diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/.storybook/config.ts b/packages/grafana-ui/.storybook/config.ts
index 98a4ee8bd9e..9c32f3c7e34 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/.storybook/config.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/.storybook/config.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const handleThemeChange = (theme: string) => {
   }
 };
 // automatically import all files ending in *.stories.tsx
-const req = require.context('../src/components', true, /.story.tsx$/);
+const req = require.context('../src', true, /.story.tsx$/);
 
 addDecorator(withKnobs);
 addDecorator(withPaddedStory);
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/Select.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/Select.tsx
index 929d369c951..3721ae4ef37 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/Select.tsx
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/Select.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ import { default as ReactAsyncSelect } from '@torkelo/react-select/lib/Async';
 import { components } from '@torkelo/react-select';
 
 // Components
-import { SelectOption, SingleValue } from './SelectOption';
+import { SelectOption } from './SelectOption';
+import { SingleValue } from './SingleValue';
 import SelectOptionGroup from './SelectOptionGroup';
 import IndicatorsContainer from './IndicatorsContainer';
 import NoOptionsMessage from './NoOptionsMessage';
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/SelectOption.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/SelectOption.tsx
index 624487940c1..249183eba0c 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/SelectOption.tsx
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/SelectOption.tsx
@@ -30,18 +30,4 @@ export const SelectOption = (props: ExtendedOptionProps) => {
   );
 };
 
-// was not able to type this without typescript error
-export const SingleValue = (props: any) => {
-  const { children, data } = props;
-
-  return (
-    <components.SingleValue {...props}>
-      <div className="gf-form-select-box__img-value">
-        {data.imgUrl && <img className="gf-form-select-box__desc-option__img" src={data.imgUrl} />}
-        {children}
-      </div>
-    </components.SingleValue>
-  );
-};
-
 export default SelectOption;
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/SingleValue.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/SingleValue.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9346537cbd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Select/SingleValue.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import { css, cx } from 'emotion';
+
+// Ignoring because I couldn't get @types/react-select work wih Torkel's fork
+// @ts-ignore
+import { components } from '@torkelo/react-select';
+import { FadeTransition, Spinner } from '..';
+import { useDelayedSwitch } from '../../utils/useDelayedSwitch';
+import { stylesFactory } from '../../themes';
+
+const getStyles = stylesFactory(() => {
+  const container = css`
+    width: 16px;
+    height: 16px;
+    display: inline-block;
+    margin-right: 10px;
+    position: relative;
+    vertical-align: middle;
+  `;
+
+  const item = css`
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    position: absolute;
+  `;
+
+  return { container, item };
+});
+
+type Props = {
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+  data: {
+    imgUrl?: string;
+    loading?: boolean;
+  };
+};
+
+export const SingleValue = (props: Props) => {
+  const { children, data } = props;
+  const styles = getStyles();
+
+  const loading = useDelayedSwitch(data.loading || false, { delay: 250, duration: 750 });
+
+  return (
+    <components.SingleValue {...props}>
+      <div className={cx('gf-form-select-box__img-value')}>
+        <div className={styles.container}>
+          <FadeTransition duration={150} visible={loading}>
+            <Spinner className={styles.item} inline />
+          </FadeTransition>
+          {data.imgUrl && (
+            <FadeTransition duration={150} visible={!loading}>
+              <img className={styles.item} src={data.imgUrl} />
+            </FadeTransition>
+          )}
+        </div>
+        {children}
+      </div>
+    </components.SingleValue>
+  );
+};
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Spinner/Spinner.story.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Spinner/Spinner.story.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..90ecc20e748
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Spinner/Spinner.story.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { storiesOf } from '@storybook/react';
+import { withCenteredStory } from '../../utils/storybook/withCenteredStory';
+import { Spinner } from './Spinner';
+
+const story = storiesOf('UI/Spinner', module);
+story.addDecorator(withCenteredStory);
+story.add('spinner', () => {
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <Spinner />
+    </div>
+  );
+});
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Spinner/Spinner.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Spinner/Spinner.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2642c019f9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/Spinner/Spinner.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import React, { FC } from 'react';
+import { cx, css } from 'emotion';
+import { stylesFactory } from '../../themes';
+
+const getStyles = stylesFactory((size: number, inline: boolean) => {
+  return {
+    wrapper: css`
+      font-size: ${size}px;
+      ${inline
+        ? css`
+            display: inline-block;
+          `
+        : ''}
+    `,
+  };
+});
+
+type Props = {
+  className?: string;
+  style?: React.CSSProperties;
+  iconClassName?: string;
+  inline?: boolean;
+  size?: number;
+};
+export const Spinner: FC<Props> = (props: Props) => {
+  const { className, inline = false, iconClassName, style, size = 16 } = props;
+  const styles = getStyles(size, inline);
+  return (
+    <div style={style} className={cx(styles.wrapper, className)}>
+      <i className={cx('fa fa-spinner fa-spin', iconClassName)} />
+    </div>
+  );
+};
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/index.ts b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/index.ts
index a55f3f91d81..4e6505f1b8e 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/index.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/index.ts
@@ -86,3 +86,5 @@ export { JSONFormatter } from './JSONFormatter/JSONFormatter';
 export { JsonExplorer } from './JSONFormatter/json_explorer/json_explorer';
 export { ErrorBoundary, ErrorBoundaryAlert } from './ErrorBoundary/ErrorBoundary';
 export { AlphaNotice } from './AlphaNotice/AlphaNotice';
+export { Spinner } from './Spinner/Spinner';
+export { FadeTransition } from './transitions/FadeTransition';
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/transitions/FadeTransition.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/transitions/FadeTransition.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9b3159a7781
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/transitions/FadeTransition.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import { css } from 'emotion';
+import { CSSTransition } from 'react-transition-group';
+import { stylesFactory } from '../../themes';
+
+const getStyles = stylesFactory((duration: number) => {
+  return {
+    enter: css`
+      label: enter;
+      opacity: 0;
+    `,
+    enterActive: css`
+      label: enterActive;
+      opacity: 1;
+      transition: opacity ${duration}ms ease-out;
+    `,
+    exit: css`
+      label: exit;
+      opacity: 1;
+    `,
+    exitActive: css`
+      label: exitActive;
+      opacity: 0;
+      transition: opacity ${duration}ms ease-out;
+    `,
+  };
+});
+
+type Props = {
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+  visible: boolean;
+  duration?: number;
+};
+
+export function FadeTransition(props: Props) {
+  const { visible, children, duration = 250 } = props;
+  const styles = getStyles(duration);
+  return (
+    <CSSTransition in={visible} mountOnEnter={true} unmountOnExit={true} timeout={duration} classNames={styles}>
+      {children}
+    </CSSTransition>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/utils/useDelayedSwitch.story.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/utils/useDelayedSwitch.story.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d62a9132968
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/utils/useDelayedSwitch.story.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { storiesOf } from '@storybook/react';
+import { withCenteredStory } from './storybook/withCenteredStory';
+import { useDelayedSwitch } from './useDelayedSwitch';
+import { boolean, number } from '@storybook/addon-knobs';
+
+const getKnobs = () => {
+  return {
+    value: boolean('Value', false),
+    duration: number('Duration to stay on', 2000),
+    delay: number('Delay before switching on', 2000),
+  };
+};
+
+function StoryWrapper() {
+  const { value, delay = 0, duration = 0 } = getKnobs();
+  const valueDelayed = useDelayedSwitch(value, { delay, duration });
+  return <div>{valueDelayed ? 'ON' : 'OFF'}</div>;
+}
+
+const story = storiesOf('Utils/useDelayedSwitch', module);
+story.addDecorator(withCenteredStory);
+story.add('useDelayedSwitch', () => {
+  return <StoryWrapper />;
+});
diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/utils/useDelayedSwitch.ts b/packages/grafana-ui/src/utils/useDelayedSwitch.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..99f0bdb9a6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/utils/useDelayedSwitch.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+
+type DelayOptions = {
+  // Minimal amount of time the switch will be on.
+  duration?: number;
+  // Delay after which switch will turn on.
+  delay?: number;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Hook that delays changing of boolean switch to prevent too much time spent in "on" state. It is kind of a throttle
+ * but you can specify different time for on and off throttling so this only allows a boolean values and also prefers
+ * to stay "off" so turning "on" is always delayed while turning "off" is throttled.
+ *
+ * This is useful for showing loading elements to prevent it flashing too much in case of quick loading time or
+ * prevent it flash if loaded state comes right after switch to loading.
+ */
+export function useDelayedSwitch(value: boolean, options: DelayOptions = {}): boolean {
+  const { duration = 250, delay = 250 } = options;
+
+  const [delayedValue, setDelayedValue] = useState(value);
+  const onStartTime = useRef<Date | undefined>();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let timeout: number | undefined;
+    if (value) {
+      // If toggling to "on" state we always setTimout no matter how long we have been "off".
+      timeout = setTimeout(() => {
+        onStartTime.current = new Date();
+        setDelayedValue(value);
+      }, delay) as any;
+    } else {
+      // If toggling to "off" state we check how much time we were already "on".
+      const timeSpent = onStartTime.current ? Date.now() - onStartTime.current.valueOf() : 0;
+      const turnOff = () => {
+        onStartTime.current = undefined;
+        setDelayedValue(value);
+      };
+      if (timeSpent >= duration) {
+        // We already spent enough time "on" so change right away.
+        turnOff();
+      } else {
+        timeout = setTimeout(turnOff, duration - timeSpent) as any;
+      }
+    }
+    return () => {
+      if (timeout) {
+        clearTimeout(timeout);
+        timeout = undefined;
+      }
+    };
+  }, [value, duration, delay]);
+
+  return delayedValue;
+}
diff --git a/public/app/core/components/Select/DataSourcePicker.tsx b/public/app/core/components/Select/DataSourcePicker.tsx
index 6edd54d0b44..984c7d062e5 100644
--- a/public/app/core/components/Select/DataSourcePicker.tsx
+++ b/public/app/core/components/Select/DataSourcePicker.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export interface Props {
   onBlur?: () => void;
   autoFocus?: boolean;
   openMenuOnFocus?: boolean;
+  showLoading?: boolean;
 }
 
 export class DataSourcePicker extends PureComponent<Props> {
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ export class DataSourcePicker extends PureComponent<Props> {
   };
 
   render() {
-    const { datasources, current, autoFocus, onBlur, openMenuOnFocus } = this.props;
+    const { datasources, current, autoFocus, onBlur, openMenuOnFocus, showLoading } = this.props;
 
     const options = datasources.map(ds => ({
       value: ds.name,
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ export class DataSourcePicker extends PureComponent<Props> {
       label: current.name,
       value: current.name,
       imgUrl: current.meta.info.logos.small,
+      loading: showLoading,
     };
 
     return (
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/Explore.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/Explore.tsx
index 45503d50e7b..16028807666 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/Explore.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/Explore.tsx
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ interface ExploreProps {
   changeSize: typeof changeSize;
   datasourceError: string;
   datasourceInstance: DataSourceApi;
-  datasourceLoading: boolean | null;
   datasourceMissing: boolean;
   exploreId: ExploreId;
   initializeExplore: typeof initializeExplore;
@@ -251,7 +250,6 @@ export class Explore extends React.PureComponent<ExploreProps> {
       StartPage,
       datasourceInstance,
       datasourceError,
-      datasourceLoading,
       datasourceMissing,
       exploreId,
       showingStartPage,
@@ -272,7 +270,6 @@ export class Explore extends React.PureComponent<ExploreProps> {
     return (
       <div className={exploreClass} ref={this.getRef}>
         <ExploreToolbar exploreId={exploreId} onChangeTime={this.onChangeTime} />
-        {datasourceLoading ? <div className="explore-container">Loading datasource...</div> : null}
         {datasourceMissing ? this.renderEmptyState() : null}
 
         <FadeIn duration={datasourceError ? 150 : 5} in={datasourceError ? true : false}>
@@ -360,7 +357,6 @@ function mapStateToProps(state: StoreState, { exploreId }: ExploreProps): Partia
     StartPage,
     datasourceError,
     datasourceInstance,
-    datasourceLoading,
     datasourceMissing,
     initialized,
     showingStartPage,
@@ -406,7 +402,6 @@ function mapStateToProps(state: StoreState, { exploreId }: ExploreProps): Partia
     StartPage,
     datasourceError,
     datasourceInstance,
-    datasourceLoading,
     datasourceMissing,
     initialized,
     showingStartPage,
diff --git a/public/app/features/explore/ExploreToolbar.tsx b/public/app/features/explore/ExploreToolbar.tsx
index 26469eac606..0d98dc8a0a6 100644
--- a/public/app/features/explore/ExploreToolbar.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/explore/ExploreToolbar.tsx
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ interface StateProps {
   isPaused: boolean;
   originPanelId: number;
   queries: DataQuery[];
+  datasourceLoading: boolean | null;
 }
 
 interface DispatchProps {
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ export class UnConnectedExploreToolbar extends PureComponent<Props, {}> {
       isLive,
       isPaused,
       originPanelId,
+      datasourceLoading,
     } = this.props;
 
     const styles = getStyles();
@@ -193,6 +195,7 @@ export class UnConnectedExploreToolbar extends PureComponent<Props, {}> {
                     onChange={this.onChangeDatasource}
                     datasources={exploreDatasources}
                     current={selectedDatasource}
+                    showLoading={datasourceLoading}
                   />
                 </div>
                 {supportedModes.length > 1 ? (
@@ -316,6 +319,7 @@ const mapStateToProps = (state: StoreState, { exploreId }: OwnProps): StateProps
     isPaused,
     originPanelId,
     queries,
+    datasourceLoading,
   } = exploreItem;
   const selectedDatasource = datasourceInstance
     ? exploreDatasources.find(datasource => datasource.name === datasourceInstance.name)
@@ -339,6 +343,7 @@ const mapStateToProps = (state: StoreState, { exploreId }: OwnProps): StateProps
     isPaused,
     originPanelId,
     queries,
+    datasourceLoading,
   };
 };
 
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/stackdriver/components/__snapshots__/QueryEditor.test.tsx.snap b/public/app/plugins/datasource/stackdriver/components/__snapshots__/QueryEditor.test.tsx.snap
index 1b2b4147e44..8b53b129511 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/stackdriver/components/__snapshots__/QueryEditor.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/stackdriver/components/__snapshots__/QueryEditor.test.tsx.snap
@@ -318,6 +318,9 @@ Array [
                 <div
                   className="gf-form-select-box__img-value"
                 >
+                  <div
+                    className="css-zyq2zu"
+                  />
                   stackdriver auto
                 </div>
               </div>