diff --git a/public/app/core/utils/richHistory.ts b/public/app/core/utils/richHistory.ts
index 76d038c07bf..deb77f6a95e 100644
--- a/public/app/core/utils/richHistory.ts
+++ b/public/app/core/utils/richHistory.ts
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ import { ExploreUrlState, RichHistoryQuery } from 'app/types/explore';
 const RICH_HISTORY_KEY = 'grafana.explore.richHistory';
 
 export const RICH_HISTORY_SETTING_KEYS = {
-  retentionPeriod: `${RICH_HISTORY_KEY}.retentionPeriod`,
-  starredTabAsFirstTab: `${RICH_HISTORY_KEY}.starredTabAsFirstTab`,
-  activeDatasourceOnly: `${RICH_HISTORY_KEY}.activeDatasourceOnly`,
+  retentionPeriod: 'grafana.explore.richHistory.retentionPeriod',
+  starredTabAsFirstTab: 'grafana.explore.richHistory.starredTabAsFirstTab',
+  activeDatasourceOnly: 'grafana.explore.richHistory.activeDatasourceOnly',
 };
 
 /*
@@ -60,8 +60,14 @@ export function addToRichHistory(
     ];
 
     /* Combine all queries of a datasource type into one rich history */
-    store.setObject(RICH_HISTORY_KEY, newHistory);
-    return newHistory;
+    const isSaved = store.setObject(RICH_HISTORY_KEY, newHistory);
+
+    /* If newHistory is succesfully saved, return it. Otherwise return not updated richHistory.  */
+    if (isSaved) {
+      return newHistory;
+    } else {
+      return richHistory;
+    }
   }
 
   return richHistory;
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/Explore.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/Explore.tsx
index 65de938cf59..469df73ae15 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/Explore.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/Explore.tsx
@@ -322,7 +322,6 @@ export class Explore extends React.PureComponent<ExploreProps, ExploreState> {
                   ['explore-active-button']: showRichHistory,
                 })}
                 onClick={this.toggleShowRichHistory}
-                disabled={isLive}
               >
                 <i className={'fa fa-fw fa-history icon-margin-right '} />
                 <span className="btn-title">{'\xA0' + 'Query history'}</span>
@@ -382,7 +381,13 @@ export class Explore extends React.PureComponent<ExploreProps, ExploreState> {
                           )}
                         </>
                       )}
-                      {showRichHistory && <RichHistoryContainer width={width} exploreId={exploreId} />}
+                      {showRichHistory && (
+                        <RichHistoryContainer
+                          width={width}
+                          exploreId={exploreId}
+                          onClose={this.toggleShowRichHistory}
+                        />
+                      )}
                     </ErrorBoundaryAlert>
                   </main>
                 );
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistory.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistory.tsx
index 699a50457a2..906373a4fed 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistory.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistory.tsx
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ interface RichHistoryProps extends Themeable {
   activeDatasourceInstance: string;
   firstTab: Tabs;
   exploreId: ExploreId;
+  height: number;
   deleteRichHistory: () => void;
+  onClose: () => void;
 }
 
 interface RichHistoryState {
@@ -60,6 +62,11 @@ const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme) => {
       background-color: ${tabContentBg};
       padding: ${theme.spacing.md};
     `,
+    close: css`
+      position: absolute;
+      right: ${theme.spacing.sm};
+      cursor: pointer;
+    `,
     tabs: css`
       background-color: ${tabBarBg};
       padding-top: ${theme.spacing.sm};
@@ -142,15 +149,8 @@ class UnThemedRichHistory extends PureComponent<RichHistoryProps, RichHistorySta
   }
 
   render() {
-    const {
-      datasourceFilters,
-      sortOrder,
-      activeTab,
-      starredTabAsFirstTab,
-      activeDatasourceOnly,
-      retentionPeriod,
-    } = this.state;
-    const { theme, richHistory, exploreId, deleteRichHistory } = this.props;
+    const { datasourceFilters, sortOrder, activeTab, activeDatasourceOnly, retentionPeriod } = this.state;
+    const { theme, richHistory, height, exploreId, deleteRichHistory, onClose } = this.props;
     const styles = getStyles(theme);
 
     const QueriesTab = {
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ class UnThemedRichHistory extends PureComponent<RichHistoryProps, RichHistorySta
           onChangeSortOrder={this.onChangeSortOrder}
           onSelectDatasourceFilters={this.onSelectDatasourceFilters}
           exploreId={exploreId}
+          height={height}
         />
       ),
       icon: 'fa fa-history',
@@ -205,8 +206,7 @@ class UnThemedRichHistory extends PureComponent<RichHistoryProps, RichHistorySta
       icon: 'gicon gicon-preferences',
     };
 
-    let tabs = starredTabAsFirstTab ? [StarredTab, QueriesTab, SettingsTab] : [QueriesTab, StarredTab, SettingsTab];
-
+    let tabs = [QueriesTab, StarredTab, SettingsTab];
     return (
       <div className={styles.container}>
         <TabsBar className={styles.tabs}>
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ class UnThemedRichHistory extends PureComponent<RichHistoryProps, RichHistorySta
               icon={t.icon}
             />
           ))}
+          <div className={styles.close} onClick={onClose}>
+            <i className="fa fa-times" title="Close query history" />
+          </div>
         </TabsBar>
         <CustomScrollbar
           className={css`
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryCard.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryCard.tsx
index 10b8e8c97b5..abc8f43cfd8 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryCard.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryCard.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ interface Props {
 }
 
 const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme, hasComment?: boolean) => {
-  const bgColor = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray5 : theme.colors.dark4;
+  const borderColor = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray5 : theme.colors.dark4;
   const cardBottomPadding = hasComment ? theme.spacing.sm : theme.spacing.xs;
 
   return {
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme, hasComment?: boolean) => {
       display: flex;
       padding: ${theme.spacing.sm} ${theme.spacing.sm} ${cardBottomPadding};
       margin: ${theme.spacing.sm} 0;
-
       .starred {
         color: ${theme.colors.orange};
       }
@@ -42,6 +41,7 @@ const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme, hasComment?: boolean) => {
     `,
     queryCardRight: css`
       width: 150px;
+      height: ${theme.height.sm};
       display: flex;
       justify-content: flex-end;
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme, hasComment?: boolean) => {
       }
     `,
     queryRow: css`
-      border-top: 1px solid ${bgColor};
+      border-top: 1px solid ${borderColor};
       word-break: break-all;
       padding: 4px 2px;
       :first-child {
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ export function RichHistoryCard(props: Props) {
     clearQueries,
     datasourceInstance,
   } = props;
-  const [starred, setStared] = useState(query.starred);
   const [activeUpdateComment, setActiveUpdateComment] = useState(false);
   const [comment, setComment] = useState<string | undefined>(query.comment);
 
@@ -109,7 +108,7 @@ export function RichHistoryCard(props: Props) {
 
   return (
     <div className={styles.queryCard}>
-      <div className={styles.queryCardLeft} onClick={() => onChangeQuery(query)}>
+      <div className={styles.queryCardLeft} title="Add queries to query editor" onClick={() => onChangeQuery(query)}>
         {query.queries.map((q, i) => {
           return (
             <div key={`${q}-${i}`} className={styles.queryRow}>
@@ -123,12 +122,18 @@ export function RichHistoryCard(props: Props) {
             <Forms.TextArea
               value={comment}
               placeholder={comment ? undefined : 'add comment'}
-              onChange={e => setComment(e.currentTarget.value)}
+              onChange={e => {
+                setComment(e.currentTarget.value);
+              }}
+              onClick={e => {
+                e.stopPropagation();
+              }}
             />
             <div className={styles.buttonRow}>
               <Forms.Button
                 onClick={e => {
                   e.preventDefault();
+                  e.stopPropagation();
                   updateRichHistory(query.ts, 'comment', comment);
                   toggleActiveUpdateComment();
                 }}
@@ -140,7 +145,8 @@ export function RichHistoryCard(props: Props) {
                 className={css`
                   margin-left: 8px;
                 `}
-                onClick={() => {
+                onClick={e => {
+                  e.stopPropagation();
                   toggleActiveUpdateComment();
                   setComment(query.comment);
                 }}
@@ -179,10 +185,9 @@ export function RichHistoryCard(props: Props) {
           title="Copy link to clipboard"
         ></i>
         <i
-          className={cx('fa fa-fw', starred ? 'fa-star starred' : 'fa-star-o')}
+          className={cx('fa fa-fw', query.starred ? 'fa-star starred' : 'fa-star-o')}
           onClick={() => {
             updateRichHistory(query.ts, 'starred');
-            setStared(!starred);
           }}
           title={query.starred ? 'Unstar query' : 'Star query'}
         ></i>
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryContainer.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryContainer.tsx
index bec1b8957bb..51366b53c9e 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryContainer.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryContainer.tsx
@@ -22,33 +22,33 @@ import { RichHistory, Tabs } from './RichHistory';
 import { deleteRichHistory } from '../state/actions';
 
 const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme) => {
-  const bgColor = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray5 : theme.colors.gray15;
-  const bg = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray7 : theme.colors.dark2;
-  const borderColor = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray5 : theme.colors.dark6;
-  const handleHover = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray10 : theme.colors.gray33;
+  const containerBackground = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray7 : theme.colors.dark2;
+  const containerBorderColor = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray5 : theme.colors.dark6;
+  const handleBackground = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray5 : theme.colors.gray15;
   const handleDots = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray70 : theme.colors.gray33;
-  const handleDotsHover = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray33 : theme.colors.dark7;
+  const handleBackgroundHover = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray70 : theme.colors.gray33;
+  const handleDotsHover = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray5 : theme.colors.dark7;
 
   return {
     container: css`
       position: fixed !important;
       bottom: 0;
-      background: ${bg};
-      border-top: 1px solid ${borderColor};
+      background: ${containerBackground};
+      border-top: 1px solid ${containerBorderColor};
       margin: 0px;
       margin-right: -${theme.spacing.md};
       margin-left: -${theme.spacing.md};
     `,
     drawerActive: css`
       opacity: 1;
-      transition: transform 0.3s ease-in;
+      transition: transform 0.5s ease-in;
     `,
     drawerNotActive: css`
       opacity: 0;
-      transform: translateY(150px);
+      transform: translateY(400px);
     `,
     rzHandle: css`
-      background: ${bgColor};
+      background: ${handleBackground};
       transition: 0.3s background ease-in-out;
       position: relative;
       width: 200px !important;
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme) => {
       border-radius: 4px;
 
       &:hover {
-        background-color: ${handleHover};
+        background-color: ${handleBackgroundHover};
 
         &:after {
           border-color: ${handleDotsHover};
@@ -84,18 +84,20 @@ interface Props {
   richHistory: RichHistoryQuery[];
   firstTab: Tabs;
   deleteRichHistory: typeof deleteRichHistory;
+  onClose: () => void;
 }
 
 function RichHistoryContainer(props: Props) {
   const [visible, setVisible] = useState(false);
+  const [height, setHeight] = useState(400);
 
   /* To create sliding animation for rich history drawer */
   useEffect(() => {
-    const timer = setTimeout(() => setVisible(true), 100);
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => setVisible(true), 10);
     return () => clearTimeout(timer);
   }, []);
 
-  const { richHistory, width, firstTab, activeDatasourceInstance, exploreId, deleteRichHistory } = props;
+  const { richHistory, width, firstTab, activeDatasourceInstance, exploreId, deleteRichHistory, onClose } = props;
   const theme = useTheme();
   const styles = getStyles(theme);
   const drawerWidth = `${width + 31.5}px`;
@@ -118,6 +120,9 @@ function RichHistoryContainer(props: Props) {
       maxHeight="100vh"
       maxWidth={drawerWidth}
       minWidth={drawerWidth}
+      onResize={(e, dir, ref) => {
+        setHeight(Number(ref.style.height.slice(0, -2)));
+      }}
     >
       <RichHistory
         richHistory={richHistory}
@@ -125,6 +130,8 @@ function RichHistoryContainer(props: Props) {
         activeDatasourceInstance={activeDatasourceInstance}
         exploreId={exploreId}
         deleteRichHistory={deleteRichHistory}
+        onClose={onClose}
+        height={height}
       />
     </Resizable>
   );
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryQueriesTab.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryQueriesTab.tsx
index 7a4e581b1a7..fb65f2d933c 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryQueriesTab.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryQueriesTab.tsx
@@ -30,15 +30,17 @@ interface Props {
   datasourceFilters: SelectableValue[] | null;
   retentionPeriod: number;
   exploreId: ExploreId;
+  height: number;
   onChangeSortOrder: (sortOrder: SortOrder) => void;
   onSelectDatasourceFilters: (value: SelectableValue[] | null) => void;
 }
 
-const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme) => {
+const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme, height: number) => {
   const bgColor = theme.isLight ? theme.colors.gray5 : theme.colors.dark4;
 
   /* 134px is based on the width of the Query history tabs bar, so the content is aligned to right side of the tab */
   const cardWidth = '100% - 134px';
+  const sliderHeight = `${height - 200}px`;
   return {
     container: css`
       display: flex;
@@ -61,9 +63,9 @@ const getStyles = stylesFactory((theme: GrafanaTheme) => {
       margin-right: ${theme.spacing.sm};
       .slider {
         bottom: 10px;
-        height: 200px;
+        height: ${sliderHeight};
         width: 127px;
-        padding: ${theme.spacing.xs} 0;
+        padding: ${theme.spacing.sm} 0;
       }
     `,
     slider: css`
@@ -127,12 +129,13 @@ export function RichHistoryQueriesTab(props: Props) {
     activeDatasourceOnly,
     retentionPeriod,
     exploreId,
+    height,
   } = props;
 
   const [sliderRetentionFilter, setSliderRetentionFilter] = useState<[number, number]>([0, retentionPeriod]);
 
   const theme = useTheme();
-  const styles = getStyles(theme);
+  const styles = getStyles(theme, height);
   const listOfDsNamesWithQueries = uniqBy(queries, 'datasourceName').map(d => d.datasourceName);
 
   /* Display only explore datasoources, that have saved queries */
@@ -192,13 +195,14 @@ export function RichHistoryQueriesTab(props: Props) {
                 isMulti={true}
                 options={datasources}
                 value={datasourceFilters}
-                placeholder="Filter queries for specific datasources(s)"
+                placeholder="Filter queries for specific data sources(s)"
                 onChange={onSelectDatasourceFilters}
               />
             </div>
           )}
           <div className={styles.sort}>
             <Select
+              value={sortOrderOptions.filter(order => order.value === sortOrder)}
               options={sortOrderOptions}
               placeholder="Sort queries by"
               onChange={e => onChangeSortOrder(e.value as SortOrder)}
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistorySettings.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistorySettings.tsx
index 55dfff5d47f..08a8ebcddec 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistorySettings.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistorySettings.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { css } from 'emotion';
 import { stylesFactory, useTheme, Forms } from '@grafana/ui';
 import { GrafanaTheme, AppEvents } from '@grafana/data';
 import appEvents from 'app/core/app_events';
+import { CoreEvents } from 'app/types';
 
 interface RichHistorySettingsProps {
   retentionPeriod: number;
@@ -57,6 +58,19 @@ export function RichHistorySettings(props: RichHistorySettingsProps) {
   const styles = getStyles(theme);
   const selectedOption = retentionPeriodOptions.find(v => v.value === retentionPeriod);
 
+  const onDelete = () => {
+    appEvents.emit(CoreEvents.showConfirmModal, {
+      title: 'Delete',
+      text: 'Are you sure you want to permanently delete your query history?',
+      yesText: 'Delete',
+      icon: 'fa-trash',
+      onConfirm: () => {
+        deleteRichHistory();
+        appEvents.emit(AppEvents.alertSuccess, ['Query history deleted']);
+      },
+    });
+  };
+
   return (
     <div className={styles.container}>
       <Forms.Field
@@ -78,10 +92,10 @@ export function RichHistorySettings(props: RichHistorySettingsProps) {
           <div className={styles.label}>Change the default active tab from “Query history” to “Starred”</div>
         </div>
       </Forms.Field>
-      <Forms.Field label="Datasource behaviour" description=" " className="space-between">
+      <Forms.Field label="Data source behaviour" description=" " className="space-between">
         <div className={styles.switch}>
           <Forms.Switch value={activeDatasourceOnly} onChange={toggleactiveDatasourceOnly}></Forms.Switch>
-          <div className={styles.label}>Only show queries for datasource currently active in Explore</div>
+          <div className={styles.label}>Only show queries for data source currently active in Explore</div>
         </div>
       </Forms.Field>
       <div
@@ -98,13 +112,7 @@ export function RichHistorySettings(props: RichHistorySettingsProps) {
       >
         Delete all of your query history, permanently.
       </div>
-      <Forms.Button
-        variant="destructive"
-        onClick={() => {
-          deleteRichHistory();
-          appEvents.emit(AppEvents.alertSuccess, ['Query history deleted']);
-        }}
-      >
+      <Forms.Button variant="destructive" onClick={onDelete}>
         Clear query history
       </Forms.Button>
     </div>
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryStarredTab.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryStarredTab.tsx
index 96274a5a30b..0f4cf959b09 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryStarredTab.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/RichHistory/RichHistoryStarredTab.tsx
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ export function RichHistoryStarredTab(props: Props) {
                 isMulti={true}
                 options={exploreDatasources}
                 value={datasourceFilters}
-                placeholder="Filter queries for specific datasources(s)"
+                placeholder="Filter queries for specific data sources(s)"
                 onChange={onSelectDatasourceFilters}
               />
             </div>
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ export function RichHistoryStarredTab(props: Props) {
           <div className={styles.sort}>
             <Select
               options={sortOrderOptions}
+              value={sortOrderOptions.filter(order => order.value === sortOrder)}
               placeholder="Sort queries by"
               onChange={e => onChangeSortOrder(e.value as SortOrder)}
             />