diff --git a/pkg/services/datasources/service/datasource.go b/pkg/services/datasources/service/datasource.go
index c553bd2cd08..7e422d4b6ab 100644
--- a/pkg/services/datasources/service/datasource.go
+++ b/pkg/services/datasources/service/datasource.go
@@ -543,10 +543,17 @@ func (s *Service) UpdateDataSource(ctx context.Context, cmd *datasources.UpdateD
 				"datasource_uid", dataSource.UID)
 
 			if dataSource.JsonData != nil {
-				previousRules := dataSource.JsonData.Get("teamHttpHeaders")
+				previousRules := dataSource.JsonData.Get("teamHttpHeaders").Interface()
 				if previousRules == nil {
-					cmd.JsonData.Del("teamHttpHeaders")
+					if cmd.JsonData != nil {
+						cmd.JsonData.Del("teamHttpHeaders")
+					}
 				} else {
+					if cmd.JsonData == nil {
+						// It's fine to instantiate a new JsonData here
+						// Because it's done in the SQLStore.UpdateDataSource anyway
+						cmd.JsonData = simplejson.New()
+					}
 					cmd.JsonData.Set("teamHttpHeaders", previousRules)
 				}
 			}