diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/datasource/reducer.test.ts b/public/app/features/variables/datasource/reducer.test.ts
index 15d292cf4be..316e354ac18 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/datasource/reducer.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/datasource/reducer.test.ts
@@ -73,4 +73,57 @@ describe('dataSourceVariableReducer', () => {
         });
     });
   });
+
+  describe('when createDataSourceOptions is dispatched with default in the regex and item is default data source', () => {
+    it('then the state should include an extra default option', () => {
+      const plugins = getMockPlugins(3);
+      const sources: DataSourceInstanceSettings[] = plugins.map((p) => getDataSourceInstanceSetting(p.name, p));
+      sources[1].isDefault = true;
+
+      const { initialState } = getVariableTestContext<DataSourceVariableModel>(adapter, {
+        query: sources[1].meta.id,
+        includeAll: false,
+      });
+      const payload = toVariablePayload({ id: '0', type: 'datasource' }, { sources, regex: /default/ });
+
+      reducerTester<VariablesState>()
+        .givenReducer(dataSourceVariableReducer, cloneDeep(initialState))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(createDataSourceOptions(payload))
+        .thenStateShouldEqual({
+          ...initialState,
+          ['0']: ({
+            ...initialState['0'],
+            options: [{ text: 'default', value: 'default', selected: false }],
+          } as unknown) as DataSourceVariableModel,
+        });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when createDataSourceOptions is dispatched without default in the regex and item is default data source', () => {
+    it('then the state should include an extra default option', () => {
+      const plugins = getMockPlugins(3);
+      const sources: DataSourceInstanceSettings[] = plugins.map((p) => getDataSourceInstanceSetting(p.name, p));
+      sources[1].isDefault = true;
+
+      const { initialState } = getVariableTestContext<DataSourceVariableModel>(adapter, {
+        query: sources[1].meta.id,
+        includeAll: false,
+      });
+      const payload = toVariablePayload({ id: '0', type: 'datasource' }, { sources, regex: /pretty/ });
+
+      reducerTester<VariablesState>()
+        .givenReducer(dataSourceVariableReducer, cloneDeep(initialState))
+        .whenActionIsDispatched(createDataSourceOptions(payload))
+        .thenStateShouldEqual({
+          ...initialState,
+          ['0']: ({
+            ...initialState['0'],
+            options: [
+              { text: 'pretty cool plugin-1', value: 'pretty cool plugin-1', selected: false },
+              { text: 'default', value: 'default', selected: false },
+            ],
+          } as unknown) as DataSourceVariableModel,
+        });
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/datasource/reducer.ts b/public/app/features/variables/datasource/reducer.ts
index ea5aae741a1..fe26d29ffbf 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/datasource/reducer.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/datasource/reducer.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import {
   ALL_VARIABLE_TEXT,
   ALL_VARIABLE_VALUE,
   getInstanceState,
-  VariablePayload,
   initialVariablesState,
+  VariablePayload,
   VariablesState,
 } from '../state/types';
 
@@ -45,12 +45,10 @@ export const dataSourceVariableSlice = createSlice({
           continue;
         }
 
-        if (regex && !regex.exec(source.name)) {
-          continue;
+        if (isValid(source, regex)) {
+          options.push({ text: source.name, value: source.name, selected: false });
         }
 
-        options.push({ text: source.name, value: source.name, selected: false });
-
         if (source.isDefault) {
           options.push({ text: 'default', value: 'default', selected: false });
         }
@@ -69,5 +67,13 @@ export const dataSourceVariableSlice = createSlice({
   },
 });
 
+function isValid(source: DataSourceInstanceSettings, regex?: RegExp) {
+  if (!regex) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return regex && regex.exec(source.name);
+}
+
 export const dataSourceVariableReducer = dataSourceVariableSlice.reducer;
 export const { createDataSourceOptions } = dataSourceVariableSlice.actions;