diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/types/explore.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/types/explore.ts
index 537104f0418..90f21ae568b 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/types/explore.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/types/explore.ts
@@ -58,9 +58,7 @@ export interface ExploreLogsPanelState {
 
 export interface SplitOpenOptions<T extends AnyQuery = AnyQuery> {
   datasourceUid: string;
-  /** @deprecated Will be removed in a future version. Use queries instead. */
-  query?: T;
-  queries?: T[];
+  queries: T[];
   range?: TimeRange;
   panelsState?: ExplorePanelsState;
   correlationHelperData?: ExploreCorrelationHelperData;
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/state/main.ts b/public/app/features/explore/state/main.ts
index ca9e73cc891..7fb7f02622f 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/state/main.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/state/main.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ export const setPaneState = createAction<SetPaneStateActionPayload>('explore/set
 export const clearPanes = createAction('explore/clearPanes');
 
 /**
- * Ensure Explore doesn't exceed supported number of panes and initializes the new pane.
+ * Creates a new Explore pane.
+ * If 2 panes already exist, the last one (right) is closed before creating a new one.
  */
 export const splitOpen = createAsyncThunk(
   'explore/splitOpen',
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ export const splitOpen = createAsyncThunk(
     // we currently support showing only 2 panes in explore, so if this action is dispatched we know it has been dispatched from the "first" pane.
     const originState = Object.values(getState().explore.panes)[0];
 
-    const queries = options?.queries ?? (options?.query ? [options?.query] : originState?.queries || []);
+    const queries = options?.queries ?? originState?.queries ?? [];
 
     Object.keys(getState().explore.panes).forEach((paneId, index) => {
       // Only 2 panes are supported. Remove panes before create a new one.