diff --git a/packages/grafana-runtime/src/services/dataSourceSrv.ts b/packages/grafana-runtime/src/services/dataSourceSrv.ts
index 0abf84952cc..f06d8408a2c 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-runtime/src/services/dataSourceSrv.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-runtime/src/services/dataSourceSrv.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export interface DataSourceSrv {
 
   /**
    * Returns metadata based on UID.
+   * @deprecated use getInstanceSettings
    */
   getDataSourceSettingsByUid(uid: string): DataSourceInstanceSettings | undefined;
 
@@ -29,6 +30,11 @@ export interface DataSourceSrv {
    * Get all data sources except for internal ones that usually should not be listed like mixed data source.
    */
   getExternal(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[];
+
+  /**
+   * Get settings and plugin metadata by name or uid
+   */
+  getInstanceSettings(nameOrUid: string | null | undefined): DataSourceInstanceSettings | undefined;
 }
 
 let singletonInstance: DataSourceSrv;
diff --git a/packages/grafana-runtime/src/utils/DataSourceWithBackend.test.ts b/packages/grafana-runtime/src/utils/DataSourceWithBackend.test.ts
index 622fcd4bd93..9cc83b45edb 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-runtime/src/utils/DataSourceWithBackend.test.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-runtime/src/utils/DataSourceWithBackend.test.ts
@@ -19,19 +19,10 @@ const backendSrv = ({
 
 jest.mock('../services', () => ({
   getBackendSrv: () => backendSrv,
-}));
-jest.mock('..', () => ({
-  config: {
-    bootData: {
-      user: {
-        orgId: 77,
-      },
-    },
-    datasources: {
-      sample: {
-        id: 8674,
-      },
-    },
+  getDataSourceSrv: () => {
+    return {
+      getInstanceSettings: () => ({ id: 8674 }),
+    };
   },
 }));
 
@@ -46,6 +37,7 @@ describe('DataSourceWithBackend', () => {
     mockDatasourceRequest.mockReset();
     mockDatasourceRequest.mockReturnValue(Promise.resolve({}));
     const ds = new MyDataSource(settings);
+
     ds.query({
       maxDataPoints: 10,
       intervalMs: 5000,
@@ -64,7 +56,6 @@ describe('DataSourceWithBackend', () => {
               "datasourceId": 1234,
               "intervalMs": 5000,
               "maxDataPoints": 10,
-              "orgId": 77,
               "refId": "A",
             },
             Object {
@@ -72,7 +63,6 @@ describe('DataSourceWithBackend', () => {
               "datasourceId": 8674,
               "intervalMs": 5000,
               "maxDataPoints": 10,
-              "orgId": 77,
               "refId": "B",
             },
           ],
diff --git a/packages/grafana-runtime/src/utils/DataSourceWithBackend.ts b/packages/grafana-runtime/src/utils/DataSourceWithBackend.ts
index 4c8e719a8f7..ebe0b12774d 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-runtime/src/utils/DataSourceWithBackend.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-runtime/src/utils/DataSourceWithBackend.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ import {
 } from '@grafana/data';
 import { Observable, of } from 'rxjs';
 import { map, catchError } from 'rxjs/operators';
-import { config } from '..';
-import { getBackendSrv } from '../services';
+import { getBackendSrv, getDataSourceSrv } from '../services';
 import { toDataQueryResponse } from './queryResponse';
 
 const ExpressionDatasourceID = '__expr__';
@@ -57,34 +56,37 @@ export class DataSourceWithBackend<
    */
   query(request: DataQueryRequest<TQuery>): Observable<DataQueryResponse> {
     const { intervalMs, maxDataPoints, range, requestId } = request;
-    const orgId = config.bootData.user.orgId;
     let targets = request.targets;
+
     if (this.filterQuery) {
       targets = targets.filter(q => this.filterQuery!(q));
     }
+
     const queries = targets.map(q => {
       let datasourceId = this.id;
+
       if (q.datasource === ExpressionDatasourceID) {
         return {
           ...q,
           datasourceId,
-          orgId,
         };
       }
+
       if (q.datasource) {
-        const dsName = q.datasource === 'default' ? config.defaultDatasource : q.datasource;
-        const ds = config.datasources[dsName];
+        const ds = getDataSourceSrv().getInstanceSettings(q.datasource);
+
         if (!ds) {
           throw new Error('Unknown Datasource: ' + q.datasource);
         }
+
         datasourceId = ds.id;
       }
+
       return {
         ...this.applyTemplateVariables(q, request.scopedVars),
         datasourceId,
         intervalMs,
         maxDataPoints,
-        orgId,
       };
     });
 
@@ -93,9 +95,8 @@ export class DataSourceWithBackend<
       return of({ data: [] });
     }
 
-    const body: any = {
-      queries,
-    };
+    const body: any = { queries };
+
     if (range) {
       body.range = range;
       body.from = range.from.valueOf().toString();
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/getAlertingValidationMessage.test.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/getAlertingValidationMessage.test.ts
index f98a765975c..57c06cdf507 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/getAlertingValidationMessage.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/getAlertingValidationMessage.test.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ describe('getAlertingValidationMessage', () => {
         getExternal(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[] {
           return [];
         },
+        getInstanceSettings: (() => {}) as any,
         getAll(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[] {
           return [];
         },
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ describe('getAlertingValidationMessage', () => {
           return Promise.resolve(alertingDatasource);
         },
         getDataSourceSettingsByUid(): any {},
+        getInstanceSettings: (() => {}) as any,
         getExternal(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[] {
           return [];
         },
@@ -96,6 +98,7 @@ describe('getAlertingValidationMessage', () => {
       const datasourceSrv: DataSourceSrv = {
         get: getMock,
         getDataSourceSettingsByUid(): any {},
+        getInstanceSettings: (() => {}) as any,
         getExternal(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[] {
           return [];
         },
@@ -128,6 +131,7 @@ describe('getAlertingValidationMessage', () => {
       const datasourceSrv: DataSourceSrv = {
         get: getMock,
         getDataSourceSettingsByUid(): any {},
+        getInstanceSettings: (() => {}) as any,
         getExternal(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[] {
           return [];
         },
@@ -160,6 +164,7 @@ describe('getAlertingValidationMessage', () => {
       const datasourceSrv: DataSourceSrv = {
         get: getMock,
         getDataSourceSettingsByUid(): any {},
+        getInstanceSettings: (() => {}) as any,
         getExternal(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[] {
           return [];
         },
diff --git a/public/app/features/datasources/state/actions.ts b/public/app/features/datasources/state/actions.ts
index 9d66b201791..e09696dd312 100644
--- a/public/app/features/datasources/state/actions.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/datasources/state/actions.ts
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ function updateFrontendSettings() {
     .then((settings: any) => {
       config.datasources = settings.datasources;
       config.defaultDatasource = settings.defaultDatasource;
-      getDatasourceSrv().init();
+      getDatasourceSrv().init(config.datasources, settings.defaultDatasource);
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/live/scopes.ts b/public/app/features/live/scopes.ts
index 2097db5c3bd..21a68ce76d5 100644
--- a/public/app/features/live/scopes.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/live/scopes.ts
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ export class GrafanaLiveDataSourceScope extends GrafanaLiveScope {
     if (this.names) {
       return Promise.resolve(this.names);
     }
+
     const names: Array<SelectableValue<string>> = [];
+
     for (const [key, ds] of Object.entries(config.datasources)) {
       if (ds.meta.live) {
         try {
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ export class GrafanaLiveDataSourceScope extends GrafanaLiveScope {
         }
       }
     }
+
     return (this.names = names);
   }
 }
diff --git a/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts b/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts
index d892d171cbd..76d86c6000d 100644
--- a/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/plugins/datasource_srv.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 import sortBy from 'lodash/sortBy';
 import coreModule from 'app/core/core_module';
 // Services & Utils
-import config from 'app/core/config';
 import { importDataSourcePlugin } from './plugin_loader';
 import {
   DataSourceSrv as DataSourceService,
@@ -18,47 +17,74 @@ import { expressionDatasource } from 'app/features/expressions/ExpressionDatasou
 import { DataSourceVariableModel } from '../variables/types';
 
 export class DatasourceSrv implements DataSourceService {
-  datasources: Record<string, DataSourceApi> = {};
+  private datasources: Record<string, DataSourceApi> = {};
+  private settingsMapByName: Record<string, DataSourceInstanceSettings> = {};
+  private settingsMapByUid: Record<string, DataSourceInstanceSettings> = {};
+  private defaultName = '';
 
   /** @ngInject */
   constructor(
     private $injector: auto.IInjectorService,
     private $rootScope: GrafanaRootScope,
     private templateSrv: TemplateSrv
-  ) {
-    this.init();
-  }
+  ) {}
 
-  init() {
+  init(settingsMapByName: Record<string, DataSourceInstanceSettings>, defaultName: string) {
     this.datasources = {};
+    this.settingsMapByUid = {};
+    this.settingsMapByName = settingsMapByName;
+    this.defaultName = defaultName;
+
+    for (const dsSettings of Object.values(settingsMapByName)) {
+      this.settingsMapByUid[dsSettings.uid] = dsSettings;
+    }
   }
 
   getDataSourceSettingsByUid(uid: string): DataSourceInstanceSettings | undefined {
-    return Object.values(config.datasources).find(ds => ds.uid === uid);
+    return this.settingsMapByUid[uid];
   }
 
-  get(name?: string | null, scopedVars?: ScopedVars): Promise<DataSourceApi> {
-    if (!name) {
-      return this.get(config.defaultDatasource);
+  getInstanceSettings(nameOrUid: string | null | undefined): DataSourceInstanceSettings | undefined {
+    if (nameOrUid === 'default' || nameOrUid === null || nameOrUid === undefined) {
+      return this.settingsMapByName[this.defaultName];
+    }
+
+    return this.settingsMapByUid[nameOrUid] ?? this.settingsMapByName[nameOrUid];
+  }
+
+  get(nameOrUid?: string | null, scopedVars?: ScopedVars): Promise<DataSourceApi> {
+    if (!nameOrUid) {
+      return this.get(this.defaultName);
+    }
+
+    // Check if nameOrUid matches a uid and then get the name
+    const byUid = this.settingsMapByUid[nameOrUid];
+    if (byUid) {
+      nameOrUid = byUid.name;
+    }
+
+    // This check is duplicated below, this is here mainly as performance optimization to skip interpolation
+    if (this.datasources[nameOrUid]) {
+      return Promise.resolve(this.datasources[nameOrUid]);
     }
 
     // Interpolation here is to support template variable in data source selection
-    name = this.templateSrv.replace(name, scopedVars, (value: any[]) => {
+    nameOrUid = this.templateSrv.replace(nameOrUid, scopedVars, (value: any[]) => {
       if (Array.isArray(value)) {
         return value[0];
       }
       return value;
     });
 
-    if (name === 'default') {
-      return this.get(config.defaultDatasource);
+    if (nameOrUid === 'default') {
+      return this.get(this.defaultName);
     }
 
-    if (this.datasources[name]) {
-      return Promise.resolve(this.datasources[name]);
+    if (this.datasources[nameOrUid]) {
+      return Promise.resolve(this.datasources[nameOrUid]);
     }
 
-    return this.loadDatasource(name);
+    return this.loadDatasource(nameOrUid);
   }
 
   async loadDatasource(name: string): Promise<DataSourceApi<any, any>> {
@@ -68,7 +94,7 @@ export class DatasourceSrv implements DataSourceService {
       return Promise.resolve(expressionDatasource);
     }
 
-    const dsConfig = config.datasources[name];
+    const dsConfig = this.settingsMapByName[name];
     if (!dsConfig) {
       return Promise.reject({ message: `Datasource named ${name} was not found` });
     }
@@ -101,8 +127,7 @@ export class DatasourceSrv implements DataSourceService {
   }
 
   getAll(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[] {
-    const { datasources } = config;
-    return Object.keys(datasources).map(name => datasources[name]);
+    return Object.values(this.settingsMapByName);
   }
 
   getExternal(): DataSourceInstanceSettings[] {
@@ -115,7 +140,7 @@ export class DatasourceSrv implements DataSourceService {
 
     this.addDataSourceVariables(sources);
 
-    Object.values(config.datasources).forEach(value => {
+    Object.values(this.settingsMapByName).forEach(value => {
       if (value.meta?.annotations) {
         sources.push(value);
       }
@@ -127,7 +152,7 @@ export class DatasourceSrv implements DataSourceService {
   getMetricSources(options?: { skipVariables?: boolean }) {
     const metricSources: DataSourceSelectItem[] = [];
 
-    Object.entries(config.datasources).forEach(([key, value]) => {
+    Object.entries(this.settingsMapByName).forEach(([key, value]) => {
       if (value.meta?.metrics) {
         let metricSource: DataSourceSelectItem = { value: key, name: key, meta: value.meta, sort: key };
 
@@ -142,7 +167,7 @@ export class DatasourceSrv implements DataSourceService {
 
         metricSources.push(metricSource);
 
-        if (key === config.defaultDatasource) {
+        if (key === this.defaultName) {
           metricSource = { value: null, name: 'default', meta: value.meta, sort: key };
           metricSources.push(metricSource);
         }
@@ -172,9 +197,9 @@ export class DatasourceSrv implements DataSourceService {
       .getVariables()
       .filter(variable => variable.type === 'datasource')
       .forEach((variable: DataSourceVariableModel) => {
-        const first = variable.current.value === 'default' ? config.defaultDatasource : variable.current.value;
+        const first = variable.current.value === 'default' ? this.defaultName : variable.current.value;
         const index = (first as unknown) as string;
-        const ds = config.datasources[index];
+        const ds = this.settingsMapByName[index];
 
         if (ds) {
           const key = `$${variable.name}`;
diff --git a/public/app/features/plugins/specs/datasource_srv.test.ts b/public/app/features/plugins/specs/datasource_srv.test.ts
index 36b59e9f6e9..ccd3e631394 100644
--- a/public/app/features/plugins/specs/datasource_srv.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/plugins/specs/datasource_srv.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-import config from 'app/core/config';
 import 'app/features/plugins/datasource_srv';
 import { DatasourceSrv } from 'app/features/plugins/datasource_srv';
-import { DataSourcePluginMeta, PluginMeta } from '@grafana/data';
+import { DataSourceInstanceSettings, DataSourcePlugin, DataSourcePluginMeta, PluginMeta } from '@grafana/data';
 
 // Datasource variable $datasource with current value 'BBB'
 const templateSrv: any = {
@@ -14,41 +13,72 @@ const templateSrv: any = {
       },
     },
   ],
+  replace: (v: string) => v,
 };
 
+class TestDataSource {
+  constructor(public instanceSettings: DataSourceInstanceSettings) {}
+}
+
+jest.mock('../plugin_loader', () => ({
+  importDataSourcePlugin: () => {
+    return Promise.resolve(new DataSourcePlugin(TestDataSource as any));
+  },
+}));
+
 describe('datasource_srv', () => {
   const _datasourceSrv = new DatasourceSrv({} as any, {} as any, templateSrv);
+  const datasources = {
+    buildIn: {
+      id: 1,
+      uid: '1',
+      type: 'b',
+      name: 'buildIn',
+      meta: { builtIn: true } as DataSourcePluginMeta,
+      jsonData: {},
+    },
+    external1: {
+      id: 2,
+      uid: '2',
+      type: 'e',
+      name: 'external1',
+      meta: { builtIn: false } as DataSourcePluginMeta,
+      jsonData: {},
+    },
+    external2: {
+      id: 3,
+      uid: '3',
+      type: 'e2',
+      name: 'external2',
+      meta: {} as PluginMeta,
+      jsonData: {},
+    },
+  };
 
-  describe('when loading external datasources', () => {
-    beforeEach(() => {
-      config.datasources = {
-        buildInDs: {
-          id: 1,
-          uid: '1',
-          type: 'b',
-          name: 'buildIn',
-          meta: { builtIn: true } as DataSourcePluginMeta,
-          jsonData: {},
-        },
-        nonBuildIn: {
-          id: 2,
-          uid: '2',
-          type: 'e',
-          name: 'external1',
-          meta: { builtIn: false } as DataSourcePluginMeta,
-          jsonData: {},
-        },
-        nonExplore: {
-          id: 3,
-          uid: '3',
-          type: 'e2',
-          name: 'external2',
-          meta: {} as PluginMeta,
-          jsonData: {},
-        },
-      };
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    _datasourceSrv.init(datasources, 'external1');
+  });
+
+  describe('when getting data source class instance', () => {
+    it('should load plugin and create instance and set meta', async () => {
+      const ds = (await _datasourceSrv.get('external1')) as any;
+      expect(ds.meta).toBe(datasources.external1.meta);
+      expect(ds.instanceSettings).toBe(datasources.external1);
+
+      // validate that it caches instance
+      const ds2 = await _datasourceSrv.get('external1');
+      expect(ds).toBe(ds2);
     });
 
+    it('should be able to load data source using uid as well', async () => {
+      const dsByUid = await _datasourceSrv.get('2');
+      const dsByName = await _datasourceSrv.get('external1');
+      expect(dsByUid.meta).toBe(datasources.external1.meta);
+      expect(dsByUid).toBe(dsByName);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when getting external metric sources', () => {
     it('should return list of explore sources', () => {
       const externalSources = _datasourceSrv.getExternal();
       expect(externalSources.length).toBe(2);
@@ -59,45 +89,48 @@ describe('datasource_srv', () => {
 
   describe('when loading metric sources', () => {
     let metricSources: any;
-    const unsortedDatasources = {
-      mmm: {
-        type: 'test-db',
-        meta: { metrics: { m: 1 } },
-      },
-      '--Grafana--': {
-        type: 'grafana',
-        meta: { builtIn: true, metrics: { m: 1 }, id: 'grafana' },
-      },
-      '--Mixed--': {
-        type: 'test-db',
-        meta: { builtIn: true, metrics: { m: 1 }, id: 'mixed' },
-      },
-      ZZZ: {
-        type: 'test-db',
-        meta: { metrics: { m: 1 } },
-      },
-      aaa: {
-        type: 'test-db',
-        meta: { metrics: { m: 1 } },
-      },
-      BBB: {
-        type: 'test-db',
-        meta: { metrics: { m: 1 } },
-      },
-    };
+
     beforeEach(() => {
-      config.datasources = unsortedDatasources as any;
+      _datasourceSrv.init(
+        {
+          mmm: {
+            type: 'test-db',
+            meta: { metrics: true } as any,
+          },
+          '--Grafana--': {
+            type: 'grafana',
+            meta: { builtIn: true, metrics: true, id: 'grafana' },
+          },
+          '--Mixed--': {
+            type: 'test-db',
+            meta: { builtIn: true, metrics: true, id: 'mixed' },
+          },
+          ZZZ: {
+            type: 'test-db',
+            meta: { metrics: true },
+          },
+          aaa: {
+            type: 'test-db',
+            meta: { metrics: true },
+          },
+          BBB: {
+            type: 'test-db',
+            meta: { metrics: true },
+          },
+        } as any,
+        'BBB'
+      );
       metricSources = _datasourceSrv.getMetricSources({});
-      config.defaultDatasource = 'BBB';
     });
 
     it('should return a list of sources sorted case insensitively with builtin sources last', () => {
       expect(metricSources[1].name).toBe('aaa');
       expect(metricSources[2].name).toBe('BBB');
-      expect(metricSources[3].name).toBe('mmm');
-      expect(metricSources[4].name).toBe('ZZZ');
-      expect(metricSources[5].name).toBe('--Grafana--');
-      expect(metricSources[6].name).toBe('--Mixed--');
+      expect(metricSources[3].name).toBe('default');
+      expect(metricSources[4].name).toBe('mmm');
+      expect(metricSources[5].name).toBe('ZZZ');
+      expect(metricSources[6].name).toBe('--Grafana--');
+      expect(metricSources[7].name).toBe('--Mixed--');
     });
 
     it('should set default data source', () => {
diff --git a/public/app/routes/GrafanaCtrl.ts b/public/app/routes/GrafanaCtrl.ts
index d51c2b9d4df..a6c58fa9aec 100644
--- a/public/app/routes/GrafanaCtrl.ts
+++ b/public/app/routes/GrafanaCtrl.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ export class GrafanaCtrl {
     setDashboardSrv(dashboardSrv);
     setLegacyAngularInjector($injector);
 
+    datasourceSrv.init(config.datasources, config.defaultDatasource);
+
     locationUtil.initialize({
       getConfig: () => config,
       getTimeRangeForUrl: getTimeSrv().timeRangeForUrl,