diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/interval/actions.test.ts b/public/app/features/variables/interval/actions.test.ts
index 242ca54036f..b5467d56815 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/interval/actions.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/interval/actions.test.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import { intervalBuilder } from '../shared/testing/builders';
 import { updateOptions } from '../state/actions';
 import { notifyApp } from '../../../core/actions';
 import { silenceConsoleOutput } from '../../../../test/core/utils/silenceConsoleOutput';
+import { variablesInitTransaction } from '../state/transactionReducer';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach } from '../../../../test/lib/common';
 
 describe('interval actions', () => {
   variableAdapters.setInit(() => [createIntervalVariableAdapter()]);
@@ -43,7 +45,8 @@ describe('interval actions', () => {
 
   describe('when updateOptions is dispatched but something throws', () => {
     silenceConsoleOutput();
-    it('then an notifyApp action should be dispatched', async () => {
+    const originalTimeSrv = getTimeSrv();
+    beforeEach(() => {
       const timeSrvMock = ({
         timeRange: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({
           from: dateTime(new Date()).subtract(1, 'days').toDate(),
@@ -54,8 +57,14 @@ describe('interval actions', () => {
           },
         }),
       } as unknown) as TimeSrv;
-      const originalTimeSrv = getTimeSrv();
       setTimeSrv(timeSrvMock);
+    });
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      setTimeSrv(originalTimeSrv);
+    });
+
+    it('then an notifyApp action should be dispatched', async () => {
       const interval = intervalBuilder()
         .withId('0')
         .withQuery('1s,1m,1h,1d')
@@ -66,6 +75,7 @@ describe('interval actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(interval, { global: false, index: 0, model: interval })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(updateOptions(toVariableIdentifier(interval)), true);
 
       tester.thenDispatchedActionsPredicateShouldEqual((dispatchedActions) => {
@@ -91,8 +101,26 @@ describe('interval actions', () => {
 
         return dispatchedActions.length === expectedNumberOfActions;
       });
+    });
 
-      setTimeSrv(originalTimeSrv);
+    describe('but there is no ongoing transaction', () => {
+      it('then no actions are dispatched', async () => {
+        const interval = intervalBuilder()
+          .withId('0')
+          .withQuery('1s,1m,1h,1d')
+          .withAuto(true)
+          .withAutoMin('1xyz') // illegal interval string
+          .build();
+
+        const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
+          .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
+          .whenActionIsDispatched(
+            addVariable(toVariablePayload(interval, { global: false, index: 0, model: interval }))
+          )
+          .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(updateOptions(toVariableIdentifier(interval)), true);
+
+        tester.thenNoActionsWhereDispatched();
+      });
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/query/VariableQueryRunner.ts b/public/app/features/variables/query/VariableQueryRunner.ts
index 597ff44ad04..ea17c2ce2ea 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/query/VariableQueryRunner.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/query/VariableQueryRunner.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { merge, Observable, of, Subject, throwError, Unsubscribable } from 'rxjs';
-import { catchError, filter, finalize, first, mergeMap, takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { catchError, filter, finalize, mergeMap, take, takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import {
   CoreApp,
   DataQuery,
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
   DataSourceApi,
   getDefaultTimeRange,
   LoadingState,
+  PanelData,
   ScopedVars,
 } from '@grafana/data';
 
@@ -115,12 +116,14 @@ export class VariableQueryRunner {
           filter(() => {
             // Lets check if we started another batch during the execution of the observable. If so we just want to abort the rest.
             const afterUid = getState().templating.transaction.uid;
+
             return beforeUid === afterUid;
           }),
-          first((data) => data.state === LoadingState.Done || data.state === LoadingState.Error),
-          mergeMap((data) => {
+          filter((data) => data.state === LoadingState.Done || data.state === LoadingState.Error), // we only care about done or error for now
+          take(1), // take the first result, using first caused a bug where it in some situations throw an uncaught error because of no results had been received yet
+          mergeMap((data: PanelData) => {
             if (data.state === LoadingState.Error) {
-              return throwError(data.error);
+              return throwError(() => data.error);
             }
 
             return of(data);
@@ -148,7 +151,7 @@ export class VariableQueryRunner {
             }
 
             this.updateOptionsResults.next({ identifier, state: LoadingState.Error, error });
-            return throwError(error);
+            return throwError(() => error);
           }),
           finalize(() => {
             this.updateOptionsResults.next({ identifier, state: LoadingState.Done });
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/query/actions.test.ts b/public/app/features/variables/query/actions.test.ts
index 9f2c07270fb..7dd7c70b9a5 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/query/actions.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/query/actions.test.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import { silenceConsoleOutput } from '../../../../test/core/utils/silenceConsole
 import { getTimeSrv, setTimeSrv, TimeSrv } from '../../dashboard/services/TimeSrv';
 import { setVariableQueryRunner, VariableQueryRunner } from './VariableQueryRunner';
 import { setDataSourceSrv } from '@grafana/runtime';
+import { variablesInitTransaction } from '../state/transactionReducer';
 
 const mocks: Record<string, any> = {
   datasource: {
@@ -78,6 +79,22 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
 
   variableAdapters.setInit(() => [createQueryVariableAdapter()]);
 
+  describe('when updateQueryVariableOptions is dispatched but there is no ongoing transaction', () => {
+    it('then correct actions are dispatched', async () => {
+      const variable = createVariable({ includeAll: false });
+      const optionsMetrics = [createMetric('A'), createMetric('B')];
+
+      mockDatasourceMetrics(variable, optionsMetrics);
+
+      const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
+        .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(updateQueryVariableOptions(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
+
+      tester.thenNoActionsWhereDispatched();
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('when updateQueryVariableOptions is dispatched for variable without both tags and includeAll', () => {
     it('then correct actions are dispatched', async () => {
       const variable = createVariable({ includeAll: false });
@@ -88,6 +105,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(updateQueryVariableOptions(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
 
       const option = createOption('A');
@@ -110,6 +128,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(updateQueryVariableOptions(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
 
       const option = createOption(ALL_VARIABLE_TEXT, ALL_VARIABLE_VALUE);
@@ -136,6 +155,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenActionIsDispatched(setIdInEditor({ id: variable.id }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(updateQueryVariableOptions(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
 
@@ -164,6 +184,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenActionIsDispatched(setIdInEditor({ id: variable.id }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(updateQueryVariableOptions(toVariablePayload(variable), 'search'), true);
 
@@ -191,6 +212,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenActionIsDispatched(setIdInEditor({ id: variable.id }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(updateOptions(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
 
@@ -227,6 +249,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(initQueryVariableEditor(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
 
       tester.thenDispatchedActionsPredicateShouldEqual((actions) => {
@@ -256,6 +279,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(initQueryVariableEditor(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
 
       tester.thenDispatchedActionsPredicateShouldEqual((actions) => {
@@ -284,6 +308,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(initQueryVariableEditor(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
 
       tester.thenDispatchedActionsPredicateShouldEqual((actions) => {
@@ -306,6 +331,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(initQueryVariableEditor(toVariablePayload(variable)), true);
 
       tester.thenDispatchedActionsPredicateShouldEqual((actions) => {
@@ -330,6 +356,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(
           changeQueryVariableDataSource(toVariablePayload(variable), { uid: 'datasource' }),
           true
@@ -365,6 +392,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
           .whenActionIsDispatched(
             addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable }))
           )
+          .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
           .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(
             changeQueryVariableDataSource(toVariablePayload(variable), { uid: 'datasource' }),
             true
@@ -402,6 +430,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(
           changeQueryVariableDataSource(toVariablePayload(variable), { uid: 'datasource' }),
           true
@@ -436,6 +465,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(changeQueryVariableQuery(toVariablePayload(variable), query, definition), true);
 
       const option = createOption(ALL_VARIABLE_TEXT, ALL_VARIABLE_VALUE);
@@ -466,6 +496,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(changeQueryVariableQuery(toVariablePayload(variable), query, definition), true);
 
       const option = createOption(ALL_VARIABLE_TEXT, ALL_VARIABLE_VALUE);
@@ -495,6 +526,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(changeQueryVariableQuery(toVariablePayload(variable), query, definition), true);
 
       const option = createOption('A');
@@ -521,6 +553,7 @@ describe('query actions', () => {
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>()
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
         .whenActionIsDispatched(addVariable(toVariablePayload(variable, { global: false, index: 0, model: variable })))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(changeQueryVariableQuery(toVariablePayload(variable), query, definition), true);
 
       const errorText = 'Query cannot contain a reference to itself. Variable: $' + variable.name;
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/query/actions.ts b/public/app/features/variables/query/actions.ts
index 830e543c11a..eef29c59594 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/query/actions.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/query/actions.ts
@@ -18,14 +18,20 @@ import { getVariableQueryEditor } from '../editor/getVariableQueryEditor';
 import { getVariableQueryRunner } from './VariableQueryRunner';
 import { variableQueryObserver } from './variableQueryObserver';
 import { QueryVariableEditorState } from './reducer';
+import { hasOngoingTransaction } from '../utils';
 
 export const updateQueryVariableOptions = (
   identifier: VariableIdentifier,
   searchFilter?: string
 ): ThunkResult<void> => {
   return async (dispatch, getState) => {
-    const variableInState = getVariable<QueryVariableModel>(identifier.id, getState());
     try {
+      if (!hasOngoingTransaction(getState())) {
+        // we might have cancelled a batch so then variable state is removed
+        return;
+      }
+
+      const variableInState = getVariable<QueryVariableModel>(identifier.id, getState());
       if (getState().templating.editor.id === variableInState.id) {
         dispatch(removeVariableEditorError({ errorProp: 'update' }));
       }
@@ -43,7 +49,7 @@ export const updateQueryVariableOptions = (
       });
     } catch (err) {
       const error = toDataQueryError(err);
-      if (getState().templating.editor.id === variableInState.id) {
+      if (getState().templating.editor.id === identifier.id) {
         dispatch(addVariableEditorError({ errorProp: 'update', errorText: error.message }));
       }
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/state/actions.ts b/public/app/features/variables/state/actions.ts
index 6ad712db714..43f444b1182 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/state/actions.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/state/actions.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,13 @@ import {
 } from './transactionReducer';
 import { getBackendSrv } from '../../../core/services/backend_srv';
 import { cleanVariables } from './variablesReducer';
-import { ensureStringValues, ExtendedUrlQueryMap, getCurrentText, getVariableRefresh } from '../utils';
+import {
+  ensureStringValues,
+  ExtendedUrlQueryMap,
+  getCurrentText,
+  getVariableRefresh,
+  hasOngoingTransaction,
+} from '../utils';
 import { store } from 'app/store/store';
 import { getDatasourceSrv } from '../../plugins/datasource_srv';
 import { cleanEditorState } from '../editor/reducer';
@@ -744,14 +750,19 @@ export const updateOptions = (identifier: VariableIdentifier, rethrow = false):
   dispatch,
   getState
 ) => {
-  const variableInState = getVariable(identifier.id, getState());
   try {
+    if (!hasOngoingTransaction(getState())) {
+      // we might have cancelled a batch so then variable state is removed
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const variableInState = getVariable(identifier.id, getState());
     dispatch(variableStateFetching(toVariablePayload(variableInState)));
     await dispatch(upgradeLegacyQueries(toVariableIdentifier(variableInState)));
     await variableAdapters.get(variableInState.type).updateOptions(variableInState);
     dispatch(completeVariableLoading(identifier));
   } catch (error) {
-    dispatch(variableStateFailed(toVariablePayload(variableInState, { error })));
+    dispatch(variableStateFailed(toVariablePayload(identifier, { error })));
 
     if (!rethrow) {
       console.error(error);
@@ -775,6 +786,11 @@ export const createVariableErrorNotification = (
   );
 
 export const completeVariableLoading = (identifier: VariableIdentifier): ThunkResult<void> => (dispatch, getState) => {
+  if (!hasOngoingTransaction(getState())) {
+    // we might have cancelled a batch so then variable state is removed
+    return;
+  }
+
   const variableInState = getVariable(identifier.id, getState());
 
   if (variableInState.state !== LoadingState.Done) {
@@ -787,6 +803,11 @@ export function upgradeLegacyQueries(
   getDatasourceSrvFunc: typeof getDatasourceSrv = getDatasourceSrv
 ): ThunkResult<void> {
   return async function (dispatch, getState) {
+    if (!hasOngoingTransaction(getState())) {
+      // we might have cancelled a batch so then variable state is removed
+      return;
+    }
+
     const variable = getVariable<QueryVariableModel>(identifier.id, getState());
 
     if (!isQuery(variable)) {
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/state/onTimeRangeUpdated.test.ts b/public/app/features/variables/state/onTimeRangeUpdated.test.ts
index 6ca50e46b99..f7093bf1826 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/state/onTimeRangeUpdated.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/state/onTimeRangeUpdated.test.ts
@@ -24,12 +24,11 @@ import { notifyApp } from '../../../core/reducers/appNotification';
 import { expect } from '../../../../test/lib/common';
 import { TemplatingState } from './reducers';
 import { appEvents } from '../../../core/core';
+import { variablesInitTransaction } from './transactionReducer';
 
 variableAdapters.setInit(() => [createIntervalVariableAdapter(), createConstantVariableAdapter()]);
 
-const dashboard = new DashboardModel({});
-
-const getTestContext = () => {
+const getTestContext = (dashboard: DashboardModel) => {
   jest.clearAllMocks();
 
   const interval = intervalBuilder()
@@ -60,12 +59,10 @@ const getTestContext = () => {
   const dependencies: OnTimeRangeUpdatedDependencies = { templateSrv: templateSrvMock, events: appEvents };
   const templateVariableValueUpdatedMock = jest.fn();
   const startRefreshMock = jest.fn();
+  dashboard.templateVariableValueUpdated = templateVariableValueUpdatedMock;
+  dashboard.startRefresh = startRefreshMock;
   const dashboardState = ({
-    getModel: () => {
-      dashboard.templateVariableValueUpdated = templateVariableValueUpdatedMock;
-      dashboard.startRefresh = startRefreshMock;
-      return dashboard;
-    },
+    getModel: () => dashboard,
   } as unknown) as DashboardState;
   const adapter = variableAdapters.get('interval');
   const preloadedState = ({
@@ -100,13 +97,15 @@ describe('when onTimeRangeUpdated is dispatched', () => {
         updateTimeRangeMock,
         templateVariableValueUpdatedMock,
         startRefreshMock,
-      } = getTestContext();
+      } = getTestContext(getDashboardModel());
 
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>({ preloadedState })
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(onTimeRangeUpdated(range, dependencies));
 
       tester.thenDispatchedActionsShouldEqual(
+        variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }),
         variableStateFetching(toVariablePayload({ type: 'interval', id: 'interval-0' })),
         createIntervalOptions(toVariablePayload({ type: 'interval', id: 'interval-0' })),
         setCurrentVariableValue(
@@ -135,10 +134,11 @@ describe('when onTimeRangeUpdated is dispatched', () => {
         updateTimeRangeMock,
         templateVariableValueUpdatedMock,
         startRefreshMock,
-      } = getTestContext();
+      } = getTestContext(getDashboardModel());
 
       const base = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>({ preloadedState })
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(setOptionAsCurrent(toVariableIdentifier(interval), interval.options[0], false));
 
       const tester = await base.whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(onTimeRangeUpdated(range, dependencies), true);
@@ -173,12 +173,13 @@ describe('when onTimeRangeUpdated is dispatched', () => {
         updateTimeRangeMock,
         templateVariableValueUpdatedMock,
         startRefreshMock,
-      } = getTestContext();
+      } = getTestContext(getDashboardModel());
 
       adapter.updateOptions = jest.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error('Something broke'));
 
       const tester = await reduxTester<RootReducerType>({ preloadedState, debug: true })
         .givenRootReducer(getRootReducer())
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(variablesInitTransaction({ uid: 'a uid' }))
         .whenAsyncActionIsDispatched(onTimeRangeUpdated(range, dependencies), true);
 
       tester.thenDispatchedActionsPredicateShouldEqual((dispatchedActions) => {
@@ -204,3 +205,7 @@ describe('when onTimeRangeUpdated is dispatched', () => {
     });
   });
 });
+
+function getDashboardModel(): DashboardModel {
+  return new DashboardModel({ schemaVersion: 9999 }); // ignore any schema migrations
+}
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/state/upgradeLegacyQueries.test.ts b/public/app/features/variables/state/upgradeLegacyQueries.test.ts
index ade2df94a1f..9430aef6762 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/state/upgradeLegacyQueries.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/state/upgradeLegacyQueries.test.ts
@@ -5,13 +5,20 @@ import { upgradeLegacyQueries } from './actions';
 import { changeVariableProp } from './sharedReducer';
 import { thunkTester } from '../../../../test/core/thunk/thunkTester';
 import { VariableModel } from '../types';
+import { TransactionStatus } from './transactionReducer';
 
 interface Args {
   query?: any;
   variable?: VariableModel;
   datasource?: any;
+  transactionStatus?: TransactionStatus;
 }
-function getTestContext({ query = '', variable, datasource }: Args = {}) {
+function getTestContext({
+  query = '',
+  variable,
+  datasource,
+  transactionStatus = TransactionStatus.Fetching,
+}: Args = {}) {
   variable =
     variable ??
     queryBuilder()
@@ -22,6 +29,7 @@ function getTestContext({ query = '', variable, datasource }: Args = {}) {
       .build();
   const state = {
     templating: {
+      transaction: { status: transactionStatus },
       variables: {
         [variable.id]: variable,
       },
@@ -64,6 +72,22 @@ describe('upgradeLegacyQueries', () => {
       expect(get).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
       expect(get).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ uid: 'test-data', type: 'test-data' });
     });
+
+    describe('but there is no ongoing transaction', () => {
+      it('then it should not dispatch changeVariableProp', async () => {
+        const { state, identifier, get, getDatasourceSrv } = getTestContext({
+          query: '*',
+          transactionStatus: TransactionStatus.NotStarted,
+        });
+
+        const dispatchedActions = await thunkTester(state)
+          .givenThunk(upgradeLegacyQueries)
+          .whenThunkIsDispatched(identifier, getDatasourceSrv);
+
+        expect(dispatchedActions).toEqual([]);
+        expect(get).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('when called with a query variable for a standard variable supported data source that has been upgraded', () => {
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/utils.ts b/public/app/features/variables/utils.ts
index f0f0882c90a..180898c623a 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/utils.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/utils.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ import { QueryVariableModel, VariableModel, VariableRefresh } from './types';
 import { getTimeSrv } from '../dashboard/services/TimeSrv';
 import { variableAdapters } from './adapters';
 import { safeStringifyValue } from 'app/core/utils/explore';
+import { StoreState } from '../../types';
+import { getState } from '../../store/store';
+import { TransactionStatus } from './state/transactionReducer';
 
 /*
  * This regex matches 3 types of variable reference with an optional format specifier
@@ -253,3 +256,7 @@ export function ensureStringValues(value: any | any[]): string | string[] {
 
   return '';
 }
+
+export function hasOngoingTransaction(state: StoreState = getState()): boolean {
+  return state.templating.transaction.status !== TransactionStatus.NotStarted;
+}