diff --git a/awx/ui_next/.eslintrc b/awx/ui_next/.eslintrc
index f82900134e..b7c86c305a 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/.eslintrc
+++ b/awx/ui_next/.eslintrc
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@
           "resizeOrientation",
           "src",
           "theme",
-          "gridColumns"
+          "gridColumns",
+          "rows"
         ],
         "ignore": ["Ansible", "Tower", "JSON", "YAML", "lg"],
         "ignoreComponent": [
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/CodeEditor.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/CodeEditor.jsx
index 0218a83c3c..ad930b7a20 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/CodeEditor.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/CodeEditor.jsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from 'react';
-import { oneOf, bool, number, string, func } from 'prop-types';
+import { oneOf, bool, number, string, func, oneOfType } from 'prop-types';
 import ReactAce from 'react-ace';
 import 'ace-builds/src-noconflict/mode-json';
 import 'ace-builds/src-noconflict/mode-javascript';
@@ -77,6 +77,13 @@ function CodeEditor({
   className,
   i18n,
 }) {
+  if (rows && typeof rows !== 'number' && rows !== 'auto') {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+    console.warning(
+      `CodeEditor: Unexpected value for 'rows': ${rows}; expected number or 'auto'`
+    );
+  }
+
   const wrapper = useRef(null);
   const editor = useRef(null);
 
@@ -117,7 +124,8 @@ function CodeEditor({
     jinja2: 'django',
   };
 
-  const numRows = fullHeight ? value.split('\n').length : rows;
+  const numRows = rows === 'auto' ? value.split('\n').length : rows;
+  const height = fullHeight ? '50vh' : `${numRows * LINE_HEIGHT + PADDING}px`;
 
   return (
     <>
@@ -132,7 +140,7 @@ function CodeEditor({
           editorProps={{ $blockScrolling: true }}
           fontSize={16}
           width="100%"
-          height={`${numRows * LINE_HEIGHT + PADDING}px`}
+          height={height}
           hasErrors={hasErrors}
           setOptions={{
             readOnly,
@@ -178,7 +186,7 @@ CodeEditor.propTypes = {
   readOnly: bool,
   hasErrors: bool,
   fullHeight: bool,
-  rows: number,
+  rows: oneOfType([number, string]),
   className: string,
 };
 CodeEditor.defaultProps = {
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesDetail.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesDetail.jsx
index f5cfd91373..797c10673d 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesDetail.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesDetail.jsx
@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
 import 'styled-components/macro';
 import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { node, number, oneOfType, shape, string, arrayOf } from 'prop-types';
-import { Trans, withI18n } from '@lingui/react';
-import { Split, SplitItem, TextListItemVariants } from '@patternfly/react-core';
+import { withI18n } from '@lingui/react';
+import { t } from '@lingui/macro';
+import {
+  Split,
+  SplitItem,
+  TextListItemVariants,
+  Button,
+  Modal,
+} from '@patternfly/react-core';
+import { ExpandArrowsAltIcon } from '@patternfly/react-icons';
 import { DetailName, DetailValue } from '../DetailList';
 import MultiButtonToggle from '../MultiButtonToggle';
 import Popover from '../Popover';
@@ -29,13 +37,14 @@ function getValueAsMode(value, mode) {
   return mode === YAML_MODE ? jsonToYaml(value) : yamlToJson(value);
 }
 
-function VariablesDetail({ dataCy, helpText, value, label, rows, fullHeight }) {
+function VariablesDetail({ dataCy, helpText, value, label, rows, i18n }) {
   const [mode, setMode] = useState(
     isJsonObject(value) || isJsonString(value) ? JSON_MODE : YAML_MODE
   );
   const [currentValue, setCurrentValue] = useState(
     isJsonObject(value) ? JSON.stringify(value, null, 2) : value || '---'
   );
+  const [isExpanded, setIsExpanded] = useState(false);
   const [error, setError] = useState(null);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -60,7 +69,112 @@ function VariablesDetail({ dataCy, helpText, value, label, rows, fullHeight }) {
         fullWidth
         css="grid-column: 1 / -1"
       >
-        <Split hasGutter>
+        <ModeToggle
+          label={label}
+          helpText={helpText}
+          dataCy={dataCy}
+          mode={mode}
+          setMode={setMode}
+          currentValue={currentValue}
+          setCurrentValue={setCurrentValue}
+          setError={setError}
+          onExpand={() => setIsExpanded(true)}
+          i18n={i18n}
+        />
+      </DetailName>
+      <DetailValue
+        data-cy={valueCy}
+        component={TextListItemVariants.dd}
+        fullWidth
+        css="grid-column: 1 / -1; margin-top: -20px"
+      >
+        <CodeEditor
+          mode={mode}
+          value={currentValue}
+          readOnly
+          rows={rows}
+          css="margin-top: 10px"
+        />
+        {error && (
+          <div
+            css="color: var(--pf-global--danger-color--100);
+            font-size: var(--pf-global--FontSize--sm"
+          >
+            {i18n._(t`Error:`)} {error.message}
+          </div>
+        )}
+      </DetailValue>
+      <Modal
+        variant="xlarge"
+        title={label}
+        isOpen={isExpanded}
+        onClose={() => setIsExpanded(false)}
+        actions={[
+          <Button
+            aria-label={i18n._(t`Done`)}
+            key="select"
+            variant="primary"
+            onClick={() => setIsExpanded(false)}
+            ouiaId={`${dataCy}-unexpand`}
+          >
+            {i18n._(t`Done`)}
+          </Button>,
+        ]}
+      >
+        <div className="pf-c-form">
+          <ModeToggle
+            label={label}
+            helpText={helpText}
+            dataCy={dataCy}
+            mode={mode}
+            setMode={setMode}
+            currentValue={currentValue}
+            setCurrentValue={setCurrentValue}
+            setError={setError}
+            i18n={i18n}
+          />
+          <CodeEditor
+            mode={mode}
+            value={currentValue}
+            readOnly
+            rows={rows}
+            fullHeight
+            css="margin-top: 10px"
+          />
+        </div>
+      </Modal>
+    </>
+  );
+}
+VariablesDetail.propTypes = {
+  value: oneOfType([shape({}), arrayOf(string), string]).isRequired,
+  label: node.isRequired,
+  rows: oneOfType([number, string]),
+  dataCy: string,
+  helpText: string,
+};
+VariablesDetail.defaultProps = {
+  rows: null,
+  dataCy: '',
+  helpText: '',
+};
+
+function ModeToggle({
+  label,
+  helpText,
+  dataCy,
+  currentValue,
+  setCurrentValue,
+  mode,
+  setMode,
+  setError,
+  onExpand,
+  i18n,
+}) {
+  return (
+    <Split hasGutter>
+      <SplitItem isFilled>
+        <Split hasGutter css="align-items: baseline">
           <SplitItem>
             <div className="pf-c-form__label">
               <span
@@ -92,44 +206,21 @@ function VariablesDetail({ dataCy, helpText, value, label, rows, fullHeight }) {
             />
           </SplitItem>
         </Split>
-      </DetailName>
-      <DetailValue
-        data-cy={valueCy}
-        component={TextListItemVariants.dd}
-        fullWidth
-        css="grid-column: 1 / -1; margin-top: -20px"
-      >
-        <CodeEditor
-          mode={mode}
-          value={currentValue}
-          readOnly
-          rows={rows}
-          fullHeight={fullHeight}
-          css="margin-top: 10px"
-        />
-        {error && (
-          <div
-            css="color: var(--pf-global--danger-color--100);
-            font-size: var(--pf-global--FontSize--sm"
+      </SplitItem>
+      {onExpand && (
+        <SplitItem>
+          <Button
+            variant="plain"
+            aria-label={i18n._(t`Expand input`)}
+            onClick={onExpand}
+            ouiaId={`${dataCy}-expand`}
           >
-            <Trans>Error:</Trans> {error.message}
-          </div>
-        )}
-      </DetailValue>
-    </>
+            <ExpandArrowsAltIcon />
+          </Button>
+        </SplitItem>
+      )}
+    </Split>
   );
 }
-VariablesDetail.propTypes = {
-  value: oneOfType([shape({}), arrayOf(string), string]).isRequired,
-  label: node.isRequired,
-  rows: number,
-  dataCy: string,
-  helpText: string,
-};
-VariablesDetail.defaultProps = {
-  rows: null,
-  dataCy: '',
-  helpText: '',
-};
 
 export default withI18n()(VariablesDetail);
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesField.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesField.jsx
index 8fbf1e4bfa..6f039c6895 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesField.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesField.jsx
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import { withI18n } from '@lingui/react';
 import { t } from '@lingui/macro';
 import { useField } from 'formik';
 import styled from 'styled-components';
-import { Split, SplitItem } from '@patternfly/react-core';
+import { Split, SplitItem, Button, Modal } from '@patternfly/react-core';
+import { ExpandArrowsAltIcon } from '@patternfly/react-icons';
 import { CheckboxField } from '../FormField';
 import MultiButtonToggle from '../MultiButtonToggle';
 import { yamlToJson, jsonToYaml, isJsonString } from '../../util/yaml';
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ const FieldHeader = styled.div`
 
 const StyledCheckboxField = styled(CheckboxField)`
   --pf-c-check__label--FontSize: var(--pf-c-form__label--FontSize);
+  margin-left: auto;
 `;
 
 function VariablesField({
@@ -31,10 +33,92 @@ function VariablesField({
   promptId,
   tooltip,
 }) {
-  const [field, meta, helpers] = useField(name);
+  const [field, meta] = useField(name);
   const [mode, setMode] = useState(
     isJsonString(field.value) ? JSON_MODE : YAML_MODE
   );
+  const [isExpanded, setIsExpanded] = useState(false);
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <VariablesFieldInternals
+        i18n={i18n}
+        id={id}
+        name={name}
+        label={label}
+        readOnly={readOnly}
+        promptId={promptId}
+        tooltip={tooltip}
+        onExpand={() => setIsExpanded(true)}
+        mode={mode}
+        setMode={setMode}
+      />
+      <Modal
+        variant="xlarge"
+        title={label}
+        isOpen={isExpanded}
+        onClose={() => setIsExpanded(false)}
+        actions={[
+          <Button
+            aria-label={i18n._(t`Done`)}
+            key="select"
+            variant="primary"
+            onClick={() => setIsExpanded(false)}
+            ouiaId={`${id}-variables-unexpand`}
+          >
+            {i18n._(t`Done`)}
+          </Button>,
+        ]}
+      >
+        <div className="pf-c-form">
+          <VariablesFieldInternals
+            i18n={i18n}
+            id={`${id}-expanded`}
+            name={name}
+            label={label}
+            readOnly={readOnly}
+            promptId={promptId}
+            tooltip={tooltip}
+            fullHeight
+            mode={mode}
+            setMode={setMode}
+          />
+        </div>
+      </Modal>
+      {meta.error ? (
+        <div className="pf-c-form__helper-text pf-m-error" aria-live="polite">
+          {meta.error}
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
+    </>
+  );
+}
+VariablesField.propTypes = {
+  id: string.isRequired,
+  name: string.isRequired,
+  label: string.isRequired,
+  readOnly: bool,
+  promptId: string,
+};
+VariablesField.defaultProps = {
+  readOnly: false,
+  promptId: null,
+};
+
+function VariablesFieldInternals({
+  i18n,
+  id,
+  name,
+  label,
+  readOnly,
+  promptId,
+  tooltip,
+  fullHeight,
+  mode,
+  setMode,
+  onExpand,
+}) {
+  const [field, meta, helpers] = useField(name);
 
   return (
     <div className="pf-c-form__group">
@@ -75,6 +159,16 @@ function VariablesField({
             name="ask_variables_on_launch"
           />
         )}
+        {onExpand && (
+          <Button
+            variant="plain"
+            aria-label={i18n._(t`Expand input`)}
+            onClick={onExpand}
+            ouiaId={`${id}-variables-expand`}
+          >
+            <ExpandArrowsAltIcon />
+          </Button>
+        )}
       </FieldHeader>
       <CodeEditor
         mode={mode}
@@ -83,26 +177,11 @@ function VariablesField({
         onChange={newVal => {
           helpers.setValue(newVal);
         }}
+        fullHeight={fullHeight}
         hasErrors={!!meta.error}
       />
-      {meta.error ? (
-        <div className="pf-c-form__helper-text pf-m-error" aria-live="polite">
-          {meta.error}
-        </div>
-      ) : null}
     </div>
   );
 }
-VariablesField.propTypes = {
-  id: string.isRequired,
-  name: string.isRequired,
-  label: string.isRequired,
-  readOnly: bool,
-  promptId: string,
-};
-VariablesField.defaultProps = {
-  readOnly: false,
-  promptId: null,
-};
 
 export default withI18n()(VariablesField);
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesField.test.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesField.test.jsx
index e07ff9d40b..24c896069e 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesField.test.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/components/CodeEditor/VariablesField.test.jsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('VariablesField', () => {
       </Formik>
     );
     const buttons = wrapper.find('Button');
-    expect(buttons).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(buttons).toHaveLength(3);
     expect(buttons.at(0).prop('variant')).toEqual('primary');
     expect(buttons.at(1).prop('variant')).toEqual('secondary');
     await act(async () => {
@@ -136,4 +136,27 @@ describe('VariablesField', () => {
 
     expect(wrapper.find('CodeEditor').prop('mode')).toEqual('javascript');
   });
+
+  it('should open modal when expanded', async () => {
+    const value = '---';
+    const wrapper = mountWithContexts(
+      <Formik initialValues={{ variables: value }} onSubmit={jest.fn()}>
+        {formik => (
+          <form onSubmit={formik.handleSubmit}>
+            <VariablesField id="the-field" name="variables" label="Variables" />
+            <button type="submit" id="submit">
+              Submit
+            </button>
+          </form>
+        )}
+      </Formik>
+    );
+    expect(wrapper.find('Modal').prop('isOpen')).toEqual(false);
+
+    wrapper.find('Button[variant="plain"]').invoke('onClick')();
+    wrapper.update();
+
+    expect(wrapper.find('Modal').prop('isOpen')).toEqual(true);
+    expect(wrapper.find('Modal CodeEditor')).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/components/DetailList/CodeDetail.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/components/DetailList/CodeDetail.jsx
index 08c935b18e..90edb259e8 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/components/DetailList/CodeDetail.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/components/DetailList/CodeDetail.jsx
@@ -14,15 +14,7 @@ import { DetailName, DetailValue } from './Detail';
 import CodeEditor from '../CodeEditor';
 import Popover from '../Popover';
 
-function CodeDetail({
-  value,
-  label,
-  mode,
-  rows,
-  fullHeight,
-  helpText,
-  dataCy,
-}) {
+function CodeDetail({ value, label, mode, rows, helpText, dataCy }) {
   const labelCy = dataCy ? `${dataCy}-label` : null;
   const valueCy = dataCy ? `${dataCy}-value` : null;
 
@@ -57,7 +49,6 @@ function CodeDetail({
           value={value}
           readOnly
           rows={rows}
-          fullHeight={fullHeight}
           css="margin-top: 10px"
         />
       </DetailValue>
@@ -69,7 +60,7 @@ CodeDetail.propTypes = {
   label: node.isRequired,
   dataCy: string,
   helpText: string,
-  rows: number,
+  rows: oneOfType(number, string),
   mode: oneOf(['javascript', 'yaml', 'jinja2']).isRequired,
 };
 CodeDetail.defaultProps = {
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Host/HostFacts/HostFacts.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Host/HostFacts/HostFacts.jsx
index f33c989f5b..08b447a991 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Host/HostFacts/HostFacts.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Host/HostFacts/HostFacts.jsx
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ function HostFacts({ i18n, host }) {
   return (
     <CardBody>
       <DetailList gutter="sm">
-        <VariablesDetail label={i18n._(t`Facts`)} fullHeight value={facts} />
+        <VariablesDetail label={i18n._(t`Facts`)} rows="auto" value={facts} />
       </DetailList>
     </CardBody>
   );
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Inventory/InventoryGroupDetail/InventoryGroupDetail.test.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Inventory/InventoryGroupDetail/InventoryGroupDetail.test.jsx
index a4c584c121..dc7e47b646 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Inventory/InventoryGroupDetail/InventoryGroupDetail.test.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Inventory/InventoryGroupDetail/InventoryGroupDetail.test.jsx
@@ -72,11 +72,12 @@ describe('<InventoryGroupDetail />', () => {
     });
 
     test('should open delete modal and then call api to delete the group', async () => {
+      expect(wrapper.find('Modal').length).toBe(1); // variables modal already mounted
       await act(async () => {
         wrapper.find('button[aria-label="Delete"]').simulate('click');
       });
-      await waitForElement(wrapper, 'Modal', el => el.length === 1);
-      expect(wrapper.find('Modal').length).toBe(1);
+      wrapper.update();
+      expect(wrapper.find('Modal').length).toBe(2);
       await act(async () => {
         wrapper.find('Radio[id="radio-delete"]').invoke('onChange')();
       });
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Inventory/InventoryHostFacts/InventoryHostFacts.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Inventory/InventoryHostFacts/InventoryHostFacts.jsx
index 6bffd37ba4..4d93ce58c3 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Inventory/InventoryHostFacts/InventoryHostFacts.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Inventory/InventoryHostFacts/InventoryHostFacts.jsx
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function InventoryHostFacts({ i18n, host }) {
   return (
     <CardBody>
       <DetailList gutter="sm">
-        <VariablesDetail label={i18n._(t`Facts`)} fullHeight value={result} />
+        <VariablesDetail label={i18n._(t`Facts`)} rows="auto" value={result} />
       </DetailList>
     </CardBody>
   );
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Setting/shared/SharedFields.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Setting/shared/SharedFields.jsx
index b5e118088a..96dc973de5 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Setting/shared/SharedFields.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Setting/shared/SharedFields.jsx
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ const ObjectField = withI18n()(({ i18n, name, config, isRequired = false }) => {
       >
         <CodeEditor
           {...field}
-          fullHeight
+          rows="auto"
           id={name}
           mode="javascript"
           onChange={value => {
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/JobTemplateDetail/JobTemplateDetail.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/JobTemplateDetail/JobTemplateDetail.jsx
index 27276ec543..c1fdc39f5d 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/JobTemplateDetail/JobTemplateDetail.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/JobTemplateDetail/JobTemplateDetail.jsx
@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@ function JobTemplateDetail({ i18n, template }) {
           value={extra_vars}
           rows={4}
           label={i18n._(t`Variables`)}
+          dataCy={`jt-details-${template.id}`}
         />
       </DetailList>
       <CardActionsRow>