diff --git a/public/app/directives/variableValueSelect.js b/public/app/directives/variableValueSelect.js
index c89485130aa..2ddb0dd932c 100644
--- a/public/app/directives/variableValueSelect.js
+++ b/public/app/directives/variableValueSelect.js
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ function (angular, app, _) {
           return option;
         });
 
+        _.sortBy(vm.options, 'text');
+
         vm.selectedValues = _.filter(vm.options, {selected: true});
 
         if (!vm.tags) {
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard/partials/variableValueSelect.html b/public/app/features/dashboard/partials/variableValueSelect.html
index 011522d6afe..25d220ab3a5 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard/partials/variableValueSelect.html
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard/partials/variableValueSelect.html
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 	<a ng-click="vm.show()" class="variable-value-link tight-form-item">
 		{{vm.linkText}}
 		<span class="label-tag" ng-repeat="tag in vm.selectedTags" tag-color-from-name="tag.text">
-			{{tag.text}}
 			&nbsp;&nbsp;<i class="fa fa-tag"></i>&nbsp;
+			{{tag.text}}
 		</span>
 		<i class="fa fa-caret-down"></i>
 	</a>
diff --git a/public/app/features/templating/templateValuesSrv.js b/public/app/features/templating/templateValuesSrv.js
index 1cfa9bfc4ad..267a465cd89 100644
--- a/public/app/features/templating/templateValuesSrv.js
+++ b/public/app/features/templating/templateValuesSrv.js
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ function (angular, _, kbn) {
             });
           });
         } else {
+          delete variable.tags;
           return queryPromise;
         }
       });