diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/ConfirmModal/ConfirmModal.tsx b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/ConfirmModal/ConfirmModal.tsx
index 8139228a81c..0251fbcfd0c 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/ConfirmModal/ConfirmModal.tsx
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/components/ConfirmModal/ConfirmModal.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { css } from '@emotion/css';
+import { css, cx } from '@emotion/css';
 import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 
 import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ export interface ConfirmModalProps {
   dismissText?: string;
   /** Icon for the modal header */
   icon?: IconName;
+  /** Additional styling for modal container */
+  modalClass?: string;
   /** Text user needs to fill in before confirming */
   confirmationText?: string;
   /** Text for alternative button */
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ export const ConfirmModal = ({
   confirmationText,
   dismissText = 'Cancel',
   alternativeText,
+  modalClass,
   icon = 'exclamation-triangle',
   onConfirm,
   onDismiss,
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ export const ConfirmModal = ({
   }, [isOpen]);
 
   return (
-    <Modal className={styles.modal} title={title} icon={icon} isOpen={isOpen} onDismiss={onDismiss}>
+    <Modal className={cx(styles.modal, modalClass)} title={title} icon={icon} isOpen={isOpen} onDismiss={onDismiss}>
       <div className={styles.modalText}>
         {body}
         {description ? <div className={styles.modalDescription}>{description}</div> : null}
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/editor/ConfirmDeleteModal.tsx b/public/app/features/variables/editor/ConfirmDeleteModal.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2e412d3f776
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/editor/ConfirmDeleteModal.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { css } from '@emotion/css';
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { ConfirmModal } from '@grafana/ui';
+
+interface Props {
+  varName: string;
+  isOpen: boolean;
+  onConfirm: () => void;
+  onDismiss: () => void;
+}
+
+export function ConfirmDeleteModal({ varName, isOpen = false, onConfirm, onDismiss }: Props) {
+  return (
+    <ConfirmModal
+      title="Delete variable"
+      isOpen={isOpen}
+      onConfirm={onConfirm}
+      onDismiss={onDismiss}
+      body={`
+      Are you sure you want to delete variable "${varName}"?
+    `}
+      modalClass={styles.modal}
+      confirmText="Delete"
+    />
+  );
+}
+
+const styles = {
+  modal: css({
+    width: 'max-content',
+    maxWidth: '80vw',
+  }),
+};
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorContainer.tsx b/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorContainer.tsx
index 17ca426b9da..08cd5a564fe 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorContainer.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorContainer.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { changeVariableOrder, duplicateVariable, removeVariable } from '../state
 import { KeyedVariableIdentifier } from '../state/types';
 import { toKeyedVariableIdentifier, toVariablePayload } from '../utils';
 
+import { ConfirmDeleteModal } from './ConfirmDeleteModal';
 import { VariableEditorEditor } from './VariableEditorEditor';
 import { VariableEditorList } from './VariableEditorList';
 import { createNewVariable, initListMode } from './actions';
@@ -60,7 +61,15 @@ const connector = connect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps);
 
 type Props = OwnProps & ConnectedProps<typeof connector>;
 
-class VariableEditorContainerUnconnected extends PureComponent<Props> {
+interface State {
+  variableId?: KeyedVariableIdentifier;
+}
+
+class VariableEditorContainerUnconnected extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
+  state: State = {
+    variableId: undefined,
+  };
+
   componentDidMount() {
     this.props.initListMode(this.props.dashboard.uid);
   }
@@ -82,8 +91,17 @@ class VariableEditorContainerUnconnected extends PureComponent<Props> {
     this.props.duplicateVariable(identifier);
   };
 
-  onRemoveVariable = (identifier: KeyedVariableIdentifier) => {
-    this.props.removeVariable(identifier);
+  onModalOpen = (identifier: KeyedVariableIdentifier) => {
+    this.setState({ variableId: identifier });
+  };
+
+  onModalClose = () => {
+    this.setState({ variableId: undefined });
+  };
+
+  onRemoveVariable = () => {
+    this.props.removeVariable(this.state.variableId!);
+    this.onModalClose();
   };
 
   render() {
@@ -100,7 +118,7 @@ class VariableEditorContainerUnconnected extends PureComponent<Props> {
             onEdit={this.onEditVariable}
             onChangeOrder={this.onChangeVariableOrder}
             onDuplicate={this.onDuplicateVariable}
-            onDelete={this.onRemoveVariable}
+            onDelete={this.onModalOpen}
             usages={this.props.usages}
             usagesNetwork={this.props.usagesNetwork}
           />
@@ -109,6 +127,12 @@ class VariableEditorContainerUnconnected extends PureComponent<Props> {
           <VariablesUnknownTable variables={this.props.variables} dashboard={this.props.dashboard} />
         )}
         {variableToEdit && <VariableEditorEditor identifier={toKeyedVariableIdentifier(variableToEdit)} />}
+        <ConfirmDeleteModal
+          isOpen={this.state.variableId !== undefined}
+          varName={this.state.variableId?.id ?? ''}
+          onConfirm={this.onRemoveVariable}
+          onDismiss={this.onModalClose}
+        />
       </Page>
     );
   }
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorEditor.tsx b/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorEditor.tsx
index f1887042616..b00d2b8727f 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorEditor.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorEditor.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { KeyedVariableIdentifier } from '../state/types';
 import { VariableHide } from '../types';
 import { toKeyedVariableIdentifier, toVariablePayload } from '../utils';
 
+import { ConfirmDeleteModal } from './ConfirmDeleteModal';
 import { VariableHideSelect } from './VariableHideSelect';
 import { VariableSectionHeader } from './VariableSectionHeader';
 import { VariableTextField } from './VariableTextField';
@@ -61,7 +62,15 @@ export interface OwnProps {
 
 type Props = OwnProps & ConnectedProps<typeof connector>;
 
-export class VariableEditorEditorUnConnected extends PureComponent<Props> {
+interface State {
+  showDeleteModal: boolean;
+}
+
+export class VariableEditorEditorUnConnected extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
+  state: State = {
+    showDeleteModal: false,
+  };
+
   componentDidMount(): void {
     this.props.variableEditorMount(this.props.identifier);
   }
@@ -120,8 +129,17 @@ export class VariableEditorEditorUnConnected extends PureComponent<Props> {
     this.props.updateOptions(toKeyedVariableIdentifier(this.props.variable));
   };
 
+  onModalOpen = () => {
+    this.setState({ showDeleteModal: true });
+  };
+
+  onModalClose = () => {
+    this.setState({ showDeleteModal: false });
+  };
+
   onDelete = () => {
     this.props.removeVariable(this.props.identifier);
+    this.onModalClose();
     locationService.partial({ editIndex: null });
   };
 
@@ -192,7 +210,7 @@ export class VariableEditorEditorUnConnected extends PureComponent<Props> {
             {hasOptions(this.props.variable) ? <VariableValuesPreview variable={this.props.variable} /> : null}
 
             <HorizontalGroup spacing="md">
-              <Button variant="destructive" onClick={this.onDelete}>
+              <Button variant="destructive" onClick={this.onModalOpen}>
                 Delete
               </Button>
               <Button
@@ -212,6 +230,12 @@ export class VariableEditorEditorUnConnected extends PureComponent<Props> {
             </HorizontalGroup>
           </VerticalGroup>
         </form>
+        <ConfirmDeleteModal
+          isOpen={this.state.showDeleteModal}
+          varName={this.props.editor.name}
+          onConfirm={this.onDelete}
+          onDismiss={this.onModalClose}
+        />
       </div>
     );
   }
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorList.tsx b/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorList.tsx
index 98634fc4b02..ef3b8ff2d42 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorList.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/editor/VariableEditorList.tsx
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export function VariableEditorList({
     }
     reportInteraction('Variable drag and drop');
     const identifier = JSON.parse(result.draggableId);
-    onChangeOrder(identifier, result.source.index, result.destination.index);
+    onChangeOrder(identifier, variables[result.source.index].index, variables[result.destination.index].index);
   };
 
   return (
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/editor/actions.ts b/public/app/features/variables/editor/actions.ts
index e2cd953072b..ef42be3456d 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/editor/actions.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/editor/actions.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ export const createNewVariable =
   (key: string | null | undefined, type: VariableType = 'query'): ThunkResult<void> =>
   (dispatch, getState) => {
     const rootStateKey = toStateKey(key);
-    const id = getNextAvailableId(type, getVariablesByKey(rootStateKey, getState()));
+    const varsByKey = getVariablesByKey(rootStateKey, getState());
+    const id = getNextAvailableId(type, varsByKey);
     const identifier: VariableIdentifier = { type, id };
     const global = false;
     const index = getNewVariableIndex(rootStateKey, getState());
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ export const createNewVariable =
       toKeyedAction(rootStateKey, addVariable(toVariablePayload<AddVariable>(identifier, { global, model, index })))
     );
 
-    locationService.partial({ editIndex: index });
+    locationService.partial({ editIndex: varsByKey.length });
   };
 
 export const initListMode =
diff --git a/public/app/features/variables/state/sharedReducer.ts b/public/app/features/variables/state/sharedReducer.ts
index 0d75e937031..4c5bda5f013 100644
--- a/public/app/features/variables/state/sharedReducer.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/variables/state/sharedReducer.ts
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ const sharedReducerSlice = createSlice({
         return;
       }
 
-      const variableStates = Object.values(state);
-      for (let index = 0; index < variableStates.length; index++) {
-        variableStates[index].index = index;
+      const variableStates = Object.values(state).sort((a, b) => a.index - b.index);
+      for (let i = 0; i < variableStates.length; i++) {
+        variableStates[i].index = i;
       }
     },
     duplicateVariable: (state: VariablesState, action: PayloadAction<VariablePayload<{ newId: string }>>) => {