diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts
index ef0242c0389..c566a4b2998 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ export interface FeatureToggles {
   showFeatureFlagsInUI?: boolean;
   disable_http_request_histogram?: boolean;
   validatedQueries?: boolean;
+  lokiLive?: boolean;
   swaggerUi?: boolean;
   featureHighlights?: boolean;
   dashboardComments?: boolean;
diff --git a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go
index 8aba04eda6a..f0a542c248f 100644
--- a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go
+++ b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go
@@ -132,6 +132,11 @@ var (
 			State:           FeatureStateAlpha,
 			RequiresDevMode: true,
 		},
+		{
+			Name:        "lokiLive",
+			Description: "support websocket streaming for loki (early prototype)",
+			State:       FeatureStateAlpha,
+		},
 		{
 			Name:        "swaggerUi",
 			Description: "Serves swagger UI",
diff --git a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go
index 70f7b58c3eb..bb15e26e660 100644
--- a/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go
+++ b/pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go
@@ -99,6 +99,10 @@ const (
 	// only execute the query saved in a panel
 	FlagValidatedQueries = "validatedQueries"
 
+	// FlagLokiLive
+	// support websocket streaming for loki (early prototype)
+	FlagLokiLive = "lokiLive"
+
 	// FlagSwaggerUi
 	// Serves swagger UI
 	FlagSwaggerUi = "swaggerUi"
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/loki/loki.go b/pkg/tsdb/loki/loki.go
index c554386854f..59cc30eb7e1 100644
--- a/pkg/tsdb/loki/loki.go
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/loki/loki.go
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@ package loki
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"regexp"
+	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana-plugin-sdk-go/backend"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana-plugin-sdk-go/backend/datasource"
@@ -22,6 +24,11 @@ type Service struct {
 	tracer tracing.Tracer
 }
 
+var (
+	_ backend.QueryDataHandler = (*Service)(nil)
+	_ backend.StreamHandler    = (*Service)(nil)
+)
+
 func ProvideService(httpClientProvider httpclient.Provider, tracer tracing.Tracer) *Service {
 	return &Service{
 		im:     datasource.NewInstanceManager(newInstanceSettings(httpClientProvider)),
@@ -37,6 +44,10 @@ var (
 type datasourceInfo struct {
 	HTTPClient *http.Client
 	URL        string
+
+	// open streams
+	streams   map[string]data.FrameJSONCache
+	streamsMu sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 type QueryJSONModel struct {
@@ -50,6 +61,12 @@ type QueryJSONModel struct {
 	VolumeQuery  bool   `json:"volumeQuery"`
 }
 
+func parseQueryModel(raw json.RawMessage) (*QueryJSONModel, error) {
+	model := &QueryJSONModel{}
+	err := json.Unmarshal(raw, model)
+	return model, err
+}
+
 func newInstanceSettings(httpClientProvider httpclient.Provider) datasource.InstanceFactoryFunc {
 	return func(settings backend.DataSourceInstanceSettings) (instancemgmt.Instance, error) {
 		opts, err := settings.HTTPClientOptions()
@@ -65,6 +82,7 @@ func newInstanceSettings(httpClientProvider httpclient.Provider) datasource.Inst
 		model := &datasourceInfo{
 			HTTPClient: client,
 			URL:        settings.URL,
+			streams:    make(map[string]data.FrameJSONCache),
 		}
 		return model, nil
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/loki/parse_query.go b/pkg/tsdb/loki/parse_query.go
index 2ebf64dee6f..d62802e5f06 100644
--- a/pkg/tsdb/loki/parse_query.go
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/loki/parse_query.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package loki
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"strconv"
@@ -71,8 +70,7 @@ func parseQueryType(jsonValue string) (QueryType, error) {
 func parseQuery(queryContext *backend.QueryDataRequest) ([]*lokiQuery, error) {
 	qs := []*lokiQuery{}
 	for _, query := range queryContext.Queries {
-		model := &QueryJSONModel{}
-		err := json.Unmarshal(query.JSON, model)
+		model, err := parseQueryModel(query.JSON)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming.go b/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e2c6ff96180
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming.go
@@ -0,0 +1,200 @@
+package loki
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"os/signal"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana-plugin-sdk-go/backend"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana-plugin-sdk-go/data"
+)
+
+func (s *Service) SubscribeStream(_ context.Context, req *backend.SubscribeStreamRequest) (*backend.SubscribeStreamResponse, error) {
+	dsInfo, err := s.getDSInfo(req.PluginContext)
+	if err != nil {
+		return &backend.SubscribeStreamResponse{
+			Status: backend.SubscribeStreamStatusNotFound,
+		}, err
+	}
+
+	// Expect tail/${key}
+	if !strings.HasPrefix(req.Path, "tail/") {
+		return &backend.SubscribeStreamResponse{
+			Status: backend.SubscribeStreamStatusNotFound,
+		}, fmt.Errorf("expected tail in channel path")
+	}
+
+	query, err := parseQueryModel(req.Data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if query.Expr == "" {
+		return &backend.SubscribeStreamResponse{
+			Status: backend.SubscribeStreamStatusNotFound,
+		}, fmt.Errorf("missing expr in channel (subscribe)")
+	}
+
+	dsInfo.streamsMu.RLock()
+	defer dsInfo.streamsMu.RUnlock()
+
+	cache, ok := dsInfo.streams[req.Path]
+	if ok {
+		msg, err := backend.NewInitialData(cache.Bytes(data.IncludeAll))
+		return &backend.SubscribeStreamResponse{
+			Status:      backend.SubscribeStreamStatusOK,
+			InitialData: msg,
+		}, err
+	}
+
+	// nothing yet
+	return &backend.SubscribeStreamResponse{
+		Status: backend.SubscribeStreamStatusOK,
+	}, err
+}
+
+// Single instance for each channel (results are shared with all listeners)
+func (s *Service) RunStream(ctx context.Context, req *backend.RunStreamRequest, sender *backend.StreamSender) error {
+	dsInfo, err := s.getDSInfo(req.PluginContext)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	query, err := parseQueryModel(req.Data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if query.Expr == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("missing expr in cuannel")
+	}
+
+	count := int64(0)
+
+	interrupt := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
+	signal.Notify(interrupt, os.Interrupt)
+
+	params := url.Values{}
+	params.Add("query", query.Expr)
+
+	isV1 := false
+	wsurl, _ := url.Parse(dsInfo.URL)
+
+	// Check if the v2alpha endpoint exists
+	wsurl.Path = "/loki/api/v2alpha/tail"
+	if !is400(dsInfo.HTTPClient, wsurl) {
+		isV1 = true
+		wsurl.Path = "/loki/api/v1/tail"
+	}
+
+	if wsurl.Scheme == "https" {
+		wsurl.Scheme = "wss"
+	} else {
+		wsurl.Scheme = "ws"
+	}
+	wsurl.RawQuery = params.Encode()
+
+	s.plog.Info("connecting to websocket", "url", wsurl)
+	c, r, err := websocket.DefaultDialer.Dial(wsurl.String(), nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		s.plog.Error("error connecting to websocket", "err", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("error connecting to websocket")
+	}
+
+	defer func() {
+		dsInfo.streamsMu.Lock()
+		delete(dsInfo.streams, req.Path)
+		dsInfo.streamsMu.Unlock()
+		if r != nil {
+			_ = r.Body.Close()
+		}
+		err = c.Close()
+		s.plog.Error("closing loki websocket", "err", err)
+	}()
+
+	prev := data.FrameJSONCache{}
+
+	// Read all messages
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		defer close(done)
+		for {
+			_, message, err := c.ReadMessage()
+			if err != nil {
+				s.plog.Error("websocket read:", "err", err)
+				return
+			}
+
+			frame := &data.Frame{}
+			if isV1 {
+				frame, err = lokiBytesToLabeledFrame(message)
+			} else {
+				err = json.Unmarshal(message, &frame)
+			}
+
+			if err == nil && frame != nil {
+				next, _ := data.FrameToJSONCache(frame)
+				if next.SameSchema(&prev) {
+					err = sender.SendBytes(next.Bytes(data.IncludeDataOnly))
+				} else {
+					err = sender.SendFrame(frame, data.IncludeAll)
+				}
+				prev = next
+
+				// Cache the initial data
+				dsInfo.streamsMu.Lock()
+				dsInfo.streams[req.Path] = prev
+				dsInfo.streamsMu.Unlock()
+			}
+
+			if err != nil {
+				s.plog.Error("websocket write:", "err", err, "raw", message)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 60) //.Step)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-done:
+			s.plog.Info("socket done")
+			return nil
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			s.plog.Info("stop streaming (context canceled)")
+			return nil
+		case t := <-ticker.C:
+			count++
+			s.plog.Error("loki websocket ping?", "time", t, "count", count)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *Service) PublishStream(_ context.Context, _ *backend.PublishStreamRequest) (*backend.PublishStreamResponse, error) {
+	return &backend.PublishStreamResponse{
+		Status: backend.PublishStreamStatusPermissionDenied,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// if the v2 endpoint exists it will give a 400 rather than 404/500
+func is400(client *http.Client, url *url.URL) bool {
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", url.String(), nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	rsp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		_ = rsp.Body.Close()
+	}()
+	return rsp.StatusCode == 400 // will be true
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming_frame.go b/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming_frame.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e03cd298b7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming_frame.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package loki
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"strconv"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana-plugin-sdk-go/data"
+)
+
+type lokiResponse struct {
+	Streams []lokiStream `json:"streams"`
+}
+
+type lokiStream struct {
+	Stream data.Labels `json:"stream"`
+	Values [][2]string `json:"values"`
+}
+
+func lokiBytesToLabeledFrame(msg []byte) (*data.Frame, error) {
+	rsp := &lokiResponse{}
+	err := json.Unmarshal(msg, rsp)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	labelField := data.NewFieldFromFieldType(data.FieldTypeString, 0)
+	timeField := data.NewFieldFromFieldType(data.FieldTypeTime, 0)
+	lineField := data.NewFieldFromFieldType(data.FieldTypeString, 0)
+
+	labelField.Name = "__labels" // for now, avoid automatically spreading this by labels
+	timeField.Name = "Time"
+	lineField.Name = "Line"
+
+	for _, stream := range rsp.Streams {
+		label := stream.Stream.String() // TODO -- make it match prom labels!
+		for _, value := range stream.Values {
+			n, err := strconv.ParseInt(value[0], 10, 64)
+			if err != nil {
+				continue
+			}
+			ts := time.Unix(0, n)
+			line := value[1]
+
+			labelField.Append(label)
+			timeField.Append(ts)
+			lineField.Append(line)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return data.NewFrame("", labelField, timeField, lineField), nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming_frame_test.go b/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming_frame_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..659bc8320db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tsdb/loki/streaming_frame_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package loki
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestLokiFramer(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("converting metric name", func(t *testing.T) {
+		msg := []byte(`{"streams":[
+			{"stream":
+			  {"job":"node-exporter","metric":"go_memstats_heap_inuse_bytes"},
+			  "values":[
+				["1642091525267322910","line1"]
+			  ]},
+			{"stream":
+			  {"job":"node-exporter","metric":"go_memstats_heap_inuse_bytes"},
+			  "values":[
+				  ["1642091525770585774","line2"],
+				  ["1642091525770585775","line3"]
+			  ]},
+			{"stream":
+			  {"metric":"go_memstats_heap_inuse_bytes","job":"node-exporter"},
+			  "values":[
+				  ["1642091526263785281","line4"]
+			   ]}
+			]}`)
+
+		frame, err := lokiBytesToLabeledFrame(msg)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		lines := frame.Fields[2]
+		require.Equal(t, 4, lines.Len())
+		require.Equal(t, "line1", lines.At(0))
+		require.Equal(t, "line2", lines.At(1))
+		require.Equal(t, "line3", lines.At(2))
+		require.Equal(t, "line4", lines.At(3))
+	})
+}
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiOptionFields.tsx b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiOptionFields.tsx
index ae66ec73ab4..17854499e85 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiOptionFields.tsx
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/components/LokiOptionFields.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { map } from 'lodash';
 // Types
 import { InlineFormLabel, RadioButtonGroup, InlineField, Input, Select } from '@grafana/ui';
 import { SelectableValue } from '@grafana/data';
+import { config } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { LokiQuery, LokiQueryType } from '../types';
 
 export interface LokiOptionFieldsProps {
@@ -24,13 +25,16 @@ const queryTypeOptions: Array<SelectableValue<LokiQueryType>> = [
     label: 'Instant',
     description: 'Run query against a single point in time. For this query, the "To" time is used.',
   },
-  // {
-  //   value: LokiQueryType.Stream,
-  //   label: 'Stream',
-  //   description: 'Run a query and keep sending results on an interval',
-  // },
 ];
 
+if (config.featureToggles.lokiLive) {
+  queryTypeOptions.push({
+    value: LokiQueryType.Stream,
+    label: 'Stream',
+    description: 'Run a query and keep sending results on an interval',
+  });
+}
+
 export const DEFAULT_RESOLUTION: SelectableValue<number> = {
   value: 1,
   label: '1/1',
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/datasource.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/datasource.ts
index 4d4b8332a37..4136a4fc770 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/datasource.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/datasource.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import {
   ScopedVars,
   TimeRange,
 } from '@grafana/data';
-import { BackendSrvRequest, FetchError, getBackendSrv, DataSourceWithBackend } from '@grafana/runtime';
+import { BackendSrvRequest, FetchError, getBackendSrv, config, DataSourceWithBackend } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { getTemplateSrv, TemplateSrv } from 'app/features/templating/template_srv';
 import { addLabelToQuery } from './add_label_to_query';
 import { getTimeSrv, TimeSrv } from 'app/features/dashboard/services/TimeSrv';
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ import { RowContextOptions } from '@grafana/ui/src/components/Logs/LogRowContext
 import syntax from './syntax';
 import { DEFAULT_RESOLUTION } from './components/LokiOptionFields';
 import { queryLogsVolume } from 'app/core/logs_model';
-import config from 'app/core/config';
+import { doLokiChannelStream } from './streaming';
 import { renderLegendFormat } from '../prometheus/legend';
 
 export type RangeQueryOptions = DataQueryRequest<LokiQuery> | AnnotationQueryRequest<LokiQuery>;
@@ -178,6 +178,12 @@ export class LokiDatasource
     for (const target of filteredTargets) {
       if (target.instant || target.queryType === LokiQueryType.Instant) {
         subQueries.push(this.runInstantQuery(target, request, filteredTargets.length));
+      } else if (
+        config.featureToggles.lokiLive &&
+        target.queryType === LokiQueryType.Stream &&
+        request.rangeRaw?.to === 'now'
+      ) {
+        subQueries.push(doLokiChannelStream(target, this, request));
       } else {
         subQueries.push(this.runRangeQuery(target, request, filteredTargets.length));
       }
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/streaming.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/streaming.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..08655ef76fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/streaming.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import { DataFrameJSON, DataQueryRequest, DataQueryResponse, LiveChannelScope, LoadingState } from '@grafana/data';
+import { getGrafanaLiveSrv } from '@grafana/runtime';
+import { map, Observable, defer, mergeMap } from 'rxjs';
+import LokiDatasource from './datasource';
+import { LokiQuery } from './types';
+import { StreamingDataFrame } from 'app/features/live/data/StreamingDataFrame';
+
+/**
+ * Calculate a unique key for the query.  The key is used to pick a channel and should
+ * be unique for each distinct query execution plan.  This key is not secure and is only picked to avoid
+ * possible collisions
+ */
+export async function getLiveStreamKey(query: LokiQuery): Promise<string> {
+  const str = JSON.stringify({ expr: query.expr });
+
+  const msgUint8 = new TextEncoder().encode(str); // encode as (utf-8) Uint8Array
+  const hashBuffer = await crypto.subtle.digest('SHA-1', msgUint8); // hash the message
+  const hashArray = Array.from(new Uint8Array(hashBuffer.slice(0, 8))); // first 8 bytes
+  return hashArray.map((b) => b.toString(16).padStart(2, '0')).join('');
+}
+
+// This will get both v1 and v2 result formats
+export function doLokiChannelStream(
+  query: LokiQuery,
+  ds: LokiDatasource,
+  options: DataQueryRequest<LokiQuery>
+): Observable<DataQueryResponse> {
+  // maximum time to keep values
+  const range = options.range;
+  const maxDelta = range.to.valueOf() - range.from.valueOf() + 1000;
+  let maxLength = options.maxDataPoints ?? 1000;
+  if (maxLength > 100) {
+    // for small buffers, keep them small
+    maxLength *= 2;
+  }
+
+  let frame: StreamingDataFrame | undefined = undefined;
+  const updateFrame = (msg: any) => {
+    if (msg?.message) {
+      const p = msg.message as DataFrameJSON;
+      if (!frame) {
+        frame = StreamingDataFrame.fromDataFrameJSON(p, {
+          maxLength,
+          maxDelta,
+          displayNameFormat: query.legendFormat,
+        });
+      } else {
+        frame.push(p);
+      }
+    }
+    return frame;
+  };
+
+  return defer(() => getLiveStreamKey(query)).pipe(
+    mergeMap((key) => {
+      return getGrafanaLiveSrv()
+        .getStream<any>({
+          scope: LiveChannelScope.DataSource,
+          namespace: ds.uid,
+          path: `tail/${key}`,
+          data: {
+            ...query,
+            timeRange: {
+              from: range.from.valueOf().toString(),
+              to: range.to.valueOf().toString(),
+            },
+          },
+        })
+        .pipe(
+          map((evt) => {
+            const frame = updateFrame(evt);
+            return {
+              data: frame ? [frame] : [],
+              state: LoadingState.Streaming,
+            };
+          })
+        );
+    })
+  );
+}
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/types.ts b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/types.ts
index 35e37bdad8f..c72954e7c38 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/types.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/datasource/loki/types.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export enum LokiResultType {
 export enum LokiQueryType {
   Range = 'range',
   Instant = 'instant',
-  // Stream = 'stream',
+  Stream = 'stream',
 }
 
 export interface LokiQuery extends DataQuery {