diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2eea4b64be7..28ba057e09e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -284,8 +284,8 @@
     "@grafana/plugin-ui": "0.10.5",
     "@grafana/prometheus": "workspace:*",
     "@grafana/runtime": "workspace:*",
-    "@grafana/scenes": "6.10.4",
-    "@grafana/scenes-react": "6.10.4",
+    "@grafana/scenes": "^6.12.0",
+    "@grafana/scenes-react": "^6.12.0",
     "@grafana/schema": "workspace:*",
     "@grafana/sql": "workspace:*",
     "@grafana/ui": "workspace:*",
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/panel-edit/PanelDataPane/PanelDataAlertingTab.test.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/panel-edit/PanelDataPane/PanelDataAlertingTab.test.tsx
index fb0d3eb0524..7f2b930b208 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/panel-edit/PanelDataPane/PanelDataAlertingTab.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/panel-edit/PanelDataPane/PanelDataAlertingTab.test.tsx
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ const dashboard = {
     to: 'now',
   },
   timepicker: { refresh_intervals: ['5s', '30s', '1m'] },
+  templating: {
+    list: [],
+  },
   meta: {
     canSave: true,
     folderId: 1,
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardReloadBehavior.ts b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardReloadBehavior.ts
index ba2bffd15cd..bd75781f091 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardReloadBehavior.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardReloadBehavior.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import {
   sceneGraph,
   SceneObjectBase,
   SceneObjectState,
-  SceneScopesBridge,
   SceneTimeRangeLike,
   VariableDependencyConfig,
 } from '@grafana/scenes';
@@ -22,7 +21,6 @@ export interface DashboardReloadBehaviorState extends SceneObjectState {
 
 export class DashboardReloadBehavior extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardReloadBehaviorState> {
   private _timeRange: SceneTimeRangeLike | undefined;
-  private _scopesBridge: SceneScopesBridge | undefined;
   private _dashboardScene: DashboardScene | undefined;
 
   constructor(state: DashboardReloadBehaviorState) {
@@ -40,17 +38,11 @@ export class DashboardReloadBehavior extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardReloadBeha
       }
 
       this._timeRange = sceneGraph.getTimeRange(this);
-      this._scopesBridge = sceneGraph.getScopesBridge(this);
       this._dashboardScene = sceneGraph.getAncestor(this, DashboardScene);
 
       this._variableDependency = new VariableDependencyConfig(this, {
         onAnyVariableChanged: this.reloadDashboard,
-      });
-
-      this._scopesBridge?.subscribeToValue(() => {
-        if (shouldReload) {
-          this.reloadDashboard();
-        }
+        dependsOnScopes: true,
       });
 
       this._subs.add(
@@ -82,9 +74,11 @@ export class DashboardReloadBehavior extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardReloadBeha
 
     // This is wrapped in setTimeout in order to allow variables and scopes to be set in the URL before actually reloading the dashboard
     setTimeout(() => {
+      const scopes = sceneGraph.getScopes(this) ?? [];
+
       getDashboardScenePageStateManager().reloadDashboard({
         version: this.state.version!,
-        scopes: this._scopesBridge?.getValue().map((scope) => scope.metadata.name) ?? [],
+        scopes: scopes.map((scope) => scope.metadata.name),
         // We're not using the getUrlState from timeRange since it makes more sense to pass the absolute timestamps as opposed to relative time
         timeRange: {
           from: this._timeRange!.state.value.from.toISOString(),
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardScene.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardScene.tsx
index 3b986d7d85e..1206b787fdd 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardScene.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardScene.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import {
   SceneObjectBase,
   SceneObjectRef,
   SceneObjectState,
-  SceneScopesBridge,
   SceneTimeRange,
   sceneUtils,
   SceneVariable,
@@ -142,7 +141,6 @@ export interface DashboardSceneState extends SceneObjectState {
   panelsPerRow?: number;
   /** options pane */
   editPane: DashboardEditPane;
-  scopesBridge: SceneScopesBridge | undefined;
   /** Manages dragging/dropping of layout items */
   layoutOrchestrator?: DashboardLayoutOrchestrator;
 }
@@ -199,7 +197,6 @@ export class DashboardScene extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardSceneState> impleme
       links: state.links ?? [],
       ...state,
       editPane: new DashboardEditPane(),
-      scopesBridge: config.featureToggles.scopeFilters ? new SceneScopesBridge({}) : undefined,
       layoutOrchestrator: new DashboardLayoutOrchestrator(),
     });
 
@@ -212,8 +209,6 @@ export class DashboardScene extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardSceneState> impleme
   }
 
   private _activationHandler() {
-    this.state.scopesBridge?.setEnabled(true);
-
     let prevSceneContext = window.__grafanaSceneContext;
     const isNew = locationService.getLocation().pathname === '/dashboard/new';
 
@@ -222,7 +217,6 @@ export class DashboardScene extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardSceneState> impleme
     this._initializePanelSearch();
 
     if (this.state.isEditing) {
-      this.state.scopesBridge?.setReadOnly(true);
       this._initialUrlState = locationService.getLocation();
       this._changeTracker.startTrackingChanges();
     }
@@ -247,8 +241,6 @@ export class DashboardScene extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardSceneState> impleme
 
     // Deactivation logic
     return () => {
-      this.state.scopesBridge?.setReadOnly(false);
-      this.state.scopesBridge?.setEnabled(false);
       window.__grafanaSceneContext = prevSceneContext;
       clearKeyBindings();
       this._changeTracker.terminate();
@@ -281,9 +273,6 @@ export class DashboardScene extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardSceneState> impleme
     // Propagate change edit mode change to children
     this.state.body.editModeChanged?.(true);
 
-    // Propagate edit mode to scopes
-    this.state.scopesBridge?.setReadOnly(true);
-
     this._changeTracker.startTrackingChanges();
   };
 
@@ -324,7 +313,6 @@ export class DashboardScene extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardSceneState> impleme
 
     if (!this.state.isDirty || skipConfirm) {
       this.exitEditModeConfirmed(restoreInitialState || this.state.isDirty);
-      this.state.scopesBridge?.setReadOnly(false);
       return;
     }
 
@@ -336,7 +324,6 @@ export class DashboardScene extends SceneObjectBase<DashboardSceneState> impleme
         yesText: 'Discard',
         onConfirm: () => {
           this.exitEditModeConfirmed();
-          this.state.scopesBridge?.setReadOnly(false);
         },
       })
     );
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardSceneRenderer.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardSceneRenderer.tsx
index d13c6734a62..bd300a5bbd3 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardSceneRenderer.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardSceneRenderer.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import { useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
+import { useContext, useEffect, useMemo } from 'react';
 import { useLocation, useParams } from 'react-router-dom-v5-compat';
 
 import { PageLayoutType } from '@grafana/data';
+import { ScopesContext } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { SceneComponentProps } from '@grafana/scenes';
 import { Page } from 'app/core/components/Page/Page';
 import { getNavModel } from 'app/core/selectors/navModel';
@@ -22,11 +23,11 @@ export function DashboardSceneRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<DashboardS
     panelSearch,
     panelsPerRow,
     isEditing,
-    scopesBridge,
     layoutOrchestrator,
   } = model.useState();
   const { type } = useParams();
   const location = useLocation();
+  const scopesContext = useContext(ScopesContext);
   const navIndex = useSelector((state) => state.navIndex);
   const pageNav = model.getPageNav(location, navIndex);
   const bodyToRender = model.getBodyToRender();
@@ -47,10 +48,21 @@ export function DashboardSceneRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<DashboardS
     }
   }, [isSettingsOpen, editPanel, viewPanelScene, model]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (scopesContext && isEditing) {
+      scopesContext.setReadOnly(true);
+
+      return () => {
+        scopesContext.setReadOnly(false);
+      };
+    }
+
+    return;
+  }, [scopesContext, isEditing]);
+
   if (editview) {
     return (
       <>
-        {scopesBridge && <scopesBridge.Component model={scopesBridge} />}
         <editview.Component model={editview} />
         {overlay && <overlay.Component model={overlay} />}
       </>
@@ -69,7 +81,6 @@ export function DashboardSceneRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<DashboardS
     <>
       {layoutOrchestrator && <layoutOrchestrator.Component model={layoutOrchestrator} />}
       <Page navModel={navModel} pageNav={pageNav} layout={PageLayoutType.Custom}>
-        {scopesBridge && <scopesBridge.Component model={scopesBridge} />}
         {editPanel && <editPanel.Component model={editPanel} />}
         {!editPanel && (
           <DashboardEditPaneSplitter
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardSceneUrlSync.ts b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardSceneUrlSync.ts
index d9df21c791c..1740fe87c8a 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardSceneUrlSync.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/DashboardSceneUrlSync.ts
@@ -141,8 +141,6 @@ export class DashboardSceneUrlSync implements SceneObjectUrlSyncHandler {
         this._scene.onEnterEditMode();
       }
 
-      this._scene.state.scopesBridge?.setReadOnly(true);
-
       const libPanelBehavior = getLibraryPanelBehavior(panel);
       if (libPanelBehavior && !libPanelBehavior?.state.isLoaded) {
         this._waitForLibPanelToLoadBeforeEnteringPanelEdit(panel, libPanelBehavior);
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/VariableControls.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/VariableControls.tsx
index 2f32bc8ee67..8ebde16f6f1 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/VariableControls.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/VariableControls.tsx
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ export function VariableValueSelectWrapper({ variable }: VariableSelectProps) {
   const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
 
   if (state.hide === VariableHide.hideVariable) {
+    if (variable.UNSAFE_renderAsHidden) {
+      return <variable.Component model={variable} />;
+    }
+
     return null;
   }
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/sceneVariablesSetToVariables.ts b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/sceneVariablesSetToVariables.ts
index be9370dac31..9747eb8600d 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/sceneVariablesSetToVariables.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/sceneVariablesSetToVariables.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   MultiValueVariable,
   SceneVariables,
   sceneUtils,
+  SceneVariable,
 } from '@grafana/scenes';
 import {
   VariableModel,
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ import {
 
 export function sceneVariablesSetToVariables(set: SceneVariables, keepQueryOptions?: boolean) {
   const variables: VariableModel[] = [];
+
   for (const variable of set.state.variables) {
     const commonProperties = {
       name: variable.state.name,
@@ -191,6 +193,8 @@ export function sceneVariablesSetToVariables(set: SceneVariables, keepQueryOptio
         filters: validateFiltersOrigin(variable.state.filters),
         defaultKeys: variable.state.defaultKeys,
       });
+    } else if (variable.state.type === 'system') {
+      // Not persisted
     } else {
       throw new Error('Unsupported variable type');
     }
@@ -435,6 +439,8 @@ export function sceneVariablesSetToSchemaV2Variables(
         },
       };
       variables.push(adhocVariable);
+    } else if (variable.state.type === 'system') {
+      // Do nothing
     } else {
       throw new Error('Unsupported variable type: ' + variable.state.type);
     }
@@ -459,3 +465,7 @@ function validateFiltersOrigin(filters?: SceneAdHocFilterWithLabels[]): AdHocFil
     }) || []
   );
 }
+
+export function isVariableEditable(variable: SceneVariable) {
+  return variable.state.type !== 'system';
+}
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/transformSaveModelSchemaV2ToScene.ts b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/transformSaveModelSchemaV2ToScene.ts
index 99c858ee5df..df62ce83f26 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/transformSaveModelSchemaV2ToScene.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/transformSaveModelSchemaV2ToScene.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   SceneTimeRange,
   SceneVariable,
   SceneVariableSet,
+  ScopesVariable,
   TextBoxVariable,
 } from '@grafana/scenes';
 import {
@@ -227,17 +228,10 @@ export function transformSaveModelSchemaV2ToScene(dto: DashboardWithAccessInfo<D
 function getVariables(dashboard: DashboardV2Spec, isSnapshot: boolean): SceneVariableSet | undefined {
   let variables: SceneVariableSet | undefined;
 
-  if (dashboard.variables.length) {
-    if (isSnapshot) {
-      variables = createVariablesForSnapshot(dashboard);
-    } else {
-      variables = createVariablesForDashboard(dashboard);
-    }
+  if (isSnapshot) {
+    variables = createVariablesForSnapshot(dashboard);
   } else {
-    // Create empty variable set
-    variables = new SceneVariableSet({
-      variables: [],
-    });
+    variables = createVariablesForDashboard(dashboard);
   }
 
   return variables;
@@ -257,6 +251,10 @@ function createVariablesForDashboard(dashboard: DashboardV2Spec) {
     // Added temporarily to allow skipping non-compatible variables
     .filter((v): v is SceneVariable => Boolean(v));
 
+  if (config.featureToggles.scopeFilters) {
+    variableObjects.push(new ScopesVariable({ enable: true }));
+  }
+
   return new SceneVariableSet({
     variables: variableObjects,
   });
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/transformSaveModelToScene.ts b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/transformSaveModelToScene.ts
index 401868932d3..c832d48709d 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/transformSaveModelToScene.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/serialization/transformSaveModelToScene.ts
@@ -181,17 +181,10 @@ export function createDashboardSceneFromDashboardModel(oldModel: DashboardModel,
   const uid = oldModel.uid;
   const serializerVersion = config.featureToggles.dashboardNewLayouts ? 'v2' : 'v1';
 
-  if (oldModel.templating?.list?.length) {
-    if (oldModel.meta.isSnapshot) {
-      variables = createVariablesForSnapshot(oldModel);
-    } else {
-      variables = createVariablesForDashboard(oldModel);
-    }
+  if (oldModel.meta.isSnapshot) {
+    variables = createVariablesForSnapshot(oldModel);
   } else {
-    // Create empty variable set
-    variables = new SceneVariableSet({
-      variables: [],
-    });
+    variables = createVariablesForDashboard(oldModel);
   }
 
   if (oldModel.annotations?.list?.length && !oldModel.isSnapshot()) {
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/settings/variables/VariableEditorList.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/settings/variables/VariableEditorList.tsx
index b12cb469f28..498067122df 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/settings/variables/VariableEditorList.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/settings/variables/VariableEditorList.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { reportInteraction } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { SceneVariable, SceneVariableState } from '@grafana/scenes';
 import { useStyles2, Stack, Button, EmptyState, TextLink } from '@grafana/ui';
 
+import { isVariableEditable } from '../../serialization/sceneVariablesSetToVariables';
 import { VariablesDependenciesButton } from '../../variables/VariablesDependenciesButton';
 import { UsagesToNetwork, VariableUsageTree } from '../../variables/utils';
 
@@ -46,7 +47,9 @@ export function VariableEditorList({
     onChangeOrder(result.source.index, result.destination.index);
   };
 
-  return variables.length <= 0 ? (
+  const editableVariables = variables.filter(isVariableEditable);
+
+  return editableVariables.length <= 0 ? (
     <EmptyVariablesList onAdd={onAdd} />
   ) : (
     <Stack direction="column" gap={3}>
@@ -71,6 +74,10 @@ export function VariableEditorList({
             {(provided) => (
               <tbody ref={provided.innerRef} {...provided.droppableProps}>
                 {variables.map((variableScene, index) => {
+                  if (!isVariableEditable(variableScene)) {
+                    return null;
+                  }
+
                   const variableState = variableScene.state;
                   return (
                     <VariableEditorListRow
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/utils/variables.ts b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/utils/variables.ts
index bfc41a49233..d5c385d267b 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/utils/variables.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/utils/variables.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   QueryVariable,
   SceneVariable,
   SceneVariableSet,
+  ScopesVariable,
   TextBoxVariable,
 } from '@grafana/scenes';
 import { DashboardModel } from 'app/features/dashboard/state/DashboardModel';
@@ -34,6 +35,10 @@ export function createVariablesForDashboard(oldModel: DashboardModel) {
     // Added temporarily to allow skipping non-compatible variables
     .filter((v): v is SceneVariable => Boolean(v));
 
+  if (config.featureToggles.scopeFilters) {
+    variableObjects.push(new ScopesVariable({ enable: true }));
+  }
+
   return new SceneVariableSet({
     variables: variableObjects,
   });
diff --git a/public/app/features/scopes/tests/utils/render.tsx b/public/app/features/scopes/tests/utils/render.tsx
index 391331eb5f1..e4c6993928b 100644
--- a/public/app/features/scopes/tests/utils/render.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/scopes/tests/utils/render.tsx
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export async function renderDashboard(
     </KBarProvider>
   );
 
-  await waitFor(() => expect(sceneGraph.getScopesBridge(scene)).toBeDefined());
+  await waitFor(() => expect(sceneGraph.getScopes(scene)).toBeDefined());
 
   return {
     scene,
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 0f9565dd714..20b60a87324 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -3474,11 +3474,11 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft
 
-"@grafana/scenes-react@npm:6.10.4":
-  version: 6.10.4
-  resolution: "@grafana/scenes-react@npm:6.10.4"
+"@grafana/scenes-react@npm:^6.12.0":
+  version: 6.12.0
+  resolution: "@grafana/scenes-react@npm:6.12.0"
   dependencies:
-    "@grafana/scenes": "npm:6.10.4"
+    "@grafana/scenes": "npm:6.12.0"
     lru-cache: "npm:^10.2.2"
     react-use: "npm:^17.4.0"
   peerDependencies:
@@ -3490,13 +3490,13 @@ __metadata:
     react: ^18.0.0
     react-dom: ^18.0.0
     react-router-dom: ^6.28.0
-  checksum: 10/73aee4eca47a27e1fbb7a8f09ddf6a365b121cb361b01c7daabf698677f192c188de0dd64a424db4195139f625660f40371619abbb95a999e14c94e313e25755
+  checksum: 10/56113394d169c96537a46ca5dc4c62eda54c6addd348c9e3321a122a6d01c19a14c57b04945ee3d836638f3dc1c1941f7647fa649495226432664e0ff8bd0af0
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"@grafana/scenes@npm:6.10.4":
-  version: 6.10.4
-  resolution: "@grafana/scenes@npm:6.10.4"
+"@grafana/scenes@npm:6.12.0, @grafana/scenes@npm:^6.12.0":
+  version: 6.12.0
+  resolution: "@grafana/scenes@npm:6.12.0"
   dependencies:
     "@floating-ui/react": "npm:^0.26.16"
     "@leeoniya/ufuzzy": "npm:^1.0.16"
@@ -3514,7 +3514,7 @@ __metadata:
     react: ^18.0.0
     react-dom: ^18.0.0
     react-router-dom: ^6.28.0
-  checksum: 10/ffd51ad71fe3b89c3cd16bfaa0f11e003bf11e4a4fb7513c5c55fdc5e569f51dcf9fb70cb125e63b5b2269d68e86a961769e07a8078cad70163de2c2ed779ef7
+  checksum: 10/1bcddada8bf626d552aaa29ae4f916a50968bb36761285b0517500f50d8f52314148a8ed73419f381f8e5b901308cdf2450f0b82754691af512a2cff9f52b6bb
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
@@ -17717,8 +17717,8 @@ __metadata:
     "@grafana/plugin-ui": "npm:0.10.5"
     "@grafana/prometheus": "workspace:*"
     "@grafana/runtime": "workspace:*"
-    "@grafana/scenes": "npm:6.10.4"
-    "@grafana/scenes-react": "npm:6.10.4"
+    "@grafana/scenes": "npm:^6.12.0"
+    "@grafana/scenes-react": "npm:^6.12.0"
     "@grafana/schema": "workspace:*"
     "@grafana/sql": "workspace:*"
     "@grafana/test-utils": "workspace:*"