diff --git a/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/cmd/DeleteRelatedDataOfRemovedHistoricCaseInstancesCmd.java b/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/cmd/DeleteRelatedDataOfRemovedHistoricCaseInstancesCmd.java
index 1f267bd6065..78078c3a4e9 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/cmd/DeleteRelatedDataOfRemovedHistoricCaseInstancesCmd.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/cmd/DeleteRelatedDataOfRemovedHistoricCaseInstancesCmd.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 import org.flowable.cmmn.engine.CmmnEngineConfiguration;
 import org.flowable.cmmn.engine.impl.util.CommandContextUtil;
+import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.history.HistoryLevel;
 import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.interceptor.Command;
 import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContext;
 import org.flowable.entitylink.api.history.HistoricEntityLinkService;
@@ -44,8 +45,9 @@ public Object execute(CommandContext commandContext) {
             }
         }
         cmmnEngineConfiguration.getTaskServiceConfiguration().getHistoricTaskService().deleteHistoricTaskLogEntriesForNonExistingCaseInstances();
-        cmmnEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingCaseInstances();
-
+        if (cmmnEngineConfiguration.getHistoryLevel().isAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY)) {
+            cmmnEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingCaseInstances();
+        }
         return null;
     }
 
diff --git a/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/history/CmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings.java b/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/history/CmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
index c5eab5ca9df..09f8c28a9f2 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/history/CmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/history/CmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import org.flowable.entitylink.service.impl.persistence.entity.EntityLinkEntity;
 import org.flowable.identitylink.service.impl.persistence.entity.IdentityLinkEntity;
 import org.flowable.task.api.TaskInfo;
+import org.flowable.task.api.history.HistoricTaskInstance;
 import org.flowable.variable.service.impl.persistence.entity.VariableInstanceEntity;
 
 /**
@@ -78,4 +79,8 @@ public interface CmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings {
      */
     boolean isHistoryEnabledForEntityLink(EntityLinkEntity entityLink);
 
+    /**
+     * Returns whether variable history is enabled for the provided historic task instance.
+     */
+    boolean isHistoryEnabledForVariables(HistoricTaskInstance historicTaskInstance);
 }
diff --git a/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/history/DefaultCmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings.java b/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/history/DefaultCmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
index fa73c9b6cd3..20a3f497103 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/history/DefaultCmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/history/DefaultCmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import org.flowable.entitylink.service.impl.persistence.entity.EntityLinkEntity;
 import org.flowable.identitylink.service.impl.persistence.entity.IdentityLinkEntity;
 import org.flowable.task.api.TaskInfo;
+import org.flowable.task.api.history.HistoricTaskInstance;
 import org.flowable.task.service.impl.persistence.entity.TaskEntity;
 import org.flowable.variable.service.impl.persistence.entity.VariableInstanceEntity;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -248,6 +249,11 @@ public boolean isHistoryEnabledForEntityLink(EntityLinkEntity entityLink) {
         return isHistoryLevelAtLeast(HistoryLevel.AUDIT, caseDefinitionId);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean isHistoryEnabledForVariables(HistoricTaskInstance historicTaskInstance) {
+        return cmmnEngineConfiguration.getHistoryLevel().isAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY);
+    }
+
     protected String getCaseDefinitionId(EntityLinkEntity entityLink) {
         String caseDefinitionId = null;
         if (ScopeTypes.CMMN.equals(entityLink.getScopeType()) && entityLink.getScopeId() != null) {
diff --git a/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/task/TaskHelper.java b/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/task/TaskHelper.java
index 5caf68b0d8c..aa479df7597 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/task/TaskHelper.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-cmmn-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/cmmn/engine/impl/task/TaskHelper.java
@@ -209,8 +209,11 @@ public static void deleteHistoricTask(String taskId, CmmnEngineConfiguration cmm
                 for (HistoricTaskInstance subTask : subTasks) {
                     deleteHistoricTask(subTask.getId(), cmmnEngineConfiguration);
                 }
-    
-                cmmnEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesByTaskId(taskId);
+
+                if (cmmnEngineConfiguration.getCmmnHistoryConfigurationSettings().isHistoryEnabledForVariables(historicTaskInstance)) {
+                    cmmnEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesByTaskId(taskId);
+                }
+
                 cmmnEngineConfiguration.getIdentityLinkServiceConfiguration().getHistoricIdentityLinkService().deleteHistoricIdentityLinksByTaskId(taskId);
     
                 historicTaskService.deleteHistoricTask(historicTaskInstance);
diff --git a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/cmd/DeleteRelatedDataOfRemovedHistoricProcessInstancesCmd.java b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/cmd/DeleteRelatedDataOfRemovedHistoricProcessInstancesCmd.java
index e436864023a..39759d402fc 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/cmd/DeleteRelatedDataOfRemovedHistoricProcessInstancesCmd.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/cmd/DeleteRelatedDataOfRemovedHistoricProcessInstancesCmd.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 
+import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.history.HistoryLevel;
 import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.interceptor.Command;
 import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContext;
 import org.flowable.engine.impl.cfg.ProcessEngineConfigurationImpl;
@@ -38,7 +39,10 @@ public Object execute(CommandContext commandContext) {
             }
         }
         processEngineConfiguration.getTaskServiceConfiguration().getHistoricTaskService().deleteHistoricTaskLogEntriesForNonExistingProcessInstances();
-        processEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingProcessInstances();
+        if (processEngineConfiguration.getHistoryManager().isHistoryLevelAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY)) {
+            processEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService()
+                    .deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingProcessInstances();
+        }
         processEngineConfiguration.getHistoricDetailEntityManager().deleteHistoricDetailForNonExistingProcessInstances();
 
         return null;
diff --git a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/DefaultHistoryConfigurationSettings.java b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/DefaultHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
index 23f6da8f5a0..a6faa53ed47 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/DefaultHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/DefaultHistoryConfigurationSettings.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import org.flowable.bpmn.model.Process;
 import org.flowable.common.engine.api.scope.ScopeTypes;
 import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.history.HistoryLevel;
+import org.flowable.engine.history.HistoricProcessInstance;
 import org.flowable.engine.impl.cfg.ProcessEngineConfigurationImpl;
 import org.flowable.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity;
 import org.flowable.engine.impl.util.ProcessDefinitionUtil;
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
 import org.flowable.entitylink.service.impl.persistence.entity.EntityLinkEntity;
 import org.flowable.identitylink.service.impl.persistence.entity.IdentityLinkEntity;
 import org.flowable.task.api.TaskInfo;
+import org.flowable.task.api.history.HistoricTaskInstance;
 import org.flowable.task.service.impl.persistence.entity.TaskEntity;
 import org.flowable.variable.service.impl.persistence.entity.VariableInstanceEntity;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -281,6 +283,11 @@ public boolean isHistoryEnabledForVariableInstance(String processDefinitionId, V
         return isHistoryLevelAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY, processDefinitionId);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean isHistoryEnabledForVariables(HistoricProcessInstance historicProcessInstance) {
+        return processEngineConfiguration.getHistoryLevel().isAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY);
+    }
+
     @Override
     public boolean isHistoryEnabledForIdentityLink(IdentityLinkEntity identityLink) {
         String processDefinitionId = getProcessDefinitionId(identityLink);
@@ -309,6 +316,11 @@ public boolean isHistoryEnabledForEntityLink(EntityLinkEntity entityLink) {
         return isHistoryLevelAtLeast(HistoryLevel.AUDIT, processDefinitionId);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean isHistoryEnabledForVariables(HistoricTaskInstance historicTaskInstance) {
+        return processEngineConfiguration.getHistoryLevel().isAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY);
+    }
+
     protected String getProcessDefinitionId(EntityLinkEntity entityLink) {
         String processDefinitionId = null;
         if (ScopeTypes.BPMN.equals(entityLink.getScopeType()) && entityLink.getScopeId() != null) {
diff --git a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/DefaultHistoryManager.java b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/DefaultHistoryManager.java
index ec0e67bf362..c6b6b9df43e 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/DefaultHistoryManager.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/DefaultHistoryManager.java
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ public void recordProcessInstanceDeleted(String processInstanceId, String proces
             HistoricProcessInstanceEntity historicProcessInstance = getHistoricProcessInstanceEntityManager().findById(processInstanceId);
 
             getHistoricDetailEntityManager().deleteHistoricDetailsByProcessInstanceId(processInstanceId);
-            processEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesByProcessInstanceId(processInstanceId);
+            if (getHistoryConfigurationSettings().isHistoryEnabledForVariables(historicProcessInstance)) {
+                processEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesByProcessInstanceId(processInstanceId);
+            }
             getHistoricActivityInstanceEntityManager().deleteHistoricActivityInstancesByProcessInstanceId(processInstanceId);
             TaskHelper.deleteHistoricTaskInstancesByProcessInstanceId(processInstanceId);
             processEngineConfiguration.getIdentityLinkServiceConfiguration().getHistoricIdentityLinkService().deleteHistoricIdentityLinksByProcessInstanceId(processInstanceId);
diff --git a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/HistoryConfigurationSettings.java b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/HistoryConfigurationSettings.java
index 576fcc1ba6b..d8bf38015e8 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/HistoryConfigurationSettings.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/history/HistoryConfigurationSettings.java
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@
 package org.flowable.engine.impl.history;
 
 import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.history.HistoryLevel;
+import org.flowable.engine.history.HistoricProcessInstance;
 import org.flowable.engine.impl.persistence.entity.ExecutionEntity;
 import org.flowable.engine.runtime.ActivityInstance;
 import org.flowable.entitylink.service.impl.persistence.entity.EntityLinkEntity;
 import org.flowable.identitylink.service.impl.persistence.entity.IdentityLinkEntity;
 import org.flowable.task.api.TaskInfo;
+import org.flowable.task.api.history.HistoricTaskInstance;
 import org.flowable.task.service.impl.persistence.entity.TaskEntity;
 import org.flowable.variable.service.impl.persistence.entity.VariableInstanceEntity;
 
@@ -81,6 +83,16 @@ public interface HistoryConfigurationSettings {
      */
     boolean isHistoryEnabledForVariableInstance(String processDefinitionId, VariableInstanceEntity variableInstanceEntity);
 
+    /**
+     * Returns whether history is enabled for variables for the provided historic process instance.
+     */
+    boolean isHistoryEnabledForVariables(HistoricProcessInstance historicProcessInstance);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns whether variable history is enabled for the provided historic task instance.
+     */
+    boolean isHistoryEnabledForVariables(HistoricTaskInstance historicTaskInstance);
+
     /**
      * Returns whether history is enabled for the provided identity link.
      */
@@ -90,5 +102,4 @@ public interface HistoryConfigurationSettings {
      * Returns whether history is enabled for the provided entity link.
      */
     boolean isHistoryEnabledForEntityLink(EntityLinkEntity entityLink);
-
 }
diff --git a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/util/TaskHelper.java b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/util/TaskHelper.java
index 6d444f774b9..9a5e33f65e3 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/util/TaskHelper.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-engine/src/main/java/org/flowable/engine/impl/util/TaskHelper.java
@@ -578,7 +578,9 @@ public static void deleteHistoricTask(String taskId) {
                 }
 
                 processEngineConfiguration.getHistoricDetailEntityManager().deleteHistoricDetailsByTaskId(taskId);
-                processEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesByTaskId(taskId);
+                if (processEngineConfiguration.getHistoryConfigurationSettings().isHistoryEnabledForVariables(historicTaskInstance)) {
+                    processEngineConfiguration.getVariableServiceConfiguration().getHistoricVariableService().deleteHistoricVariableInstancesByTaskId(taskId);
+                }
                 processEngineConfiguration.getIdentityLinkServiceConfiguration().getHistoricIdentityLinkService().deleteHistoricIdentityLinksByTaskId(taskId);
 
                 historicTaskService.deleteHistoricTask(historicTaskInstance);
diff --git a/modules/flowable-variable-service/src/main/java/org/flowable/variable/service/impl/persistence/entity/HistoricVariableInstanceEntityManagerImpl.java b/modules/flowable-variable-service/src/main/java/org/flowable/variable/service/impl/persistence/entity/HistoricVariableInstanceEntityManagerImpl.java
index 17fcb8e1dd9..29c17d35d0b 100644
--- a/modules/flowable-variable-service/src/main/java/org/flowable/variable/service/impl/persistence/entity/HistoricVariableInstanceEntityManagerImpl.java
+++ b/modules/flowable-variable-service/src/main/java/org/flowable/variable/service/impl/persistence/entity/HistoricVariableInstanceEntityManagerImpl.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
-import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.history.HistoryLevel;
 import org.flowable.common.engine.impl.persistence.entity.AbstractServiceEngineEntityManager;
 import org.flowable.variable.api.history.HistoricVariableInstance;
 import org.flowable.variable.service.VariableServiceConfiguration;
@@ -101,11 +100,9 @@ public void delete(HistoricVariableInstanceEntity entity, boolean fireDeleteEven
 
     @Override
     public void deleteHistoricVariableInstanceByProcessInstanceId(final String historicProcessInstanceId) {
-        if (serviceConfiguration.isHistoryLevelAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY)) {
-            List<HistoricVariableInstanceEntity> historicProcessVariables = dataManager.findHistoricVariableInstancesByProcessInstanceId(historicProcessInstanceId);
-            for (HistoricVariableInstanceEntity historicProcessVariable : historicProcessVariables) {
-                delete(historicProcessVariable);
-            }
+        List<HistoricVariableInstanceEntity> historicProcessVariables = dataManager.findHistoricVariableInstancesByProcessInstanceId(historicProcessInstanceId);
+        for (HistoricVariableInstanceEntity historicProcessVariable : historicProcessVariables) {
+            delete(historicProcessVariable);
         }
     }
 
@@ -146,11 +143,9 @@ public List<HistoricVariableInstanceEntity> findHistoricalVariableInstancesBySub
 
     @Override
     public void deleteHistoricVariableInstancesByTaskId(String taskId) {
-        if (serviceConfiguration.isHistoryLevelAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY)) {
-            List<HistoricVariableInstanceEntity> historicProcessVariables = dataManager.findHistoricVariableInstancesByTaskId(taskId);
-            for (HistoricVariableInstanceEntity historicProcessVariable : historicProcessVariables) {
-                delete(historicProcessVariable);
-            }
+        List<HistoricVariableInstanceEntity> historicProcessVariables = dataManager.findHistoricVariableInstancesByTaskId(taskId);
+        for (HistoricVariableInstanceEntity historicProcessVariable : historicProcessVariables) {
+            delete(historicProcessVariable);
         }
     }
 
@@ -171,16 +166,12 @@ public void bulkDeleteHistoricVariableInstancesByScopeIdsAndScopeType(Collection
 
     @Override
     public void deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingProcessInstances() {
-        if (serviceConfiguration.isHistoryLevelAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY)) {
-            dataManager.deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingProcessInstances();
-        }
+        dataManager.deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingProcessInstances();
     }
     
     @Override
     public void deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingCaseInstances() {
-        if (serviceConfiguration.isHistoryLevelAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY)) {
-            dataManager.deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingCaseInstances();
-        }
+        dataManager.deleteHistoricVariableInstancesForNonExistingCaseInstances();
     }
 
     @Override