diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/pages/projects/pipelines/new/index.js b/app/assets/javascripts/pages/projects/pipelines/new/index.js
index 9aa8945e268..b0b077a5e4c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/pages/projects/pipelines/new/index.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/pages/projects/pipelines/new/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 import $ from 'jquery';
 import NewBranchForm from '~/new_branch_form';
+import setupNativeFormVariableList from '~/ci_variable_list/native_form_variable_list';
 
 document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
   new NewBranchForm($('.js-new-pipeline-form')); // eslint-disable-line no-new
+
+  setupNativeFormVariableList({
+    container: $('.js-ci-variable-list-section'),
+    formField: 'variables_attributes',
+  });
 });
diff --git a/app/controllers/projects/pipelines_controller.rb b/app/controllers/projects/pipelines_controller.rb
index 78d109cf33e..1ee273091d4 100644
--- a/app/controllers/projects/pipelines_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/projects/pipelines_controller.rb
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class Projects::PipelinesController < Projects::ApplicationController
   end
 
   def create_params
-    params.require(:pipeline).permit(:ref)
+    params.require(:pipeline).permit(:ref, variables_attributes: %i[key secret_value])
   end
 
   def pipeline
diff --git a/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb b/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
index e1b9bc76475..c184f398f6c 100644
--- a/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
+++ b/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ module Ci
     has_many :auto_canceled_pipelines, class_name: 'Ci::Pipeline', foreign_key: 'auto_canceled_by_id'
     has_many :auto_canceled_jobs, class_name: 'CommitStatus', foreign_key: 'auto_canceled_by_id'
 
+    accepts_nested_attributes_for :variables, reject_if: :persisted?
+
     delegate :id, to: :project, prefix: true
     delegate :full_path, to: :project, prefix: true
 
diff --git a/app/models/ci/pipeline_variable.rb b/app/models/ci/pipeline_variable.rb
index de5aae17a15..38e14ffbc0c 100644
--- a/app/models/ci/pipeline_variable.rb
+++ b/app/models/ci/pipeline_variable.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ module Ci
 
     belongs_to :pipeline
 
+    alias_attribute :secret_value, :value
+
     validates :key, uniqueness: { scope: :pipeline_id }
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/services/ci/create_pipeline_service.rb b/app/services/ci/create_pipeline_service.rb
index 6ce86983287..17a53b6a8fd 100644
--- a/app/services/ci/create_pipeline_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/ci/create_pipeline_service.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ module Ci
         ignore_skip_ci: ignore_skip_ci,
         save_incompleted: save_on_errors,
         seeds_block: block,
+        variables_attributes: params[:variables_attributes],
         project: project,
         current_user: current_user)
 
diff --git a/app/views/projects/pipelines/new.html.haml b/app/views/projects/pipelines/new.html.haml
index 8f2142af2ce..81984ee94b0 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/pipelines/new.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/projects/pipelines/new.html.haml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 - breadcrumb_title "Pipelines"
 - page_title = s_("Pipeline|Run Pipeline")
+- settings_link = link_to _('CI/CD settings'), project_settings_ci_cd_path(@project)
 
 %h3.page-title
   = s_("Pipeline|Run Pipeline")
@@ -8,17 +9,26 @@
 = form_for @pipeline, as: :pipeline, url: project_pipelines_path(@project), html: { id: "new-pipeline-form", class: "form-horizontal js-new-pipeline-form js-requires-input" } do |f|
   = form_errors(@pipeline)
   .form-group
-    = f.label :ref, s_('Pipeline|Run on'), class: 'control-label'
-    .col-sm-10
+    .col-sm-12
+      = f.label :ref, s_('Pipeline|Create for')
       = hidden_field_tag 'pipeline[ref]', params[:ref] || @project.default_branch
       = dropdown_tag(params[:ref] || @project.default_branch,
                      options: { toggle_class: 'js-branch-select wide git-revision-dropdown-toggle',
                                 filter: true, dropdown_class: "dropdown-menu-selectable git-revision-dropdown", placeholder: s_("Pipeline|Search branches"),
                                 data: { selected: params[:ref] || @project.default_branch, field_name: 'pipeline[ref]' } })
       .help-block
-        = s_("Pipeline|Existing branch name, tag")
+        = s_("Pipeline|Existing branch name or tag")
+
+    .col-sm-12.prepend-top-10.js-ci-variable-list-section
+      %label
+        = s_('Pipeline|Variables')
+      %ul.ci-variable-list
+        = render 'ci/variables/variable_row', form_field: 'pipeline', only_key_value: true
+      .help-block
+        = (s_("Pipeline|Specify variable values to be used in this run. The values specified in %{settings_link} will be used by default.") % {settings_link: settings_link}).html_safe
+
   .form-actions
-    = f.submit s_('Pipeline|Run pipeline'), class: 'btn btn-success', tabindex: 3
+    = f.submit s_('Pipeline|Create pipeline'), class: 'btn btn-success js-variables-save-button', tabindex: 3
     = link_to 'Cancel', project_pipelines_path(@project), class: 'btn btn-default pull-right'
 
 -# haml-lint:disable InlineJavaScript
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/44059-specify-variables-when-executing-a-manual-pipeline-from-the-ui.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/44059-specify-variables-when-executing-a-manual-pipeline-from-the-ui.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8854eeb5fba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/44059-specify-variables-when-executing-a-manual-pipeline-from-the-ui.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Enable specifying variables when executing a manual pipeline
+merge_request: 18440
+author:
+type: changed
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/build.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/build.rb
index 70732d26bbd..b5eb0cfa2f0 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/build.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/build.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ module Gitlab
               trigger_requests: Array(@command.trigger_request),
               user: @command.current_user,
               pipeline_schedule: @command.schedule,
-              protected: @command.protected_ref?
+              protected: @command.protected_ref?,
+              variables_attributes: Array(@command.variables_attributes)
             )
 
             @pipeline.set_config_source
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/command.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/command.rb
index a1849b01c5d..a53c80d34f7 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/command.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/command.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ module Gitlab # rubocop:disable Naming/FileName
           :origin_ref, :checkout_sha, :after_sha, :before_sha,
           :trigger_request, :schedule,
           :ignore_skip_ci, :save_incompleted,
-          :seeds_block
+          :seeds_block, :variables_attributes
         ) do
           include Gitlab::Utils::StrongMemoize
 
diff --git a/spec/features/projects/pipelines/pipelines_spec.rb b/spec/features/projects/pipelines/pipelines_spec.rb
index 705ba78a0b7..d404bc66ba8 100644
--- a/spec/features/projects/pipelines/pipelines_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/projects/pipelines/pipelines_spec.rb
@@ -517,16 +517,31 @@ describe 'Pipelines', :js do
           end
 
           it 'creates a new pipeline' do
-            expect { click_on 'Run pipeline' }
+            expect { click_on 'Create pipeline' }
               .to change { Ci::Pipeline.count }.by(1)
 
             expect(Ci::Pipeline.last).to be_web
           end
+
+          context 'when variables are specified' do
+            it 'creates a new pipeline with variables' do
+              page.within '.ci-variable-row-body' do
+                fill_in "Input variable key", with: "key_name"
+                fill_in "Input variable value", with: "value"
+              end
+
+              expect { click_on 'Create pipeline' }
+                .to change { Ci::Pipeline.count }.by(1)
+
+              expect(Ci::Pipeline.last.variables.map { |var| var.slice(:key, :secret_value) })
+                .to eq [{ key: "key_name", secret_value: "value" }.with_indifferent_access]
+            end
+          end
         end
 
         context 'without gitlab-ci.yml' do
           before do
-            click_on 'Run pipeline'
+            click_on 'Create pipeline'
           end
 
           it { expect(page).to have_content('Missing .gitlab-ci.yml file') }
@@ -539,7 +554,7 @@ describe 'Pipelines', :js do
               click_link 'master'
             end
 
-            expect { click_on 'Run pipeline' }
+            expect { click_on 'Create pipeline' }
               .to change { Ci::Pipeline.count }.by(1)
           end
         end
@@ -557,7 +572,7 @@ describe 'Pipelines', :js do
         it 'has field to add a new pipeline' do
           expect(page).to have_selector('.js-branch-select')
           expect(find('.js-branch-select')).to have_content project.default_branch
-          expect(page).to have_content('Run on')
+          expect(page).to have_content('Create for')
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/build_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/build_spec.rb
index 3ae7053a995..85d73e5c382 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/build_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/build_spec.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Build do
   set(:user) { create(:user) }
   let(:pipeline) { Ci::Pipeline.new }
 
+  let(:variables_attributes) do
+    [{ key: 'first', secret_value: 'world' },
+     { key: 'second', secret_value: 'second_world' }]
+  end
   let(:command) do
     Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Command.new(
       source: :push,
@@ -15,7 +19,8 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Build do
       trigger_request: nil,
       schedule: nil,
       project: project,
-      current_user: user)
+      current_user: user,
+      variables_attributes: variables_attributes)
   end
 
   let(:step) { described_class.new(pipeline, command) }
@@ -39,6 +44,8 @@ describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Build do
     expect(pipeline.tag).to be false
     expect(pipeline.user).to eq user
     expect(pipeline.project).to eq project
+    expect(pipeline.variables.map { |var| var.slice(:key, :secret_value) })
+      .to eq variables_attributes.map(&:with_indifferent_access)
   end
 
   it 'sets a valid config source' do
diff --git a/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service_spec.rb
index 267258b33a8..9a0b6efd8a9 100644
--- a/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service_spec.rb
@@ -17,11 +17,13 @@ describe Ci::CreatePipelineService do
       after: project.commit.id,
       message: 'Message',
       ref: ref_name,
-      trigger_request: nil)
+      trigger_request: nil,
+      variables_attributes: nil)
       params = { ref: ref,
                  before: '00000000',
                  after: after,
-                 commits: [{ message: message }] }
+                 commits: [{ message: message }],
+                 variables_attributes: variables_attributes }
 
       described_class.new(project, user, params).execute(
         source, trigger_request: trigger_request)
@@ -545,5 +547,19 @@ describe Ci::CreatePipelineService do
         expect(pipeline.tag?).to be true
       end
     end
+
+    context 'when pipeline variables are specified' do
+      let(:variables_attributes) do
+        [{ key: 'first', secret_value: 'world' },
+         { key: 'second', secret_value: 'second_world' }]
+      end
+
+      subject { execute_service(variables_attributes: variables_attributes) }
+
+      it 'creates a pipeline with specified variables' do
+        expect(subject.variables.map { |var| var.slice(:key, :secret_value) })
+          .to eq variables_attributes.map(&:with_indifferent_access)
+      end
+    end
   end
 end