diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/highlight-syntax.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/highlight-syntax.js
index 0a37a4d813b..e9f16a45919 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/highlight-syntax.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/highlight-syntax.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import mergeHTMLPlugin from "discourse/lib/highlight-syntax-merge-html-plugin";
 
 /*global hljs:true */
 let _moreLanguages = [];
+let _plugins = [];
+let _initialized = false;
 
 export default function highlightSyntax(elem, siteSettings, session) {
   if (!elem) {
@@ -26,11 +28,7 @@ export default function highlightSyntax(elem, siteSettings, session) {
   }
 
   return loadScript(path).then(() => {
-    customHighlightJSLanguages();
-    hljs.addPlugin(mergeHTMLPlugin);
-    hljs.configure({
-      ignoreUnescapedHTML: true,
-    });
+    initializer();
 
     codeblocks.forEach((e) => {
       // Large code blocks can cause crashes or slowdowns
@@ -48,6 +46,10 @@ export function registerHighlightJSLanguage(name, fn) {
   _moreLanguages.push({ name, fn });
 }
 
+export function registerHighlightJSPlugin(plugin) {
+  _plugins.push(plugin);
+}
+
 function customHighlightJSLanguages() {
   _moreLanguages.forEach((l) => {
     if (hljs.getLanguage(l.name) === undefined) {
@@ -55,3 +57,22 @@ function customHighlightJSLanguages() {
     }
   });
 }
+
+function customHighlightJSPlugins() {
+  _plugins.forEach((p) => {
+    hljs.addPlugin(p);
+  });
+}
+
+function initializer() {
+  if (!_initialized) {
+    customHighlightJSLanguages();
+    customHighlightJSPlugins();
+    hljs.addPlugin(mergeHTMLPlugin);
+    hljs.configure({
+      ignoreUnescapedHTML: true,
+    });
+
+    _initialized = true;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/plugin-api.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/plugin-api.js
index 8a72a19b5ea..7074c83d137 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/plugin-api.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/lib/plugin-api.js
@@ -79,7 +79,10 @@ import { modifySelectKit } from "select-kit/mixins/plugin-api";
 import { on } from "@ember/object/evented";
 import { registerCustomAvatarHelper } from "discourse/helpers/user-avatar";
 import { registerCustomPostMessageCallback as registerCustomPostMessageCallback1 } from "discourse/controllers/topic";
-import { registerHighlightJSLanguage } from "discourse/lib/highlight-syntax";
+import {
+  registerHighlightJSLanguage,
+  registerHighlightJSPlugin,
+} from "discourse/lib/highlight-syntax";
 import { registerTopicFooterButton } from "discourse/lib/register-topic-footer-button";
 import { registerTopicFooterDropdown } from "discourse/lib/register-topic-footer-dropdown";
 import { registerDesktopNotificationHandler } from "discourse/lib/desktop-notifications";
@@ -106,7 +109,7 @@ import { registerModelTransformer } from "discourse/lib/model-transformers";
 // based on Semantic Versioning 2.0.0. Please update the changelog at
 // docs/CHANGELOG-JAVASCRIPT-PLUGIN-API.md whenever you change the version
 // using the format described at https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/.
-const PLUGIN_API_VERSION = "1.3.0";
+const PLUGIN_API_VERSION = "1.4.0";
 
 // This helper prevents us from applying the same `modifyClass` over and over in test mode.
 function canModify(klass, type, resolverName, changes) {
@@ -1372,6 +1375,26 @@ class PluginApi {
     registerHighlightJSLanguage(name, fn);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Registers custom HighlightJS plugins.
+   *
+   * See https://highlightjs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/plugin-api.html
+   * for instructions on how to define a new plugin for HighlightJS.
+   * This API exposes the Function Based Plugins interface
+   *
+   * Example:
+   *
+   * let aPlugin = {
+       'after:highlightElement': ({ el, result, text }) => {
+         console.log(el);
+       }
+     }
+   * api.registerHighlightJSPlugin(aPlugin);
+   **/
+  registerHighlightJSPlugin(plugin) {
+    registerHighlightJSPlugin(plugin);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Adds global notices to display.
    *
diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG-JAVASCRIPT-PLUGIN-API.md b/docs/CHANGELOG-JAVASCRIPT-PLUGIN-API.md
index 76c23fb12d9..e4f56275683 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG-JAVASCRIPT-PLUGIN-API.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG-JAVASCRIPT-PLUGIN-API.md
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [1.4.0] - 2022-09-27
+
+### Added
+
+- Adds `registerHighlightJSPlugin`, which allows users to register custom
+  HighlightJS plugins. See https://highlightjs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/plugin-api.html
+  for documentation.
+
 ## [1.3.0] - 2022-05-29
 
 ### Added