diff --git a/jdaviz/configs/default/plugins/virtual_observatory/tests/test_vo_imviz.py b/jdaviz/configs/default/plugins/virtual_observatory/tests/test_vo_imviz.py
index f8593bac05..865511b181 100644
--- a/jdaviz/configs/default/plugins/virtual_observatory/tests/test_vo_imviz.py
+++ b/jdaviz/configs/default/plugins/virtual_observatory/tests/test_vo_imviz.py
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ def test_query_registry_args(self, imviz_helper):
         # If waveband isn't selected, plugin should ignore our registry query attempts
         vo_plugin = imviz_helper.plugins[vo_plugin_label]
         vo_plugin.waveband = ""
-        vo_plugin._obj.vue_query_registry_resources()
+        vo_plugin.query_registry_resources()
         assert len(vo_plugin.resource.choices) == 0
 
         # If waveband selected and coverage filtering, can't query registry if don't have a source
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ def test_query_registry_args(self, imviz_helper):
 
         # If waveband selected, but NOT filtering by coverage, then allow registry query
         vo_plugin.resource_filter_coverage = False
-        vo_plugin._obj.vue_query_registry_resources()
+        vo_plugin.query_registry_resources()
         assert len(vo_plugin.resource.choices) > 0
 
     def test_coverage_toggle(self, imviz_helper):
@@ -260,14 +260,14 @@ def test_coverage_toggle(self, imviz_helper):
 
         # Retrieve registry options with filtering on
         vo_plugin.resource_filter_coverage = True
-        vo_plugin._obj.vue_query_registry_resources()
+        vo_plugin.query_registry_resources()
         assert vo_plugin._obj.resources_loading is False
         filtered_resources = vo_plugin.resource.choices
         assert len(filtered_resources) > 0
 
         # Retrieve registry options with filtering off
         vo_plugin.resource_filter_coverage = False
-        vo_plugin._obj.vue_query_registry_resources()
+        vo_plugin.query_registry_resources()
         assert vo_plugin._obj.resources_loading is False
         nonfiltered_resources = vo_plugin.resource.choices
 
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ def test_target_lookup_warnings(self, imviz_helper):
         vo_plugin.resource_filter_coverage = True
         with pytest.raises(LookupError, match=expected_error_msg):
             vo_plugin.waveband = "optical"
-            vo_plugin._obj.vue_query_registry_resources()
+            vo_plugin.query_registry_resources()
             assert any(
                 expected_error_msg in d["text"]
                 for d in imviz_helper.app.state.snackbar_history
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ def test_target_lookup_warnings(self, imviz_helper):
         # By clearing coverage filtering, we should now be able to query the registry
         # and return the full list of available resources:
         vo_plugin.resource_filter_coverage = False
-        vo_plugin._obj.vue_query_registry_resources()
+        vo_plugin.query_registry_resources()
         assert len(vo_plugin.resource.choices) > 0
 
         # However, if we try to query a resource, we should be prevented
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ def test_HSTM51_load_data(self, imviz_helper):
         # Select HST.M51 survey
         # Coverage not implemented for HST.M51
         vo_plugin.resource_filter_coverage = False
-        vo_plugin._obj.vue_query_registry_resources()
+        vo_plugin.query_registry_resources()
         assert "HST.M51" in vo_plugin.resource.choices
         vo_plugin.resource = "HST.M51"
 
diff --git a/jdaviz/configs/default/plugins/virtual_observatory/vo_plugin.py b/jdaviz/configs/default/plugins/virtual_observatory/vo_plugin.py
index 5d79e34e44..f356676a4e 100644
--- a/jdaviz/configs/default/plugins/virtual_observatory/vo_plugin.py
+++ b/jdaviz/configs/default/plugins/virtual_observatory/vo_plugin.py
@@ -103,8 +103,6 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
     @property
     def user_api(self):
-        # NOTE: leaving save_as_fits out for now - we may want a more general API to do that
-        # accross all plugins at some point
         return PluginUserApi(
             self,
             expose=(
@@ -119,6 +117,7 @@ def user_api(self):
                 "resource",
                 # Methods
                 "center_on_data",
+                "query_registry_resources",
                 "load_selected_data",
             ),
         )
@@ -208,9 +207,13 @@ def center_on_data(self, event=None):
 
         self.viewer_centered = True
 
-    @observe("waveband_selected", "change")
-    @with_spinner(spinner_traitlet="resources_loading")
+    @observe("waveband_selected", type="change")
     def vue_query_registry_resources(self, _=None):
+        """UI entrypoint for resource selection and manual resource refresh btn"""
+        self.query_registry_resources()
+
+    @with_spinner(spinner_traitlet="resources_loading")
+    def query_registry_resources(self, _=None):
         """
         Query Virtual Observatory registry for all SIA services
         that serve data in that waveband around the source.