diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/influxdb/query_builder.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/influxdb/query_builder.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..90058d7c912
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/influxdb/query_builder.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+import _ from 'lodash';
+
+function renderTagCondition(tag, index) {
+  var str = '';
+  var operator = tag.operator;
+  var value = tag.value;
+  if (index > 0) {
+    str = (tag.condition || 'AND') + ' ';
+  }
+
+  if (!operator) {
+    if (/^\/.*\/$/.test(tag.value)) {
+      operator = '=~';
+    } else {
+      operator = '=';
+    }
+  }
+
+  // quote value unless regex or number
+  if (operator !== '=~' && operator !== '!~' && isNaN(+value)) {
+    value = "'" + value + "'";
+  }
+
+  return str + '"' + tag.key + '" ' + operator + ' ' + value;
+}
+
+export class InfluxQueryBuilder {
+
+  constructor(private target, private database?) { }
+
+  buildExploreQuery(type: string, withKey?: string, withMeasurementFilter?: string) {
+    var query;
+    var measurement;
+    var policy;
+
+    if (type === 'TAG_KEYS') {
+      query = 'SHOW TAG KEYS';
+      measurement = this.target.measurement;
+      policy = this.target.policy;
+    } else if (type === 'TAG_VALUES') {
+      query = 'SHOW TAG VALUES';
+      measurement = this.target.measurement;
+      policy = this.target.policy;
+    } else if (type === 'MEASUREMENTS') {
+      query = 'SHOW MEASUREMENTS';
+      if (withMeasurementFilter) {
+        query += ' WITH MEASUREMENT =~ /' + withMeasurementFilter + '/';
+      }
+    } else if (type === 'FIELDS') {
+      measurement = this.target.measurement;
+      policy = this.target.policy;
+      if (!measurement.match('^/.*/')) {
+        measurement = '"' + measurement + '"';
+        if (policy) {
+          if (!policy.match('^/.*/')) {
+            policy = '"' + policy + '"';
+          }
+          measurement = policy + '.' + measurement;
+        }
+      }
+      return 'SHOW FIELD KEYS FROM ' + measurement;
+    } else if (type === 'RETENTION POLICIES') {
+      query = 'SHOW RETENTION POLICIES on "' + this.database + '"';
+      return query;
+    }
+
+    if (measurement) {
+      if (!measurement.match('^/.*/') && !measurement.match(/^merge\(.*\)/)) {
+        measurement = '"' + measurement + '"';
+      }
+
+      if (policy && policy !== 'default') {
+        if (!policy.match('^/.*/') && !policy.match(/^merge\(.*\)/)) {
+          policy = '"' + policy + '"';
+        }
+        measurement = policy + '.' + measurement;
+      }
+
+      query += ' FROM ' + measurement;
+    }
+
+    if (withKey) {
+      query += ' WITH KEY = "' + withKey + '"';
+    }
+
+    if (this.target.tags && this.target.tags.length > 0) {
+      var whereConditions = _.reduce(
+        this.target.tags,
+        function(memo, tag) {
+          // do not add a condition for the key we want to explore for
+          if (tag.key === withKey) {
+            return memo;
+          }
+          memo.push(renderTagCondition(tag, memo.length));
+          return memo;
+        },
+        [],
+      );
+
+      if (whereConditions.length > 0) {
+        query += ' WHERE ' + whereConditions.join(' ');
+      }
+    }
+    if (type === 'MEASUREMENTS') {
+      query += ' LIMIT 100';
+      //Solve issue #2524 by limiting the number of measurements returned
+      //LIMIT must be after WITH MEASUREMENT and WHERE clauses
+      //This also could be used for TAG KEYS and TAG VALUES, if desired
+    }
+    return query;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/influxdb/specs/query_builder.jest.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/influxdb/specs/query_builder.jest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a044093a225
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/influxdb/specs/query_builder.jest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'test/lib/common';
+import { InfluxQueryBuilder } from '../query_builder';
+
+describe('InfluxQueryBuilder', function() {
+  describe('when building explore queries', function() {
+    it('should only have measurement condition in tag keys query given query with measurement', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: 'cpu', tags: [] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_KEYS');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG KEYS FROM "cpu"');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle regex measurement in tag keys query', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({
+        measurement: '/.*/',
+        tags: [],
+      });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_KEYS');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG KEYS FROM /.*/');
+    });
+
+    it('should have no conditions in tags keys query given query with no measurement or tag', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '', tags: [] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_KEYS');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG KEYS');
+    });
+
+    it('should have where condition in tag keys query with tags', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '', tags: [{ key: 'host', value: 'se1' }] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_KEYS');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG KEYS WHERE "host" = \'se1\'');
+    });
+
+    it('should have no conditions in measurement query for query with no tags', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '', tags: [] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('MEASUREMENTS');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW MEASUREMENTS LIMIT 100');
+    });
+
+    it('should have no conditions in measurement query for query with no tags and empty query', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '', tags: [] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('MEASUREMENTS', undefined, '');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW MEASUREMENTS LIMIT 100');
+    });
+
+    it('should have WITH MEASUREMENT in measurement query for non-empty query with no tags', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '', tags: [] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('MEASUREMENTS', undefined, 'something');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW MEASUREMENTS WITH MEASUREMENT =~ /something/ LIMIT 100');
+    });
+
+    it('should have WITH MEASUREMENT WHERE in measurement query for non-empty query with tags', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '', tags: [{ key: 'app', value: 'email' }] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('MEASUREMENTS', undefined, 'something');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW MEASUREMENTS WITH MEASUREMENT =~ /something/ WHERE "app" = \'email\' LIMIT 100');
+    });
+
+    it('should have where condition in measurement query for query with tags', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '', tags: [{ key: 'app', value: 'email' }] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('MEASUREMENTS');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW MEASUREMENTS WHERE "app" = \'email\' LIMIT 100');
+    });
+
+    it('should have where tag name IN filter in tag values query for query with one tag', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '', tags: [{ key: 'app', value: 'asdsadsad' }] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_VALUES', 'app');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG VALUES WITH KEY = "app"');
+    });
+
+    it('should have measurement tag condition and tag name IN filter in tag values query', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({
+        measurement: 'cpu',
+        tags: [{ key: 'app', value: 'email' }, { key: 'host', value: 'server1' }],
+      });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_VALUES', 'app');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG VALUES FROM "cpu" WITH KEY = "app" WHERE "host" = \'server1\'');
+    });
+
+    it('should select from policy correctly if policy is specified', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({
+        measurement: 'cpu',
+        policy: 'one_week',
+        tags: [{ key: 'app', value: 'email' }, { key: 'host', value: 'server1' }],
+      });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_VALUES', 'app');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG VALUES FROM "one_week"."cpu" WITH KEY = "app" WHERE "host" = \'server1\'');
+    });
+
+    it('should not includ policy when policy is default', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: 'cpu', policy: 'default', tags: [] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_VALUES', 'app');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG VALUES FROM "cpu" WITH KEY = "app"');
+    });
+
+    it('should switch to regex operator in tag condition', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({
+        measurement: 'cpu',
+        tags: [{ key: 'host', value: '/server.*/' }],
+      });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('TAG_VALUES', 'app');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW TAG VALUES FROM "cpu" WITH KEY = "app" WHERE "host" =~ /server.*/');
+    });
+
+    it('should build show field query', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: 'cpu', tags: [{ key: 'app', value: 'email' }] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('FIELDS');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW FIELD KEYS FROM "cpu"');
+    });
+
+    it('should build show field query with regexp', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: '/$var/', tags: [{ key: 'app', value: 'email' }] });
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('FIELDS');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW FIELD KEYS FROM /$var/');
+    });
+
+    it('should build show retention policies query', function() {
+      var builder = new InfluxQueryBuilder({ measurement: 'cpu', tags: [] }, 'site');
+      var query = builder.buildExploreQuery('RETENTION POLICIES');
+      expect(query).toBe('SHOW RETENTION POLICIES on "site"');
+    });
+  });
+});