diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1dc43d7a48..7cb52a0421 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 1.  [#3474](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/3474): Sort task table on Manage Alert page alphabetically
 1.  [#3590](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/3590): Redesign icons in side navigation
+1.  [#3659](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/3659): Upgrade Data Explorer query text field with syntax highlighting and partial multi-line support
 1.  [#3663](https://github.com/influxdata/chronograf/pull/3663): Truncate message preview in Alert Rules table
 
 ### Bug Fixes
diff --git a/ui/src/data_explorer/components/QueryEditor.tsx b/ui/src/data_explorer/components/QueryEditor.tsx
index 0f64bdec84..67a3a9340a 100644
--- a/ui/src/data_explorer/components/QueryEditor.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/data_explorer/components/QueryEditor.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
-import React, {PureComponent, KeyboardEvent} from 'react'
+import React, {PureComponent} from 'react'
 
+import {Controlled as ReactCodeMirror, IInstance} from 'react-codemirror2'
+import {EditorChange} from 'codemirror'
 import Dropdown from 'src/shared/components/Dropdown'
+import classnames from 'classnames'
 import {QUERY_TEMPLATES, QueryTemplate} from 'src/data_explorer/constants'
 import QueryStatus from 'src/shared/components/QueryStatus'
 import {ErrorHandling} from 'src/shared/decorators/errors'
 import {QueryConfig} from 'src/types'
+import 'src/external/codemirror'
 
 interface Props {
   query: string
@@ -14,19 +18,17 @@ interface Props {
 
 interface State {
   value: string
+  focused: boolean
 }
 
 @ErrorHandling
 class QueryEditor extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
-  private editor: React.RefObject<HTMLTextAreaElement>
-
   constructor(props) {
     super(props)
     this.state = {
       value: this.props.query,
+      focused: false,
     }
-
-    this.editor = React.createRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>()
   }
 
   public componentWillReceiveProps(nextProps: Props) {
@@ -41,21 +43,34 @@ class QueryEditor extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
     } = this.props
     const {value} = this.state
 
+    const options = {
+      tabIndex: 1,
+      mode: 'influxQL',
+      readonly: false,
+      lineNumbers: false,
+      autoRefresh: true,
+      theme: 'influxql',
+      completeSingle: false,
+      lineWrapping: true,
+    }
+
     return (
       <div className="query-editor">
-        <textarea
-          className="query-editor--field"
-          ref={this.editor}
-          value={value}
-          autoComplete="off"
-          spellCheck={false}
-          onBlur={this.handleUpdate}
-          onChange={this.handleChange}
-          onKeyDown={this.handleKeyDown}
-          data-test="query-editor-field"
-          placeholder="Enter a query or select database, measurement, and field below and have us build one for you..."
-        />
-        <div className="varmoji">
+        <div className={this.queryCodeClassName}>
+          <ReactCodeMirror
+            autoFocus={true}
+            autoCursor={true}
+            value={value}
+            options={options}
+            onBeforeChange={this.updateCode}
+            onChange={this.handleChange}
+            onTouchStart={this.onTouchStart}
+            onBlur={this.handleBlur}
+            onFocus={this.handleFocus}
+            onKeyUp={this.handleKeyUp}
+          />
+        </div>
+        <div className={this.varmojiClassName}>
           <div className="varmoji-container">
             <div className="varmoji-front">
               <QueryStatus status={status}>
@@ -66,6 +81,12 @@ class QueryEditor extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
                   className="dropdown-140 query-editor--templates"
                   buttonSize="btn-xs"
                 />
+                <button
+                  className="btn btn-xs btn-primary query-editor--submit"
+                  onClick={this.handleSubmit}
+                >
+                  Submit Query
+                </button>
               </QueryStatus>
             </div>
           </div>
@@ -74,32 +95,54 @@ class QueryEditor extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
     )
   }
 
-  private handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>): void => {
-    const {value} = this.state
-
-    if (e.key === 'Escape') {
-      e.preventDefault()
-      this.setState({value})
-    }
-
-    if (e.key === 'Enter') {
-      e.preventDefault()
-      this.handleUpdate()
-    }
-  }
-
-  private handleChange = (): void => {
-    const value = this.editor.current.value
-    this.setState({value})
-  }
-
-  private handleUpdate = (): void => {
+  private handleSubmit = (): void => {
     this.props.onUpdate(this.state.value)
   }
 
+  private get queryCodeClassName(): string {
+    const {focused} = this.state
+
+    return classnames('query-editor--code', {focus: focused})
+  }
+
+  private get varmojiClassName(): string {
+    const {focused} = this.state
+
+    return classnames('varmoji', {focus: focused})
+  }
+
+  private onTouchStart = () => {}
+
+  private handleChange = (): void => {}
+
+  private handleBlur = (): void => {
+    this.setState({focused: false})
+    this.handleSubmit()
+  }
+
+  private handleFocus = (): void => {
+    this.setState({focused: true})
+  }
+
   private handleChooseMetaQuery = (template: QueryTemplate): void => {
     this.setState({value: template.query})
   }
+
+  private handleKeyUp = (__, e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+    const {ctrlKey, metaKey, key} = e
+
+    if (key === 'Enter' && (ctrlKey || metaKey)) {
+      this.handleSubmit()
+    }
+  }
+
+  private updateCode = (
+    _: IInstance,
+    __: EditorChange,
+    value: string
+  ): void => {
+    this.setState({value})
+  }
 }
 
 export default QueryEditor
diff --git a/ui/src/external/codemirror.js b/ui/src/external/codemirror.js
index b726aed57f..2475e8e72d 100644
--- a/ui/src/external/codemirror.js
+++ b/ui/src/external/codemirror.js
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-import {modeFlux, modeTickscript} from 'src/shared/constants/codeMirrorModes'
+import {
+  modeFlux,
+  modeTickscript,
+  modeInfluxQL,
+} from 'src/shared/constants/codeMirrorModes'
 import 'codemirror/addon/hint/show-hint'
 
 /* eslint-disable */
@@ -314,4 +318,5 @@ function indentFunction(states, meta) {
 
 // Modes
 CodeMirror.defineSimpleMode('flux', modeFlux)
-CodeMirror.defineSimpleMode('tickscript', modeTickscript)
\ No newline at end of file
+CodeMirror.defineSimpleMode('tickscript', modeTickscript)
+CodeMirror.defineSimpleMode('influxQL', modeInfluxQL)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/src/shared/constants/codeMirrorModes.ts b/ui/src/shared/constants/codeMirrorModes.ts
index 5d6d7e0d10..0c2bd40977 100644
--- a/ui/src/shared/constants/codeMirrorModes.ts
+++ b/ui/src/shared/constants/codeMirrorModes.ts
@@ -174,3 +174,80 @@ export const modeTickscript = {
     lineComment: '//',
   },
 }
+
+export const modeInfluxQL = {
+  // The start state contains the rules that are intially used
+  start: [
+    // The regex matches the token, the token property contains the type
+    {
+      regex: /"(?:[^\\]|\\.)*?(?:"|$)/,
+      token: 'string.double',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /'(?:[^\\]|\\.)*?(?:'|$)/,
+      token: 'string.single',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /(function)(\s+)([a-z$][\w$]*)/,
+      token: ['keyword', null, 'variable-2'],
+    },
+    // Rules are matched in the order in which they appear, so there is
+    // no ambiguity between this one and the one above
+    {
+      regex: /(SELECT\s|AS\s|FROM\s|WHERE\s|GROUP\sBY\s)/i,
+      token: 'clause',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /FILL(?=[(])/i,
+      token: 'clause',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /(CREATE\s|SHOW\s|DROP\s)/i,
+      token: 'meta',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /0x[a-f\d]+|[-+]?(?:\.\d+|\d+\.?\d*)(?:e[-+]?\d+)?/i,
+      token: 'number',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /[:](interval|dashboardTime|dashboardUpper)[:]/,
+      token: 'temp-system',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /[:]\w+[:]/,
+      token: 'temp-var',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /now[(][)]\s\S\s\S+/,
+      token: 'now',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /[-+\/*=~<>!]+/,
+      token: 'operator',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /(NULL)/i,
+      token: 'null',
+    },
+  ],
+  // The multi-line comment state.
+  comment: [
+    {
+      regex: /.*?\*\//,
+      token: 'comment',
+      next: 'start',
+    },
+    {
+      regex: /.*/,
+      token: 'comment',
+    },
+  ],
+  // The meta property contains global information about the mode. It
+  // can contain properties like lineComment, which are supported by
+  // all modes, and also directives like dontIndentStates, which are
+  // specific to simple modes.
+  meta: {
+    dontIndentStates: ['comment'],
+    lineComment: '//',
+  },
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/style/components/code-mirror/_influxql.scss b/ui/src/style/components/code-mirror/_influxql.scss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f55441c77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/style/components/code-mirror/_influxql.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/*
+  CodeMirror "InfluxQL" Theme
+  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  Intended for use with the influxQL CodeMirror Mode
+*/
+
+.cm-s-influxql {
+  color: $g11-sidewalk;
+  font-weight: 600;
+
+  .cm-clause {
+    color: $c-pool;
+  }
+  .cm-meta {
+    color: $c-honeydew;
+  }
+  .cm-string {
+    color: $g15-platinum;
+  }
+  .cm-comment {
+    color: $g8-storm;
+  }
+  .cm-number {
+    color: $c-pineapple;
+  }
+  .cm-operator {
+    color: $c-pool;
+  }
+  .cm-temp-var {
+    color: $c-comet;
+  }
+  .cm-temp-system {
+    color: #ff4d9e ;
+  }
+  .cm-now {
+    color: $c-pineapple;
+  }
+  .cm-null {
+    color: $g8-storm;
+    font-style: italic;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/style/components/code-mirror/theme.scss b/ui/src/style/components/code-mirror/theme.scss
index 3e1580b170..29f46e6793 100644
--- a/ui/src/style/components/code-mirror/theme.scss
+++ b/ui/src/style/components/code-mirror/theme.scss
@@ -90,4 +90,5 @@ div.CodeMirror-selected,
 */
 @import 'time-machine';
 @import 'tickscript';
+@import 'influxql';
 @import 'hints';
diff --git a/ui/src/style/components/query-editor.scss b/ui/src/style/components/query-editor.scss
index f5045dc005..997e2745f6 100644
--- a/ui/src/style/components/query-editor.scss
+++ b/ui/src/style/components/query-editor.scss
@@ -13,40 +13,15 @@
   position: relative;
   z-index: 3; /* Minimum amount to obcure the toggle flip within Query Builder. Will fix later */
 }
-.query-editor--field {
-  font-family: $code-font;
-  font-size: 12px;
-  line-height: 14px;
-  font-weight: 600;
-  word-wrap: break-word;
-  word-break: break-all;
-  @include custom-scrollbar($query-editor--field-bg, $query-editor--field-text);
-  display: block;
-  resize: none;
-  width: 100%;
-  height: $query-editor--field-height;
-  transition:
-    color 0.25s ease,
-    background-color 0.25s ease,
-    border-color 0.25s ease;
+.query-editor--code {
+  background-color: $query-editor--field-bg;
   border: 2px solid $query-editor--bg;
   border-bottom: 0;
-  background-color: $query-editor--field-bg;
-  color: $query-editor--field-text;
-  padding: 12px 10px 0 10px;
   border-radius: $radius $radius 0 0;
-  margin: 0;
+  padding: 6px 8px;
+  transition: border-color 0.25s ease;
 
-  &:hover,
-  &:hover + .query-editor--status {
-    border-color: $query-editor--bg;
-  }
-  &:focus {
-    outline: none;
-    color: $query-editor--field-text !important;
-    border-color: $c-pool;
-  }
-  &:focus + .varmoji {
+  &.focus {
     border-color: $c-pool;
   }
 }
@@ -96,6 +71,9 @@
     max-width: $query-editor--templates-menu-width;
   }
 }
+button.btn.query-editor--submit {
+  margin-right: 4px;
+}
 
 
 /*
@@ -113,6 +91,10 @@
   height: $query-editor--status-height;
   width: 100%;
   perspective: 1000px;
+
+  &.focus {
+    border-color: $c-pool;
+  }
 }
 .varmoji-container {
   transition: transform 0.6s ease;