diff --git a/public/app/features/templating/variable_srv.ts b/public/app/features/templating/variable_srv.ts
index 8a096dd9ad2..8ad3c2845e2 100644
--- a/public/app/features/templating/variable_srv.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/templating/variable_srv.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ export class VariableSrv {
       });
   }
 
-  onDashboardRefresh() {
+  onDashboardRefresh(evt, payload) {
+    if (payload && payload.fromVariableValueUpdated) {
+      return Promise.resolve({});
+    }
+
     var promises = this.variables.filter(variable => variable.refresh === 2).map(variable => {
       var previousOptions = variable.options.slice();
 
@@ -130,7 +134,7 @@ export class VariableSrv {
     return this.$q.all(promises).then(() => {
       if (emitChangeEvents) {
         this.$rootScope.$emit('template-variable-value-updated');
-        this.$rootScope.$broadcast('refresh');
+        this.$rootScope.$broadcast('refresh', { fromVariableValueUpdated: true });
       }
     });
   }