diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/expressions/Expression.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/expressions/Expression.tsx
index f4f57d1859a..2a81ae90707 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/expressions/Expression.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/expressions/Expression.tsx
@@ -327,10 +327,6 @@ const Header: FC<HeaderProps> = ({
               autoFocus
               defaultValue={refId}
               minWidth={5}
-              onChange={(event) => {
-                onUpdateRefId(event.currentTarget.value);
-                setEditMode(false);
-              }}
               onFocus={(event) => event.target.select()}
               onBlur={(event) => {
                 onUpdateRefId(event.currentTarget.value);