diff --git a/src/pat/contentbrowser/README.md b/src/pat/contentbrowser/README.md
index 261ce3863..e21f6fe1e 100644
--- a/src/pat/contentbrowser/README.md
+++ b/src/pat/contentbrowser/README.md
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ Note: the `name` of the registered component must match the `componentRegistryKe
 It can be any unique identifier.
 If no custom component is registered for the configured key, the pattern falls back to the default component registered as `pat-contentbrowser.SelectedItem`.
 
+To replace the component site-wide without any pattern configuration, register your component under the default key `pat-contentbrowser.SelectedItem` instead.
+The pattern only registers its own default component if nothing is registered under that key yet, so an add-on registration is kept no matter whether the add-on bundle initializes before or after the pattern.
+
 ```javascript
 ...
 import plone_registry from "@plone/registry";
diff --git a/src/pat/contentbrowser/contentbrowser.js b/src/pat/contentbrowser/contentbrowser.js
index 336b4ebf3..d16ffc0a7 100644
--- a/src/pat/contentbrowser/contentbrowser.js
+++ b/src/pat/contentbrowser/contentbrowser.js
@@ -56,16 +56,25 @@ class Pattern extends BasePattern {
     static trigger = ".pat-contentbrowser";
     static parser = parser;
 
+    static async register_default_components() {
+        // Register the default components in @plone/registry — but only if
+        // nothing is registered under that key yet. This lets add-ons
+        // replace a component site-wide by registering their own under the
+        // default key, regardless of whether their bundle initializes before
+        // or after this pattern (registerComponent overwrites silently).
+        if (!plone_registry.getComponent("pat-contentbrowser.SelectedItem").component) {
+            const SelectedItem = (await import("./src/SelectedItem.svelte")).default;
+            plone_registry.registerComponent({
+                name: "pat-contentbrowser.SelectedItem",
+                component: SelectedItem,
+            });
+        }
+    }
+
     async init() {
         this.el.style.display = "none";
 
-        // register default components in @plone/registry
-        const SelectedItem = (await import("./src/SelectedItem.svelte")).default;
-
-        plone_registry.registerComponent({
-            name: "pat-contentbrowser.SelectedItem",
-            component: SelectedItem,
-        });
+        await Pattern.register_default_components();
 
         // ensure an id on our element (TinyMCE doesn't have one)
         let nodeId = this.el.getAttribute("id");
diff --git a/src/pat/contentbrowser/contentbrowser.test.js b/src/pat/contentbrowser/contentbrowser.test.js
index 1e9997c90..4c4a3bd1a 100644
--- a/src/pat/contentbrowser/contentbrowser.test.js
+++ b/src/pat/contentbrowser/contentbrowser.test.js
@@ -1,7 +1,18 @@
-import "./contentbrowser";
+import Pattern from "./contentbrowser";
+import plone_registry from "@plone/registry";
 import registry from "@patternslib/patternslib/src/core/registry";
 import utils from "@patternslib/patternslib/src/core/utils";
 
+const DEFAULT_KEY = "pat-contentbrowser.SelectedItem";
+
+// The jest setup cannot compile Svelte components, so stand in for the
+// default component with a plain function.
+const mockDefaultSelectedItem = () => "default SelectedItem";
+jest.mock("./src/SelectedItem.svelte", () => ({
+    __esModule: true,
+    default: mockDefaultSelectedItem,
+}));
+
 
 describe("Content Browser", () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
@@ -29,3 +40,38 @@ describe("Content Browser", () => {
     });
 
 });
+
+describe("Content Browser default components", () => {
+    afterEach(() => {
+        delete plone_registry.components[DEFAULT_KEY];
+    });
+
+    it("registers the default SelectedItem component", async function () {
+        expect(plone_registry.getComponent(DEFAULT_KEY).component).toBeUndefined();
+
+        await Pattern.register_default_components();
+
+        expect(plone_registry.getComponent(DEFAULT_KEY).component).toBe(
+            mockDefaultSelectedItem,
+        );
+    });
+
+    it("keeps a component an add-on registered under the default key", async function () {
+        const custom = () => "custom SelectedItem";
+        plone_registry.registerComponent({ name: DEFAULT_KEY, component: custom });
+
+        await Pattern.register_default_components();
+
+        expect(plone_registry.getComponent(DEFAULT_KEY).component).toBe(custom);
+    });
+
+    it("does not overwrite the add-on component on repeated initialization", async function () {
+        const custom = () => "custom SelectedItem";
+        plone_registry.registerComponent({ name: DEFAULT_KEY, component: custom });
+
+        await Pattern.register_default_components();
+        await Pattern.register_default_components();
+
+        expect(plone_registry.getComponent(DEFAULT_KEY).component).toBe(custom);
+    });
+});