diff --git a/public/app/directives/variableValueSelect.js b/public/app/directives/variableValueSelect.js
index f77510afc0d..41f8d5b1322 100644
--- a/public/app/directives/variableValueSelect.js
+++ b/public/app/directives/variableValueSelect.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ function (angular, app, _) {
 
         vm.search = {query: '', options: vm.options};
         vm.selectedValuesCount = currentValues.length;
-        vm.selectedTags = vm.selectedTag || [];
+        vm.selectedTags = vm.selectedTags || [];
 
         if (!vm.tags) {
           vm.tags = _.map(vm.variable.tags, function(value) {
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ function (angular, app, _) {
             }
           });
 
-          vm.selectedTags = _.filter(vm.tags, {selected: true});
           vm.selectionsChanged(false);
         });
       };
@@ -168,10 +167,9 @@ function (angular, app, _) {
           return true;
         });
 
-        vm.variable.current = {};
         vm.variable.current.value = _.pluck(selected, 'value');
         vm.variable.current.text = _.pluck(valuesNotInTag, 'text').join(', ');
-        vm.selectedValuesCount = vm.variable.current.value.length;
+        vm.selectedValuesCount = selected.length;
 
         // only single value
         if (vm.selectedValuesCount === 1) {
diff --git a/public/app/features/templating/templateValuesSrv.js b/public/app/features/templating/templateValuesSrv.js
index 7330be1b5cd..2fd17f4aa65 100644
--- a/public/app/features/templating/templateValuesSrv.js
+++ b/public/app/features/templating/templateValuesSrv.js
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ function (angular, _, kbn) {
     };
 
     this.setVariableValue = function(variable, option) {
-      variable.current = option;
+      variable.current = angular.copy(option);
       templateSrv.updateTemplateData();
       return this.updateOptionsInChildVariables(variable);
     };
diff --git a/public/test/specs/selectDropdownCtrl-specs.js b/public/test/specs/selectDropdownCtrl-specs.js
index c919b3b8bee..968320b8e4f 100644
--- a/public/test/specs/selectDropdownCtrl-specs.js
+++ b/public/test/specs/selectDropdownCtrl-specs.js
@@ -74,6 +74,18 @@ function () {
           expect(ctrl.options[2].selected).to.be(true);
         });
 
+        describe('and then dropdown is opened and closed without changes', function() {
+          beforeEach(function() {
+            ctrl.show();
+            ctrl.commitChanges();
+            rootScope.$digest();
+          });
+
+          it("should still have selected tag", function() {
+            expect(ctrl.selectedTags.length).to.be(1);
+          });
+        });
+
         describe('and then unselected', function() {
           beforeEach(function() {
             ctrl.selectTag(ctrl.tags[0]);