diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/data_loader.test.ts b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/data_loader.test.ts
index 21b06ed8b5512..94d6b5e6aed10 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/data_loader.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/data_loader.test.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * 2.0.
  */
 import { faker } from '@faker-js/faker';
-import { loadEmbeddableData } from './data_loader';
+import { ReloadReason, loadEmbeddableData } from './data_loader';
 import {
   createUnifiedSearchApi,
   getLensApiMock,
@@ -35,11 +35,16 @@ import {
 import { PublishesSearchSession } from '@kbn/presentation-publishing/interfaces/fetch/publishes_search_session';
 import { isObject } from 'lodash';
 import { createMockDatasource, defaultDoc } from '../mocks';
+import { ESQLControlVariable, ESQLVariableType } from '@kbn/esql-validation-autocomplete';
+import * as Logger from './logger';
+import { buildObservableVariable } from './helper';
 
 jest.mock('@kbn/interpreter', () => ({
   toExpression: jest.fn().mockReturnValue('expression'),
 }));
 
+const loggerFn = jest.spyOn(Logger, 'addLog');
+
 // Mock it for now, later investigate why the real one is not triggering here on tests
 jest.mock('@kbn/presentation-publishing', () => {
   const original = jest.requireActual('@kbn/presentation-publishing');
@@ -82,9 +87,9 @@ type ChangeFnType = ({
       searchSessionId$: BehaviorSubject<string>;
     };
   services: LensEmbeddableStartServices;
-}) => Promise<void | boolean>;
+}) => Promise<void | ReloadReason | false>;
 
-async function expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
+async function expectRerenderOnDataLoader(
   changeFn: ChangeFnType,
   runtimeState: LensRuntimeState = { attributes: getLensAttributesMock() },
   {
@@ -97,6 +102,7 @@ async function expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
         filters$: BehaviorSubject<Filter[] | undefined>;
         query$: BehaviorSubject<Query | AggregateQuery | undefined>;
         timeRange$: BehaviorSubject<TimeRange | undefined>;
+        esqlVariables$: BehaviorSubject<ESQLControlVariable[] | undefined>;
       } & LensOverrides
     >;
     internalApiOverrides?: Partial<LensInternalApi>;
@@ -124,7 +130,10 @@ async function expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
     parentApi,
   };
   const getState = jest.fn(() => runtimeState);
-  const internalApi = getLensInternalApiMock(internalApiOverrides);
+  const internalApi = getLensInternalApiMock({
+    ...internalApiOverrides,
+    attributes$: buildObservableVariable(runtimeState.attributes)[0],
+  });
   const services = {
     ...makeEmbeddableServices(new BehaviorSubject<string>(''), undefined, {
       visOverrides: { id: 'lnsXY' },
@@ -153,11 +162,22 @@ async function expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
     services,
   });
   // fallback to true if undefined is returned
-  const expectRerender = result ?? true;
+  const expectRerender = result === false ? false : true;
+  // Add an advanced check if provided: the reload reason
+  const rerenderReason = typeof result === 'string' ? result : undefined;
   // there's a debounce, so skip to the next tick
   jest.advanceTimersByTime(200);
   // unsubscribe to all observables before checking
   cleanup();
+
+  if (expectRerender && rerenderReason) {
+    const reloadCalls = loggerFn.mock.calls.filter((call) =>
+      call[0].startsWith('Embeddable reload reason')
+    );
+    expect(reloadCalls[reloadCalls.length - 1][0]).toBe(
+      `Embeddable reload reason: ${rerenderReason}`
+    );
+  }
   // now check if the re-render has been dispatched
   expect(internalApi.dispatchRenderStart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(expectRerender ? 2 : 1);
 }
@@ -177,40 +197,45 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
   });
   afterAll(() => {
     jest.useRealTimers();
+    loggerFn.mockRestore();
   });
 
   beforeEach(() => jest.clearAllMocks());
 
   it('should re-render once on filter change', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ api }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ api }) => {
       (api.filters$ as BehaviorSubject<Filter[]>).next([
         { meta: { alias: 'test', negate: false, disabled: false } },
       ]);
+      return 'searchContext';
     });
   });
 
   it('should re-render once on search session change', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ api }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ api }) => {
       // dispatch a new searchSessionId
 
       (
         api.parentApi as unknown as { searchSessionId$: BehaviorSubject<string | undefined> }
       ).searchSessionId$.next('newSessionId');
+
+      return 'searchContext';
     });
   });
 
   it('should re-render once on attributes change', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ internalApi }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ internalApi }) => {
       // trigger a change by changing the title in the attributes
       (internalApi.attributes$ as BehaviorSubject<LensDocument | undefined>).next({
         ...internalApi.attributes$.getValue(),
         title: faker.lorem.word(),
       });
+      return 'attributes';
     });
   });
 
   it('should re-render when dashboard view/edit mode changes if dynamic actions are set', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ api, getState }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ api, getState }) => {
       getState.mockReturnValue({
         attributes: getLensAttributesMock(),
         enhancements: {
@@ -221,11 +246,13 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
       });
       // trigger a change by changing the title in the attributes
       (api.viewMode$ as BehaviorSubject<ViewMode | undefined>).next('view');
+
+      return 'viewMode';
     });
   });
 
   it('should not re-render when dashboard view/edit mode changes if dynamic actions are not set', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ api }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ api }) => {
       // the default get state does not have dynamic actions
       // trigger a change by changing the title in the attributes
       (api.viewMode$ as BehaviorSubject<ViewMode | undefined>).next('view');
@@ -238,7 +265,7 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
     const query: Query = { language: 'kquery', query: '' };
     const filters: Filter[] = [{ meta: { alias: 'test', negate: false, disabled: false } }];
 
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(
       async ({ internalApi }) => {
         await waitForValue(
           internalApi.expressionParams$,
@@ -258,7 +285,7 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
   });
 
   it('should pass render mode to expression', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ internalApi }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ internalApi }) => {
       await waitForValue(
         internalApi.expressionParams$,
         (v: unknown) => isObject(v) && 'renderMode' in v
@@ -295,7 +322,7 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
       ],
     };
 
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(
       async ({ internalApi }) => {
         await waitForValue(
           internalApi.expressionParams$,
@@ -327,7 +354,7 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
   });
 
   it('should call onload after rerender and onData$ call', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ parentApi, internalApi, api }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ parentApi, internalApi, api }) => {
       expect(parentApi.onLoad).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(true);
 
       await waitForValue(
@@ -347,7 +374,7 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
   });
 
   it('should initialize dateViews api with deduped list of index patterns', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(
       async ({ internalApi }) => {
         await waitForValue(
           internalApi.dataViews$,
@@ -374,7 +401,7 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
   });
 
   it('should override noPadding in the display options if noPadding is set in the embeddable input', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ internalApi }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ internalApi }) => {
       await waitForValue(
         internalApi.expressionParams$,
         (v: unknown) => isObject(v) && 'expression' in v && typeof v.expression != null
@@ -387,18 +414,19 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
   });
 
   it('should reload only once when the attributes or savedObjectId and the search context change at the same time', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(async ({ internalApi, api }) => {
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(async ({ internalApi, api }) => {
       // trigger a change by changing the title in the attributes
       (internalApi.attributes$ as BehaviorSubject<LensDocument | undefined>).next({
         ...internalApi.attributes$.getValue(),
         title: faker.lorem.word(),
       });
       (api.savedObjectId$ as BehaviorSubject<string | undefined>).next('newSavedObjectId');
+      return 'savedObjectId';
     });
   });
 
   it('should pass over the overrides as variables', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(
       async ({ internalApi }) => {
         await waitForValue(
           internalApi.expressionParams$,
@@ -430,7 +458,7 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
   });
 
   it('should catch missing dataView errors correctly', async () => {
-    await expectRerenderOnDataLoder(
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(
       async ({ internalApi }) => {
         // wait for the error to appear
         await waitForValue(internalApi.blockingError$);
@@ -478,4 +506,45 @@ describe('Data Loader', () => {
       }
     );
   });
+
+  it('should re-render on ES|QL variable changes', async () => {
+    const baseAttributes = getLensAttributesMock();
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(
+      async ({ internalApi }) => {
+        (internalApi.esqlVariables$ as BehaviorSubject<ESQLControlVariable[]>).next([
+          { key: 'foo', value: faker.database.column(), type: ESQLVariableType.FIELDS },
+        ]);
+        return 'ESQLvariables';
+      },
+      {
+        attributes: getLensAttributesMock({
+          state: { ...baseAttributes.state, query: { esql: 'from index | where $foo > 0' } },
+        }),
+      }
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should not re-render on ES|QL variable identical changes', async () => {
+    const baseAttributes = getLensAttributesMock();
+    const variables: ESQLControlVariable[] = [
+      { key: 'foo', value: faker.database.column(), type: ESQLVariableType.FIELDS },
+    ];
+    await expectRerenderOnDataLoader(
+      async ({ internalApi }) => {
+        (internalApi.esqlVariables$ as BehaviorSubject<ESQLControlVariable[]>).next(variables);
+        // no rerender
+        return false;
+      },
+      {
+        attributes: getLensAttributesMock({
+          state: { ...baseAttributes.state, query: { esql: 'from index | where $foo > 0' } },
+        }),
+      },
+      {
+        internalApiOverrides: {
+          esqlVariables$: buildObservableVariable<ESQLControlVariable[]>(variables)[0],
+        },
+      }
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/data_loader.ts b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/data_loader.ts
index 952e41112369d..ce14bfc76cc85 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/data_loader.ts
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/data_loader.ts
@@ -31,17 +31,18 @@ import { buildUserMessagesHelpers } from './user_messages/api';
 import { getLogError } from './expressions/telemetry';
 import type { SharingSavedObjectProps, UserMessagesDisplayLocationId } from '../types';
 import { apiHasLensComponentCallbacks } from './type_guards';
-import { getRenderMode, getParentContext } from './helper';
+import { getRenderMode, getParentContext, buildObservableVariable } from './helper';
 import { addLog } from './logger';
 import { getUsedDataViews } from './expressions/update_data_views';
 import { getMergedSearchContext } from './expressions/merged_search_context';
+import { getEmbeddableVariables } from './initializers/utils';
 
 const blockingMessageDisplayLocations: UserMessagesDisplayLocationId[] = [
   'visualization',
   'visualizationOnEmbeddable',
 ];
 
-type ReloadReason =
+export type ReloadReason =
   | 'ESQLvariables'
   | 'attributes'
   | 'savedObjectId'
@@ -118,6 +119,8 @@ export function loadEmbeddableData(
     }
   };
 
+  const [controlESQLVariables$] = buildObservableVariable<ESQLControlVariable[]>([]);
+
   async function reload(
     // make reload easier to debug
     sourceId: ReloadReason
@@ -189,11 +192,9 @@ export function loadEmbeddableData(
       callbacks
     );
 
-    const esqlVariables = internalApi?.esqlVariables$?.getValue();
-
     const searchContext = getMergedSearchContext(
       currentState,
-      getSearchContext(parentApi, esqlVariables),
+      getSearchContext(parentApi, controlESQLVariables$?.getValue()),
       api.timeRange$,
       parentApi,
       services
@@ -260,7 +261,7 @@ export function loadEmbeddableData(
   const mergedSubscriptions = merge(
     // on search context change, reload
     fetch$(api).pipe(map(() => 'searchContext' as ReloadReason)),
-    internalApi?.esqlVariables$.pipe(
+    controlESQLVariables$.pipe(
       waitUntilChanged(),
       map(() => 'ESQLvariables' as ReloadReason)
     ),
@@ -294,6 +295,12 @@ export function loadEmbeddableData(
 
   const subscriptions: Subscription[] = [
     mergedSubscriptions.pipe(debounceTime(0)).subscribe(reload),
+    // In case of changes to the dashboard ES|QL controls, re-map them
+    internalApi.esqlVariables$.subscribe((newVariables: ESQLControlVariable[]) => {
+      const query = internalApi.attributes$.getValue().state?.query;
+      const esqlVariables = getEmbeddableVariables(query, newVariables) ?? [];
+      controlESQLVariables$.next(esqlVariables);
+    }),
     // make sure to reload on viewMode change
     api.viewMode$.subscribe(() => {
       // only reload if drilldowns are set
diff --git a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/initializers/initialize_internal_api.ts b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/initializers/initialize_internal_api.ts
index 34e5f43d66ec2..7b2cb38b36e87 100644
--- a/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/initializers/initialize_internal_api.ts
+++ b/x-pack/platform/plugins/shared/lens/public/react_embeddable/initializers/initialize_internal_api.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import { BehaviorSubject } from 'rxjs';
 import { initializeTitleManager } from '@kbn/presentation-publishing';
 import { apiPublishesESQLVariables } from '@kbn/esql-variables-types';
-import type { ESQLControlVariable } from '@kbn/esql-validation-autocomplete';
 import type { DataView } from '@kbn/data-views-plugin/common';
 import { buildObservableVariable, createEmptyLensState } from '../helper';
 import type {
@@ -21,7 +20,6 @@ import type {
 } from '../types';
 import { apiHasAbortController, apiHasLensComponentProps } from '../type_guards';
 import type { UserMessage } from '../../types';
-import { getEmbeddableVariables } from './utils';
 
 export function initializeInternalApi(
   initialState: LensRuntimeState,
@@ -73,21 +71,13 @@ export function initializeInternalApi(
     apiPublishesESQLVariables(parentApi) ? parentApi.esqlVariables$ : []
   );
 
-  const query = initialState.attributes.state.query;
-
-  const panelEsqlVariables$ = new BehaviorSubject<ESQLControlVariable[]>([]);
-  esqlVariables$.subscribe((newVariables) => {
-    const esqlVariables = getEmbeddableVariables(query, newVariables) ?? [];
-    panelEsqlVariables$.next(esqlVariables);
-  });
-
   // No need to expose anything at public API right now, that would happen later on
   // where each initializer will pick what it needs and publish it
   return {
     attributes$,
     overrides$,
     disableTriggers$,
-    esqlVariables$: panelEsqlVariables$,
+    esqlVariables$,
     dataLoading$,
     hasRenderCompleted$,
     expressionParams$,