diff --git a/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/createMockFlipperWithPlugin.node.tsx.snap b/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/createMockFlipperWithPlugin.node.tsx.snap
index 627a75731..954a5a4a4 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/createMockFlipperWithPlugin.node.tsx.snap
+++ b/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/createMockFlipperWithPlugin.node.tsx.snap
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Object {
       "logs": Array [],
       "os": "Android",
       "serial": "serial",
-      "title": "title",
+      "title": "MockAndroidDevice",
     },
   ],
   "errors": Array [],
@@ -31,15 +31,19 @@ Object {
     "logs": Array [],
     "os": "Android",
     "serial": "serial",
-    "title": "title",
+    "title": "MockAndroidDevice",
   },
   "selectedPlugin": "TestPlugin",
   "staticView": null,
   "uninitializedClients": Array [],
-  "userPreferredApp": null,
-  "userPreferredDevice": null,
+  "userPreferredApp": "TestApp#Android#unit_test#serial",
+  "userPreferredDevice": "MockAndroidDevice",
   "userPreferredPlugin": "TestPlugin",
-  "userStarredPlugins": Object {},
+  "userStarredPlugins": Object {
+    "TestApp": Array [
+      "TestPlugin",
+    ],
+  },
 }
 `;
 
diff --git a/src/test-utils/createMockFlipperWithPlugin.tsx b/src/test-utils/createMockFlipperWithPlugin.tsx
index bdf971b70..304eba665 100644
--- a/src/test-utils/createMockFlipperWithPlugin.tsx
+++ b/src/test-utils/createMockFlipperWithPlugin.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,12 @@
 
 import {createStore} from 'redux';
 
-import {selectPlugin} from '../reducers/connections';
+import {
+  selectPlugin,
+  starPlugin,
+  selectDevice,
+  selectClient,
+} from '../reducers/connections';
 import BaseDevice from '../devices/BaseDevice';
 
 import reducers, {Store} from '../reducers/index';
@@ -38,7 +43,12 @@ export async function createMockFlipperWithPlugin(
   }) => Promise<void>,
 ) {
   const store = createStore(reducers);
-  const device = new BaseDevice('serial', 'physical', 'title', 'Android');
+  const device = new BaseDevice(
+    'serial',
+    'physical',
+    'MockAndroidDevice',
+    'Android',
+  );
   const logger = createStubLogger();
 
   store.dispatch(registerPlugins([pluginClazz]));
@@ -67,7 +77,7 @@ export async function createMockFlipperWithPlugin(
     null, // create a stub connection to avoid this plugin to be archived?
     logger,
     store,
-    [pluginClazz.name],
+    [pluginClazz.id],
     device,
   );
 
@@ -79,14 +89,26 @@ export async function createMockFlipperWithPlugin(
     },
   } as any;
 
+  // As convenience, by default we select the new client, star the plugin, and select it
   store.dispatch({
     type: 'NEW_CLIENT',
     payload: client,
   });
 
+  store.dispatch(selectDevice(device));
+
+  store.dispatch(selectClient(client.id));
+
+  store.dispatch(
+    starPlugin({
+      selectedPlugin: pluginClazz.id,
+      selectedApp: client.query.app,
+    }),
+  );
+
   store.dispatch(
     selectPlugin({
-      selectedPlugin: pluginClazz.name,
+      selectedPlugin: pluginClazz.id,
       selectedApp: client.query.app,
       deepLinkPayload: null,
     }),
diff --git a/src/utils/__tests__/messageQueue.node.tsx b/src/utils/__tests__/messageQueue.node.tsx
index 9f20749b5..d32829e6c 100644
--- a/src/utils/__tests__/messageQueue.node.tsx
+++ b/src/utils/__tests__/messageQueue.node.tsx
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 
 import {FlipperPlugin} from '../../plugin';
 import {createMockFlipperWithPlugin} from '../../test-utils/createMockFlipperWithPlugin';
-import {GK} from 'flipper';
-import {selectPlugin} from '../../reducers/connections';
+import {GK, Store, Client} from 'flipper';
+import {selectPlugin, starPlugin} from '../../reducers/connections';
 import {processMessageQueue} from '../messageQueue';
 import {getPluginKey} from '../pluginUtils';
 import {TestIdler} from '../Idler';
@@ -48,6 +48,35 @@ class TestPlugin extends FlipperPlugin<any, any, any> {
   }
 }
 
+function starTestPlugin(store: Store, client: Client) {
+  store.dispatch(
+    starPlugin({
+      selectedPlugin: TestPlugin.id,
+      selectedApp: client.query.app,
+    }),
+  );
+}
+
+function selectDeviceLogs(store: Store) {
+  store.dispatch(
+    selectPlugin({
+      selectedPlugin: 'DeviceLogs',
+      selectedApp: null,
+      deepLinkPayload: null,
+    }),
+  );
+}
+
+function selectTestPlugin(store: Store, client: Client) {
+  store.dispatch(
+    selectPlugin({
+      selectedPlugin: TestPlugin.id,
+      selectedApp: client.query.app,
+      deepLinkPayload: null,
+    }),
+  );
+}
+
 test('will process event with GK disabled', async () => {
   await createMockFlipperWithPlugin(
     TestPlugin,
@@ -87,18 +116,12 @@ test('queue - events are processed immediately if plugin is selected', async ()
   );
 });
 
-test('queue - events are NOT processed immediately if plugin is NOT selected', async () => {
+test('queue - events are NOT processed immediately if plugin is NOT selected (but starred)', async () => {
   await createMockFlipperWithPlugin(
     TestPlugin,
     async ({client, device, store, sendMessage}) => {
       await GK.withWhitelistedGK('flipper_event_queue', async () => {
-        store.dispatch(
-          selectPlugin({
-            selectedPlugin: 'DeviceLogs',
-            selectedApp: null,
-            deepLinkPayload: null,
-          }),
-        );
+        selectDeviceLogs(store);
         expect(store.getState().connections.selectedPlugin).not.toBe(
           'TestPlugin',
         );
@@ -137,6 +160,32 @@ test('queue - events are NOT processed immediately if plugin is NOT selected', a
         expect(store.getState().pluginMessageQueue).toEqual({
           [pluginKey]: [],
         });
+
+        // unstar, but, messages still arrives because selected
+        starTestPlugin(store, client);
+        selectTestPlugin(store, client);
+        sendMessage('inc', {delta: 3});
+        // active, immediately processed
+        expect(store.getState().pluginStates).toEqual({
+          [pluginKey]: {
+            count: 6,
+          },
+        });
+
+        // different plugin, and not starred, message will never arrive
+        selectDeviceLogs(store);
+        sendMessage('inc', {delta: 4});
+        expect(store.getState().pluginMessageQueue).toEqual({
+          [pluginKey]: [],
+        });
+
+        // star again, plugin still not selected, message is queued
+        starTestPlugin(store, client);
+        sendMessage('inc', {delta: 5});
+
+        expect(store.getState().pluginMessageQueue).toEqual({
+          [pluginKey]: [{method: 'inc', params: {delta: 5}}],
+        });
       });
     },
   );
@@ -147,14 +196,7 @@ test('queue - events processing will be paused', async () => {
     TestPlugin,
     async ({client, device, store, sendMessage}) => {
       await GK.withWhitelistedGK('flipper_event_queue', async () => {
-        // select a different plugin
-        store.dispatch(
-          selectPlugin({
-            selectedPlugin: 'DeviceLogs',
-            selectedApp: null,
-            deepLinkPayload: null,
-          }),
-        );
+        selectDeviceLogs(store);
 
         sendMessage('inc', {});
         sendMessage('inc', {delta: 3});
@@ -208,14 +250,7 @@ test('queue - messages that arrive during processing will be queued', async () =
     TestPlugin,
     async ({client, device, store, sendMessage}) => {
       await GK.withWhitelistedGK('flipper_event_queue', async () => {
-        // select a different plugin
-        store.dispatch(
-          selectPlugin({
-            selectedPlugin: 'DeviceLogs',
-            selectedApp: null,
-            deepLinkPayload: null,
-          }),
-        );
+        selectDeviceLogs(store);
 
         sendMessage('inc', {});
         sendMessage('inc', {delta: 2});
@@ -269,14 +304,7 @@ test('queue - processing can be cancelled', async () => {
     TestPlugin,
     async ({client, device, store, sendMessage}) => {
       await GK.withWhitelistedGK('flipper_event_queue', async () => {
-        // select a different plugin
-        store.dispatch(
-          selectPlugin({
-            selectedPlugin: 'DeviceLogs',
-            selectedApp: null,
-            deepLinkPayload: null,
-          }),
-        );
+        selectDeviceLogs(store);
 
         sendMessage('inc', {});
         sendMessage('inc', {delta: 2});
@@ -317,14 +345,7 @@ test('queue - make sure resetting plugin state clears the message queue', async
     TestPlugin,
     async ({client, device, store, sendMessage}) => {
       await GK.withWhitelistedGK('flipper_event_queue', async () => {
-        // select a different plugin
-        store.dispatch(
-          selectPlugin({
-            selectedPlugin: 'DeviceLogs',
-            selectedApp: null,
-            deepLinkPayload: null,
-          }),
-        );
+        selectDeviceLogs(store);
 
         sendMessage('inc', {});
         sendMessage('inc', {delta: 2});
diff --git a/src/utils/messageQueue.tsx b/src/utils/messageQueue.tsx
index feefe689d..d57b3516b 100644
--- a/src/utils/messageQueue.tsx
+++ b/src/utils/messageQueue.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * @format
  */
 
-import {PersistedStateReducer} from '../plugin';
+import {PersistedStateReducer, FlipperDevicePlugin} from '../plugin';
 import {State, MiddlewareAPI} from '../reducers/index';
 import {setPluginState} from '../reducers/pluginStates';
 import {flipperRecorderAddEvent} from './pluginStateRecorder';
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
 } from '../reducers/pluginMessageQueue';
 import {Idler, BaseIdler} from './Idler';
 import {getPluginKey} from './pluginUtils';
+import {deconstructClientId} from './clientUtils';
 
 const MAX_BACKGROUND_TASK_TIME = 25;
 
@@ -137,35 +138,46 @@ export function processMessageLater(
   },
   message: {method: string; params?: any},
 ) {
-  // TODO: can we make this better?
-  const selection = store.getState().connections;
-  const selectedPlugin =
-    selection.selectedPlugin &&
-    getPluginKey(
-      selection.selectedApp,
-      selection.selectedDevice,
-      selection.selectedPlugin,
-    );
-  // if the plugin is active, and has no queued messaged, process the message immediately
-  if (
-    selectedPlugin === pluginKey &&
-    getPendingMessages(store, pluginKey).length === 0
-  ) {
-    processMessageImmediately(store, pluginKey, plugin, message);
-  } else {
-    // TODO: possible optimization: drop all messages for non-favorited plugins
-    // TODO: possible optimization: drop messages if queue is too large
-    store.dispatch(
-      queueMessage(
-        pluginKey,
-        message.method,
-        message.params,
-        plugin.maxQueueSize,
-      ),
-    );
+  const isSelected = pluginKey === getSelectedPluginKey(store.getState());
+  switch (true) {
+    case isSelected && getPendingMessages(store, pluginKey).length === 0:
+      processMessageImmediately(store, pluginKey, plugin, message);
+      break;
+    case isSelected:
+    case plugin instanceof FlipperDevicePlugin:
+    case pluginIsStarred(store.getState(), plugin.id):
+      store.dispatch(
+        queueMessage(
+          pluginKey,
+          message.method,
+          message.params,
+          plugin.maxQueueSize,
+        ),
+      );
+      break;
   }
 }
 
+function getSelectedPluginKey(state: State): string | undefined {
+  return state.connections.selectedPlugin
+    ? getPluginKey(
+        state.connections.selectedApp,
+        state.connections.selectedDevice,
+        state.connections.selectedPlugin,
+      )
+    : undefined;
+}
+
+function pluginIsStarred(state: State, pluginId: string): boolean {
+  const {selectedApp} = state.connections;
+  if (!selectedApp) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const appInfo = deconstructClientId(selectedApp);
+  const starred = state.connections.userStarredPlugins[appInfo.app];
+  return starred && starred.indexOf(pluginId) > -1;
+}
+
 export async function processMessageQueue(
   plugin: {
     defaultPersistedState: any;
diff --git a/src/utils/pluginUtils.tsx b/src/utils/pluginUtils.tsx
index 70076c02f..2bd032b57 100644
--- a/src/utils/pluginUtils.tsx
+++ b/src/utils/pluginUtils.tsx
@@ -34,12 +34,12 @@ export function pluginsClassMap(
 }
 
 export function getPluginKey(
-  selectedApp: string | null,
+  selectedAppId: string | null,
   baseDevice: BaseDevice | null,
   pluginID: string,
 ): string {
-  if (selectedApp) {
-    return `${selectedApp}#${pluginID}`;
+  if (selectedAppId) {
+    return `${selectedAppId}#${pluginID}`;
   }
   if (baseDevice) {
     // If selected App is not defined, then the plugin is a device plugin