diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Cascader/Cascader.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Cascader/Cascader.tsx
index d11fbb258eb..e995efbe341 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Cascader/Cascader.tsx
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Cascader/Cascader.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ export interface CascaderProps {
   /** Don't show what is selected in the cascader input/search. Useful when input is used just as search and the
       cascader is hidden after selection. */
   hideActiveLevelLabel?: boolean;
+  disabled?: boolean;
 }
 
 interface CascaderState {
@@ -209,7 +210,7 @@ export class Cascader extends PureComponent<CascaderProps, CascaderState> {
   };
 
   render() {
-    const { allowCustomValue, formatCreateLabel, placeholder, width, changeOnSelect, options } = this.props;
+    const { allowCustomValue, formatCreateLabel, placeholder, width, changeOnSelect, options, disabled } = this.props;
     const { focusCascade, isSearching, rcValue, activeLabel } = this.state;
 
     const searchableOptions = this.getSearchableOptions(options);
@@ -228,6 +229,7 @@ export class Cascader extends PureComponent<CascaderProps, CascaderState> {
             formatCreateLabel={formatCreateLabel}
             width={width}
             onInputChange={this.onSelectInputChange}
+            disabled={disabled}
           />
         ) : (
           <RCCascader
@@ -238,6 +240,7 @@ export class Cascader extends PureComponent<CascaderProps, CascaderState> {
             fieldNames={{ label: 'label', value: 'value', children: 'items' }}
             expandIcon={null}
             open={this.props.alwaysOpen}
+            disabled={disabled}
           >
             <div className={disableDivFocus}>
               <Input
@@ -255,6 +258,7 @@ export class Cascader extends PureComponent<CascaderProps, CascaderState> {
                     <Icon name="angle-down" style={{ marginBottom: 0, marginLeft: '4px' }} />
                   )
                 }
+                disabled={disabled}
               />
             </div>
           </RCCascader>
diff --git a/public/app/features/trails/MetricCategory/MetricCategoryCascader.tsx b/public/app/features/trails/MetricCategory/MetricCategoryCascader.tsx
index 75fe3c3a2e3..6dfe028bbe1 100644
--- a/public/app/features/trails/MetricCategory/MetricCategoryCascader.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/trails/MetricCategory/MetricCategoryCascader.tsx
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export function MetricCategoryCascader({ metricNames, onSelect, disabled, initia
         }}
         {...{ options, disabled, initialValue }}
       />
-      <Button disabled={disableClear} onClick={clear} variant="secondary">
+      <Button disabled={disableClear || disabled} onClick={clear} variant="secondary">
         Clear
       </Button>
     </HorizontalGroup>
diff --git a/public/app/features/trails/MetricSelectScene.tsx b/public/app/features/trails/MetricSelectScene.tsx
index eb8ce11c199..aa036f9ba01 100644
--- a/public/app/features/trails/MetricSelectScene.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/trails/MetricSelectScene.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { css } from '@emotion/css';
 import leven from 'leven';
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { useCallback } from 'react';
 
-import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
+import { GrafanaTheme2, VariableRefresh } from '@grafana/data';
 import {
   PanelBuilders,
   QueryVariable,
@@ -11,22 +11,24 @@ import {
   SceneCSSGridLayout,
   SceneFlexItem,
   sceneGraph,
+  SceneObject,
   SceneObjectBase,
   SceneObjectRef,
   SceneObjectState,
   SceneQueryRunner,
+  SceneVariable,
   SceneVariableSet,
   VariableDependencyConfig,
 } from '@grafana/scenes';
 import { VariableHide } from '@grafana/schema';
-import { Field, Icon, InlineSwitch, Input, LoadingPlaceholder, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+import { Input, useStyles2, InlineSwitch, Field, Alert, Icon, LoadingPlaceholder } from '@grafana/ui';
 
 import { getAutoQueriesForMetric } from './AutomaticMetricQueries/AutoQueryEngine';
 import { MetricCategoryCascader } from './MetricCategory/MetricCategoryCascader';
 import { MetricScene } from './MetricScene';
 import { SelectMetricAction } from './SelectMetricAction';
 import { hideEmptyPreviews } from './hideEmptyPreviews';
-import { getVariablesWithMetricConstant, trailDS, VAR_FILTERS_EXPR, VAR_METRIC_NAMES } from './shared';
+import { getVariablesWithMetricConstant, trailDS, VAR_DATASOURCE, VAR_FILTERS_EXPR, VAR_METRIC_NAMES } from './shared';
 import { getColorByIndex, getTrailFor } from './utils';
 
 interface MetricPanel {
@@ -72,15 +74,24 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
     this.addActivationHandler(this._onActivate.bind(this));
   }
 
-  protected _variableDependency = new VariableDependencyConfig(this, {
-    variableNames: [VAR_METRIC_NAMES],
-    onVariableUpdateCompleted: this.onVariableUpdateCompleted.bind(this),
-  });
+  // private justChangedTimeRange = false;
 
-  private onVariableUpdateCompleted(): void {
-    this.updateMetrics(); // Entire pipeline must be performed
-    this.buildLayout();
-  }
+  protected _variableDependency = new VariableDependencyConfig(this, {
+    variableNames: [VAR_METRIC_NAMES, VAR_DATASOURCE],
+    onReferencedVariableValueChanged: (variable: SceneVariable) => {
+      const { name } = variable.state;
+
+      if (name === VAR_DATASOURCE) {
+        // Clear all panels for the previous data source
+        this.state.body.setState({ children: [] });
+      } else if (name === VAR_METRIC_NAMES) {
+        this.onMetricNamesChange();
+        // Entire pipeline must be performed
+        this.updateMetrics();
+        this.buildLayout();
+      }
+    },
+  });
 
   private _onActivate() {
     if (this.state.body.state.children.length === 0) {
@@ -106,25 +117,36 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
     });
   }
 
-  private getAllMetricNames() {
+  private currentMetricNames = new Set<string>();
+
+  private onMetricNamesChange() {
     // Get the datasource metrics list from the VAR_METRIC_NAMES variable
     const variable = sceneGraph.lookupVariable(VAR_METRIC_NAMES, this);
 
     if (!(variable instanceof QueryVariable)) {
-      return null;
+      return;
     }
 
     if (variable.state.loading) {
-      return null;
+      return;
     }
 
-    const metricNames = variable.state.options.map((option) => option.value.toString());
-    return metricNames;
+    const nameList = variable.state.options.map((option) => option.value.toString());
+    const nameSet = new Set(nameList);
+
+    Object.values(this.previewCache).forEach((panel) => {
+      if (!nameSet.has(panel.name)) {
+        panel.isEmpty = true;
+      }
+    });
+
+    this.currentMetricNames = nameSet;
+    this.buildLayout();
   }
 
   private applyMetricSearch() {
     // This should only occur when the `searchQuery` changes, of if the `metricNames` change
-    const metricNames = this.getAllMetricNames();
+    const metricNames = Array.from(this.currentMetricNames);
     if (metricNames == null) {
       return;
     }
@@ -139,6 +161,7 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
   }
 
   private applyMetricPrefixFilter() {
+    // This should occur after an `applyMetricSearch`, or if the prefix filter has changed
     const { metricsAfterSearch, prefixFilter } = this.state;
 
     if (!prefixFilter || !metricsAfterSearch) {
@@ -169,6 +192,13 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
     const metricsMap: Record<string, MetricPanel> = {};
     const metricsLimit = 120;
 
+    // Clear absent metrics from cache
+    Object.keys(this.previewCache).forEach((metric) => {
+      if (!this.currentMetricNames.has(metric)) {
+        delete this.previewCache[metric];
+      }
+    });
+
     for (let index = 0; index < sortedMetricNames.length; index++) {
       const metricName = sortedMetricNames[index];
 
@@ -176,7 +206,11 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
         break;
       }
 
-      metricsMap[metricName] = { name: metricName, index, loaded: false };
+      const oldPanel = this.previewCache[metricName];
+
+      const panel = oldPanel || { name: metricName, index, loaded: false };
+
+      metricsMap[metricName] = panel;
     }
 
     try {
@@ -213,7 +247,7 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
 
     const children: SceneFlexItem[] = [];
 
-    const metricsList = this.sortedPreviewMetrics();
+    const metricsList = this.sortedPreviewMetrics(); //!this.justChangedTimeRange ? this.sortedPreviewMetrics() : Object.values(this.previewCache);
     for (let index = 0; index < metricsList.length; index++) {
       const metric = metricsList[index];
 
@@ -277,12 +311,15 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
     const { children } = body.useState();
     const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
 
-    const notLoaded = metricsAfterSearch === undefined && metricsAfterFilter === undefined && children.length === 0;
-
+    const metricNamesStatus = useVariableStatus(VAR_METRIC_NAMES, model);
     const tooStrict = children.length === 0 && (searchQuery || prefixFilter);
+    const noMetrics = !metricNamesStatus.isLoading && model.currentMetricNames.size === 0;
 
-    let status =
-      (notLoaded && <LoadingPlaceholder className={styles.statusMessage} text="Loading..." />) ||
+    const status =
+      (metricNamesStatus.isLoading && children.length === 0 && (
+        <LoadingPlaceholder className={styles.statusMessage} text="Loading..." />
+      )) ||
+      (noMetrics && 'There are no results found. Try a different time range or a different data source.') ||
       (tooStrict && 'There are no results found. Try adjusting your search or filters.');
 
     const showStatus = status && <div className={styles.statusMessage}>{status}</div>;
@@ -292,6 +329,8 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
         ? 'The current prefix filter is not available with the current search terms.'
         : undefined;
 
+    const disableSearch = metricNamesStatus.error || metricNamesStatus.isLoading;
+
     return (
       <div className={styles.container}>
         <div className={styles.header}>
@@ -301,20 +340,33 @@ export class MetricSelectScene extends SceneObjectBase<MetricSelectSceneState> {
               prefix={<Icon name={'search'} />}
               value={searchQuery}
               onChange={model.onSearchChange}
+              disabled={disableSearch}
             />
           </Field>
-          <InlineSwitch showLabel={true} label="Show previews" value={showPreviews} onChange={model.onTogglePreviews} />
+          <InlineSwitch
+            showLabel={true}
+            label="Show previews"
+            value={showPreviews}
+            onChange={model.onTogglePreviews}
+            disabled={disableSearch}
+          />
         </div>
         <div className={styles.header}>
-          <Field label="Filter by prefix" error={prefixError} invalid={true}>
+          <Field label="Filter by prefix" error={prefixError} invalid={!!prefixError}>
             <MetricCategoryCascader
               metricNames={metricsAfterSearch || []}
               onSelect={model.onPrefixFilterChange}
-              disabled={metricsAfterSearch == null}
+              disabled={disableSearch}
               initialValue={prefixFilter}
             />
           </Field>
         </div>
+        {metricNamesStatus.error && (
+          <Alert title="Unable to retrieve metric names" severity="error">
+            <div>We are unable to connect to your data source. Double check your data source URL and credentials.</div>
+            <div>({metricNamesStatus.error})</div>
+          </Alert>
+        )}
         {showStatus}
         <model.state.body.Component model={model.state.body} />
       </div>
@@ -332,6 +384,7 @@ function getMetricNamesVariableSet() {
         includeAll: true,
         defaultToAll: true,
         skipUrlSync: true,
+        refresh: VariableRefresh.onTimeRangeChanged,
         query: { query: `label_values(${VAR_FILTERS_EXPR},__name__)`, refId: 'A' },
       }),
     ],
@@ -436,3 +489,18 @@ function createSearchRegExp(spaceSeparatedMetricNames?: string) {
   // The ?=(...) lookahead allows us to match these in any order.
   return new RegExp(regex, 'igy');
 }
+
+function useVariableStatus(name: string, sceneObject: SceneObject) {
+  const variable = sceneGraph.lookupVariable(VAR_METRIC_NAMES, sceneObject);
+
+  const useVariableState = useCallback(() => {
+    if (variable) {
+      return variable.useState();
+    }
+    return undefined;
+  }, [variable]);
+
+  const { error, loading } = useVariableState() || {};
+
+  return { isLoading: !!loading, error };
+}
diff --git a/public/app/features/trails/hideEmptyPreviews.ts b/public/app/features/trails/hideEmptyPreviews.ts
index e02b2aa61f0..44c467f48a6 100644
--- a/public/app/features/trails/hideEmptyPreviews.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/trails/hideEmptyPreviews.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export function hideEmptyPreviews(metric: string) {
     }
 
     data.subscribeToState((state) => {
-      if (state.data?.state === LoadingState.Loading) {
+      if (state.data?.state === LoadingState.Loading || state.data?.state === LoadingState.Error) {
         return;
       }
       const scene = sceneGraph.getAncestor(gridItem, MetricSelectScene);