diff --git a/devenv/dev-dashboards/feature-templating/templating-dashboard-links-and-variables.json b/devenv/dev-dashboards/feature-templating/templating-dashboard-links-and-variables.json
index ab94db3f055..f5751ec42f5 100644
--- a/devenv/dev-dashboards/feature-templating/templating-dashboard-links-and-variables.json
+++ b/devenv/dev-dashboards/feature-templating/templating-dashboard-links-and-variables.json
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
   "gnetId": null,
   "graphTooltip": 0,
   "id": null,
-  "iteration": 1646409057541,
+  "iteration": 1601526910610,
   "links": [
     {
       "icon": "external link",
@@ -73,61 +73,6 @@
       "timeShift": null,
       "title": "${custom.text}",
       "type": "text"
-    },
-    {
-      "id": 4,
-      "gridPos": {
-        "h": 9,
-        "w": 9,
-        "x": 12,
-        "y": 0
-      },
-      "type": "stat",
-      "title": "Panel Title",
-      "fieldConfig": {
-        "defaults": {
-          "mappings": [],
-          "thresholds": {
-            "mode": "absolute",
-            "steps": [
-              {
-                "color": "green",
-                "value": null
-              },
-              {
-                "color": "red",
-                "value": 80
-              }
-            ]
-          },
-          "color": {
-            "mode": "thresholds"
-          },
-          "links": [
-            {
-              "title": "Var Link",
-              "url": "/d/vmie2cmWz/bar-gauge-demo?var-custom=$custom"
-            }
-          ]
-        },
-        "overrides": []
-      },
-      "options": {
-        "reduceOptions": {
-          "values": false,
-          "calcs": [
-            "lastNotNull"
-          ],
-          "fields": ""
-        },
-        "orientation": "auto",
-        "textMode": "auto",
-        "colorMode": "value",
-        "graphMode": "area",
-        "justifyMode": "auto"
-      },
-      "pluginVersion": "8.5.0-pre",
-      "datasource": null
     }
   ],
   "schemaVersion": 26,
@@ -167,11 +112,6 @@
             "selected": false,
             "text": "p3",
             "value": "p3"
-          },
-          {
-            "selected": false,
-            "text": "p4",
-            "value": "test%25value"
           }
         ],
         "query": "p1,p2,p3",
diff --git a/e2e/dashboards-suite/templating-dashboard-links-and-variables.spec.ts b/e2e/dashboards-suite/templating-dashboard-links-and-variables.spec.ts
index 2c4fe236baf..c2eb79f780c 100644
--- a/e2e/dashboards-suite/templating-dashboard-links-and-variables.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/dashboards-suite/templating-dashboard-links-and-variables.spec.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ e2e.scenario({
           expect(links).to.have.length.greaterThan(13);
 
           for (let index = 0; index < links.length; index++) {
-            expect(Cypress.$(links[index]).attr('href')).contains(`var-custom=${encodeURI(variableValue)}`);
+            expect(Cypress.$(links[index]).attr('href')).contains(`var-custom=${variableValue}`);
           }
         });
     };
@@ -44,14 +44,6 @@ e2e.scenario({
     // verify all links, should have All value
     verifyLinks('All');
 
-    // Data links should percent encode var values
-    e2e()
-      .get('[aria-label="Data link"]')
-      .should('exist')
-      .and((link) => {
-        expect(link.attr('href')).contains(encodeURI('test%25value'));
-      });
-
     e2e.pages.Dashboard.SubMenu.submenuItemValueDropDownValueLinkTexts('All').should('be.visible').click();
 
     e2e.pages.Dashboard.SubMenu.submenuItemValueDropDownOptionTexts('p2').should('be.visible').click();
diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/field/fieldOverrides.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/field/fieldOverrides.ts
index d6358395d80..a2292847c2f 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/field/fieldOverrides.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/field/fieldOverrides.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   ApplyFieldOverrideOptions,
   DataFrame,
+  DataLink,
   DisplayProcessor,
   DisplayValue,
   DynamicConfigValue,
@@ -352,7 +353,7 @@ export const getLinksSupplier =
     const timeRangeUrl = locationUtil.getTimeRangeUrlParams();
     const { timeField } = getTimeField(frame);
 
-    return field.config.links.map((link) => {
+    return field.config.links.map((link: DataLink) => {
       const variablesQuery = locationUtil.getVariablesUrlParams();
       let dataFrameVars = {};
       let valueVars = {};
@@ -438,7 +439,7 @@ export const getLinksSupplier =
       }
 
       let href = locationUtil.assureBaseUrl(link.url.replace(/\n/g, ''));
-      href = replaceVariables(href, variables, encodeURIComponent);
+      href = replaceVariables(href, variables);
       href = locationUtil.processUrl(href);
 
       const info: LinkModel<Field> = {