diff --git a/assets/sass/_theme/configuration/components.sass b/assets/sass/_theme/configuration/components.sass
index 48a4aad83..fc38436f3 100644
--- a/assets/sass/_theme/configuration/components.sass
+++ b/assets/sass/_theme/configuration/components.sass
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ $header-height: 87px !default
 $header-height-desktop: 96px !default
 $header-sticky-invert-logo: false !default
 $header-border-bottom-width: 1px !default
+$header-dropdown-title-summary-font-family: $lead-hero-font-family !default
+$header-dropdown-title-summary-font-size: $body-size !default
+$header-dropdown-title-summary-font-size-desktop: $lead-hero-size-desktop !default
+$header-dropdown-title-summary-line-height: 120% !default
+$header-dropdown-title-summary-line-height-desktop: $header-dropdown-title-summary-line-height !default
+// upper menu
 $header-upper-menu-background: $header-background !default
 $header-upper-menu-color: $header-color !default
 $header-upper-menu-sticky-background: $header-sticky-background !default
@@ -61,11 +67,8 @@ $header-upper-menu-border-bottom-width: $header-border-bottom-width !default
 $header-upper-menu-padding-y: $header-nav-padding-y !default
 $header-upper-menu-padding-y-desktop: $header-upper-menu-padding-y !default
 $header-upper-menu-mobile-height: pxToRem(50) !default
-$header-dropdown-title-summary-font-family: $lead-hero-font-family !default
-$header-dropdown-title-summary-font-size: $body-size !default
-$header-dropdown-title-summary-font-size-desktop: $lead-hero-size-desktop !default
-$header-dropdown-title-summary-line-height: 120% !default
-$header-dropdown-title-summary-line-height-desktop: $header-dropdown-title-summary-line-height !default
+$header-upper-menu-active-style-for-sites: false !default // set to 'true' to target non external website instead of active page
+$header-upper-menu-active-box-shadow: inset 0 -4px 0 0 var(--color-border) !default
 
 // Navs
 $body-overlay-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3) !default
diff --git a/assets/sass/_theme/design-system/header.sass b/assets/sass/_theme/design-system/header.sass
index 9a19d9c9f..297bfcfb8 100644
--- a/assets/sass/_theme/design-system/header.sass
+++ b/assets/sass/_theme/design-system/header.sass
@@ -110,8 +110,13 @@ header#document-header
                         padding: $header-upper-menu-padding-y 0
                     @include media-breakpoint-down(desktop)
                         line-height: $header-upper-menu-mobile-height
-                    &.active
-                        box-shadow: inset 0 -4px 0 0 var(--color-border)
+
+                    // apply active style to active page (default) or active site
+                    $upper-menu-active-selector: '.active'
+                    @if $header-upper-menu-active-style-for-sites
+                        $upper-menu-active-selector: ':not([href*="https://"], [href*="http://"])'
+                    &#{$upper-menu-active-selector}
+                        box-shadow: $header-upper-menu-active-box-shadow
     @include media-breakpoint-down(desktop)
         &.has-upper-menu
             .menu