diff --git a/public/app/features/panel/panellinks/link_srv.ts b/public/app/features/panel/panellinks/link_srv.ts
index 7b14b4f5187..889335f2d4b 100644
--- a/public/app/features/panel/panellinks/link_srv.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/panel/panellinks/link_srv.ts
@@ -91,22 +91,14 @@ export class LinkSrv implements LinkService {
   }
 
   getDataPointVars = (seriesName: string, valueTime: DateTime) => {
-    // const valueTimeQuery = toUrlParams({
-    //   time: dateTime(valueTime).valueOf(),
-    // });
-
-    const seriesQuery = toUrlParams({
-      series: seriesName,
-    });
-
     return {
       [DataLinkBuiltInVars.valueTime]: {
         text: valueTime.valueOf(),
         value: valueTime.valueOf(),
       },
       [DataLinkBuiltInVars.seriesName]: {
-        text: seriesQuery,
-        value: seriesQuery,
+        text: seriesName,
+        value: seriesName,
       },
     };
   };
diff --git a/public/app/features/panel/panellinks/specs/link_srv.test.ts b/public/app/features/panel/panellinks/specs/link_srv.test.ts
index 6adae2fb387..fe7daf33b36 100644
--- a/public/app/features/panel/panellinks/specs/link_srv.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/panel/panellinks/specs/link_srv.test.ts
@@ -102,12 +102,12 @@ describe('linkSrv', () => {
         linkSrv.getDataLinkUIModel(
           {
             title: 'Any title',
-            url: `/d/1?$${DataLinkBuiltInVars.seriesName}`,
+            url: `/d/1?var-test=$${DataLinkBuiltInVars.seriesName}`,
           },
           {},
           dataPointMock
         ).href
-      ).toEqual('/d/1?series=A-series');
+      ).toEqual('/d/1?var-test=A-series');
     });
     it('should interpolate time range based on datapoint timestamp', () => {
       expect(