Passing variable via URL to be used in SELECT's where/in filter

Hi

I am using Grafana 6.3 with MS SQL as a datasource. I am having a problem passing a variable via URL to a destination dashboard in the way so that it can be used in a SELECT with where/in statement.

The URL reads: var-items=$items ($items being a multi/value enabled template variable of the src dashboard so it can eventually be a list if user checks multiple values)

Link with multiple values chosen reads: var-items=disk,cpu,ram

In the source dashboard the query manager interpolates it in the correct format which is

item in (‘disk’,‘cpu’,‘ram’)

but the dst dashboard that reads the variable from the URL reads

item in (disk,cpu,ram)

In both src and dst dashboards the query editor reads:

item in ($item)

Does anyone have an idea how I could achieve the correct end result?

Thanks
Wojtek