public/app/features/connections/Connections.test.tsx
index a6298686483..6877f010b6d 100644
--- a/public/app/features/connections/Connections.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/connections/Connections.test.tsx
@@ -41,13 +41,14 @@ describe('Connections', () => {
     (contextSrv.hasPermission as jest.Mock) = jest.fn().mockReturnValue(true);
   });
 
-  test('shows a landing page by default', async () => {
+  test('shows the "Connect data" page by default', async () => {
     renderPage();
 
-    expect(await screen.findByRole('link', { name: 'Your connections' })).toBeVisible();
-    expect(await screen.findByText('Manage your existing connections')).toBeVisible();
+    // Data sources group
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Data sources')).toBeVisible();
 
-    expect(await screen.findByRole('link', { name: 'Connect data' })).toBeVisible();
+    // Heading
+    expect(await screen.findByText('Connect data')).toBeVisible();
     expect(await screen.findByText('Browse and create new connections')).toBeVisible();
   });
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/connections/Connections.tsx b/public/app/features/connections/Connections.tsx
index 184d0fa799f..b2f4c682d57 100644
--- a/public/app/features/connections/Connections.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/connections/Connections.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { Route, Switch } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { Redirect, Route, Switch } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 import { NavLandingPage } from 'app/core/components/AppChrome/NavLandingPage';
+import { contextSrv } from 'app/core/core';
 import { DataSourcesRoutesContext } from 'app/features/datasources/state';
-import { StoreState, useSelector } from 'app/types';
+import { AccessControlAction, StoreState, useSelector } from 'app/types';
 
 import { ROUTES } from './constants';
 import {
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import {
 export default function Connections() {
   const navIndex = useSelector((state: StoreState) => state.navIndex);
   const isConnectDataPageOverriden = Boolean(navIndex['standalone-plugin-page-/connections/connect-data']);
+  const canAdminPlugins = contextSrv.hasPermission(AccessControlAction.PluginsInstall);
 
   return (
     <DataSourcesRoutesContext.Provider
@@ -28,7 +30,17 @@ export default function Connections() {
       }}
     >
       <Switch>
-        <Route exact path={ROUTES.Base} component={() => <NavLandingPage navId="connections" />} />
+        <Route
+          exact
+          path={ROUTES.Base}
+          component={() => {
+            if (canAdminPlugins) {
+              return <Redirect to={ROUTES.ConnectData} />;
+            }
+
+            return <Redirect to={ROUTES.DataSources} />;
+          }}
+        />
         <Route
           exact
           path={ROUTES.YourConnections}