diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/dashboard/datasource.test.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/dashboard/datasource.test.ts
index 58edb8dc8dd..b5e6b99cb77 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/dashboard/datasource.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/dashboard/datasource.test.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,16 @@ describe('DashboardDatasource', () => {
     expect(rsp?.data[0].fields[0].values).toEqual([1, 2, 3]);
   });
 
+  it('should always set response key', async () => {
+    const { observable } = setup({ refId: 'A', panelId: 1 });
+
+    let rsp: DataQueryResponse | undefined;
+
+    observable.subscribe({ next: (data) => (rsp = data) });
+
+    expect(rsp?.key).toEqual('source-ds-provider');
+  });
+
   it('Can subscribe to panel data + transforms', async () => {
     const { observable } = setup({ refId: 'A', panelId: 1, withTransforms: true });
 
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/dashboard/datasource.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/dashboard/datasource.ts
index 439e573dd47..487475cc8ff 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/dashboard/datasource.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/dashboard/datasource.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export class DashboardDatasource extends DataSourceApi<DashboardQuery> {
             state: result.data.state,
             errors: result.data.errors,
             error: result.data.error,
+            key: 'source-ds-provider',
           };
         }),
         finalize(cleanUp)