diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/dataLinks.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/dataLinks.ts
index 218c97950a4..4aadad9ac0c 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/dataLinks.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/utils/dataLinks.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export function mapInternalLinkToExplore(options: LinkToExploreOptions): LinkMod
           });
         }
       : undefined,
-    target: '_self',
+    target: link?.targetBlank ? '_blank' : '_self',
     origin: field,
   };
 }
diff --git a/public/app/features/panel/components/PanelRenderer.tsx b/public/app/features/panel/components/PanelRenderer.tsx
index b841e210c00..6ac2e9cd377 100644
--- a/public/app/features/panel/components/PanelRenderer.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/panel/components/PanelRenderer.tsx
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ import {
   compareArrayValues,
   compareDataFrameStructures,
   PluginContextProvider,
+  ScopedVars,
 } from '@grafana/data';
-import { PanelRendererProps } from '@grafana/runtime';
+import { getTemplateSrv, PanelRendererProps } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { ErrorBoundaryAlert, useTheme2 } from '@grafana/ui';
 import { appEvents } from 'app/core/core';
 
@@ -151,7 +152,9 @@ export function useFieldOverrides(
         data: series,
         fieldConfig,
         fieldConfigRegistry,
-        replaceVariables: (str: string) => str,
+        replaceVariables: (str: string, scopedVars?: ScopedVars) => {
+          return getTemplateSrv().replace(str, scopedVars);
+        },
         theme,
         timeZone,
       }),