diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/graphite/partials/query.editor.html b/public/app/plugins/datasource/graphite/partials/query.editor.html
index 60372fb8ab0..5646f005be9 100755
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/graphite/partials/query.editor.html
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/graphite/partials/query.editor.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <query-editor-row query-ctrl="ctrl" has-text-edit-mode="true">
 
 	<div class="gf-form" ng-show="ctrl.target.textEditor">
-		<input type="text" class="gf-form-input" ng-model="ctrl.target.target" spellcheck="false" ng-blur="ctrl.refresh()"></input>
+		<input type="text" class="gf-form-input" ng-model="ctrl.target.target" spellcheck="false" ng-blur="ctrl.targetTextChanged()"></input>
 	</div>
 
   <div ng-hide="ctrl.target.textEditor">
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/graphite/query_ctrl.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/graphite/query_ctrl.ts
index f9f34284971..ce2baea0b76 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/graphite/query_ctrl.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/graphite/query_ctrl.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export class GraphiteQueryCtrl extends QueryCtrl {
     }
 
     try {
-      this.parseTargeRecursive(astNode, null, 0);
+      this.parseTargetRecursive(astNode, null, 0);
     } catch (err) {
       console.log('error parsing target:', err.message);
       this.error = err.message;
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export class GraphiteQueryCtrl extends QueryCtrl {
     func.params[index] = value;
   }
 
-  parseTargeRecursive(astNode, func, index) {
+  parseTargetRecursive(astNode, func, index) {
     if (astNode === null) {
       return null;
     }
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export class GraphiteQueryCtrl extends QueryCtrl {
       case 'function':
         var innerFunc = gfunc.createFuncInstance(astNode.name, { withDefaultParams: false });
         _.each(astNode.params, (param, index) => {
-          this.parseTargeRecursive(param, innerFunc, index);
+          this.parseTargetRecursive(param, innerFunc, index);
         });
 
         innerFunc.updateText();
@@ -209,30 +209,56 @@ export class GraphiteQueryCtrl extends QueryCtrl {
   }
 
   targetTextChanged() {
-    this.parseTarget();
-    this.panelCtrl.refresh();
+    this.updateModelTarget();
+    this.refresh();
   }
 
   updateModelTarget() {
     // render query
-    var metricPath = this.getSegmentPathUpTo(this.segments.length);
-    this.target.target = _.reduce(this.functions, this.wrapFunction, metricPath);
+    if (!this.target.textEditor) {
+      var metricPath = this.getSegmentPathUpTo(this.segments.length);
+      this.target.target = _.reduce(this.functions, this.wrapFunction, metricPath);
+    }
 
+    // loop through queries and update targetFull as needed
+    for (const target of this.panelCtrl.panel.targets) {
+      this.resolveTarget(target);
+    }
+  }
+
+  resolveTarget(target) {
     // render nested query
     var targetsByRefId = _.keyBy(this.panelCtrl.panel.targets, 'refId');
+
+    // no references to self
+    delete targetsByRefId[target.refId];
+
     var nestedSeriesRefRegex = /\#([A-Z])/g;
-    var targetWithNestedQueries = this.target.target.replace(nestedSeriesRefRegex, (match, g1) => {
-      var target  = targetsByRefId[g1];
-      if (!target) {
-        return match;
+    var targetWithNestedQueries = target.target;
+
+    while (targetWithNestedQueries.match(nestedSeriesRefRegex)) {
+      var updated = targetWithNestedQueries.replace(nestedSeriesRefRegex, (match, g1) => {
+        var t = targetsByRefId[g1];
+        if (!t) {
+          return match;
+        }
+
+        // no circular references
+        delete targetsByRefId[g1];
+
+        return t.target;
+      });
+
+      if (updated === targetWithNestedQueries) {
+        break;
       }
 
-      return target.targetFull || target.target;
-    });
+      targetWithNestedQueries = updated;
+    }
 
-    delete this.target.targetFull;
-    if (this.target.target !== targetWithNestedQueries) {
-      this.target.targetFull = targetWithNestedQueries;
+    delete target.targetFull;
+    if (target.target !== targetWithNestedQueries) {
+      target.targetFull = targetWithNestedQueries;
     }
   }