diff --git a/.betterer.results b/.betterer.results
index 730dabb6942..0f6c8fba7a6 100644
--- a/.betterer.results
+++ b/.betterer.results
@@ -2824,6 +2824,11 @@ exports[`better eslint`] = {
       [0, 0, 0, "No untranslated strings. Wrap text with <Trans />", "1"],
       [0, 0, 0, "No untranslated strings. Wrap text with <Trans />", "2"]
     ],
+    "public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.test.ts:5381": [
+      [0, 0, 0, "Unexpected any. Specify a different type.", "0"],
+      [0, 0, 0, "Unexpected any. Specify a different type.", "1"],
+      [0, 0, 0, "Unexpected any. Specify a different type.", "2"]
+    ],
     "public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts:5381": [
       [0, 0, 0, "Do not use any type assertions.", "0"],
       [0, 0, 0, "Do not use any type assertions.", "1"],
@@ -2847,11 +2852,6 @@ exports[`better eslint`] = {
       [0, 0, 0, "Do not use any type assertions.", "1"],
       [0, 0, 0, "Do not use any type assertions.", "2"]
     ],
-    "public/app/features/plugins/tests/datasource_srv.test.ts:5381": [
-      [0, 0, 0, "Unexpected any. Specify a different type.", "0"],
-      [0, 0, 0, "Unexpected any. Specify a different type.", "1"],
-      [0, 0, 0, "Unexpected any. Specify a different type.", "2"]
-    ],
     "public/app/features/plugins/utils.ts:5381": [
       [0, 0, 0, "Do not use any type assertions.", "0"],
       [0, 0, 0, "Do not use any type assertions.", "1"],
diff --git a/public/app/features/plugins/tests/datasource_srv.test.ts b/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.test.ts
similarity index 95%
rename from public/app/features/plugins/tests/datasource_srv.test.ts
rename to public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.test.ts
index c23f4d9cd6b..4d2592ea4b6 100644
--- a/public/app/features/plugins/tests/datasource_srv.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.test.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class TestRuntimeDataSource extends RuntimeDataSource {
   }
 }
 
-jest.mock('../plugin_loader', () => ({
+jest.mock('./plugin_loader', () => ({
   importDataSourcePlugin: (meta: DataSourcePluginMeta) => {
     return Promise.resolve(new DataSourcePlugin(TestDataSource as any));
   },
@@ -90,17 +90,17 @@ describe('datasource_srv', () => {
       meta: { metrics: true, annotations: true },
     },
     '-- Grafana --': {
-      type: 'grafana',
+      type: 'datasource',
       name: '-- Grafana --',
       meta: { builtIn: true, metrics: true, id: 'grafana' },
     },
     '-- Dashboard --': {
-      type: 'dashboard',
+      type: 'datasource',
       name: '-- Dashboard --',
       meta: { builtIn: true, metrics: true, id: 'dashboard' },
     },
     '-- Mixed --': {
-      type: 'test-db',
+      type: 'datasource',
       name: '-- Mixed --',
       meta: { builtIn: true, metrics: true, id: 'mixed' },
     },
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ describe('datasource_srv', () => {
     TestData: {
       type: 'grafana-testdata-datasource',
       name: 'TestData',
+      uid: 'testdata',
       meta: { metrics: true, id: 'grafana-testdata-datasource', aliasIDs: ['testdata'] },
     },
   };
@@ -312,6 +313,20 @@ describe('datasource_srv', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    describe('when getting datasource by type', () => {
+      it('should return the first value of each type', async () => {
+        const jaeger = await dataSourceSrv.get({ type: `jaeger-db` });
+        const testdata = await dataSourceSrv.get({ type: `grafana-testdata-datasource` });
+        expect(jaeger.uid).toBe('uid-code-Jaeger');
+        expect(testdata.uid).toBe('testdata');
+      });
+
+      it('should prefer the default value', async () => {
+        const api = await dataSourceSrv.get({ type: `test-db` });
+        expect(api.uid).toBe('uid-code-BBB');
+      });
+    });
+
     it('Should by default filter out data sources that cannot be queried', () => {
       const list = dataSourceSrv.getList({});
       expect(list.find((x) => x.name === 'no-query')).toBeUndefined();
@@ -407,7 +422,7 @@ describe('datasource_srv', () => {
             },
             "name": "TestData",
             "type": "grafana-testdata-datasource",
-            "uid": "TestData",
+            "uid": "testdata",
           },
           {
             "meta": {
@@ -424,7 +439,7 @@ describe('datasource_srv', () => {
               "metrics": true,
             },
             "name": "-- Mixed --",
-            "type": "test-db",
+            "type": "datasource",
             "uid": "-- Mixed --",
           },
           {
@@ -434,7 +449,7 @@ describe('datasource_srv', () => {
               "metrics": true,
             },
             "name": "-- Dashboard --",
-            "type": "dashboard",
+            "type": "datasource",
             "uid": "-- Dashboard --",
           },
           {
@@ -444,7 +459,7 @@ describe('datasource_srv', () => {
               "metrics": true,
             },
             "name": "-- Grafana --",
-            "type": "grafana",
+            "type": "datasource",
             "uid": "-- Grafana --",
           },
         ]
diff --git a/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts b/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts
index e145a2e8db0..15b0fe15bd0 100644
--- a/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   DataSourceRef,
   DataSourceSelectItem,
   ScopedVars,
+  isObject,
   matchPluginId,
 } from '@grafana/data';
 import {
@@ -142,6 +143,15 @@ export class DatasourceSrv implements DataSourceService {
   get(ref?: string | DataSourceRef | null, scopedVars?: ScopedVars): Promise<DataSourceApi> {
     let nameOrUid = getNameOrUid(ref);
     if (!nameOrUid) {
+      // type exists, but not the other properties
+      if (isDatasourceRef(ref)) {
+        const settings = this.getList({ type: ref.type });
+        if (!settings?.length) {
+          return Promise.reject('no datasource of type');
+        }
+        const ds = settings.find((v) => v.isDefault) ?? settings[0];
+        return this.get(ds.uid);
+      }
       return this.get(this.defaultName);
     }
 
@@ -385,6 +395,13 @@ export function variableInterpolation<T>(value: T | T[]) {
   return value;
 }
 
+const isDatasourceRef = (ref: string | DataSourceRef | null | undefined): ref is DataSourceRef => {
+  if (ref && isObject(ref) && 'type' in ref) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+};
+
 export const getDatasourceSrv = (): DatasourceSrv => {
   return getDataSourceService() as DatasourceSrv;
 };