diff --git a/internal/compiler/compiler.go b/internal/compiler/compiler.go
index ee7c4adb..7dcb725e 100644
--- a/internal/compiler/compiler.go
+++ b/internal/compiler/compiler.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ func (c *Compiler) getVariables(t *ast.Task, call *ast.Call, evaluateShVars bool
 				newVar.Value = value
 			}
 			newVar.Sh = tr.Replace(v.Sh)
+			newVar.Ref = v.Ref
 			newVar.Json = tr.Replace(v.Json)
 			newVar.Yaml = tr.Replace(v.Yaml)
 			newVar.Dir = v.Dir
diff --git a/internal/templater/templater.go b/internal/templater/templater.go
index ac7eb29d..9a123467 100644
--- a/internal/templater/templater.go
+++ b/internal/templater/templater.go
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ func (r *Templater) replaceVars(vars *ast.Vars, extra map[string]any) *ast.Vars
 		}
 		newVar.Live = v.Live
 		newVar.Sh = r.ReplaceWithExtra(v.Sh, extra)
+		newVar.Ref = v.Ref
+		newVar.Json = r.ReplaceWithExtra(v.Json, extra)
+		newVar.Yaml = r.ReplaceWithExtra(v.Yaml, extra)
 		newVars.Set(k, newVar)
 		return nil
 	})
diff --git a/taskfile/ast/var.go b/taskfile/ast/var.go
index 69613fb0..5ce8fd6d 100644
--- a/taskfile/ast/var.go
+++ b/taskfile/ast/var.go
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ type Var struct {
 	Value any
 	Live  any
 	Sh    string
+	Ref   string
 	Json  string
 	Yaml  string
 	Dir   string
@@ -107,9 +108,10 @@ func (v *Var) UnmarshalYAML(node *yaml.Node) error {
 			case yaml.MappingNode:
 				key := node.Content[0].Value
 				switch key {
-				case "sh", "map", "json", "yaml":
+				case "sh", "ref", "map", "json", "yaml":
 					var m struct {
 						Sh   string
+						Ref  string
 						Map  any
 						Json string
 						Yaml string
@@ -118,12 +120,13 @@ func (v *Var) UnmarshalYAML(node *yaml.Node) error {
 						return err
 					}
 					v.Sh = m.Sh
+					v.Ref = m.Ref
 					v.Value = m.Map
 					v.Json = m.Json
 					v.Yaml = m.Yaml
 					return nil
 				default:
-					return fmt.Errorf(`yaml: line %d: %q is not a valid variable type. Try "sh", "map", "json", "yaml" or using a scalar value`, node.Line, key)
+					return fmt.Errorf(`yaml: line %d: %q is not a valid variable type. Try "sh", "ref", "map", "json", "yaml" or using a scalar value`, node.Line, key)
 				}
 			default:
 				var value any
diff --git a/testdata/vars/any2/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/vars/any2/Taskfile.yml
index 2d6769ea..bc6fd10c 100644
--- a/testdata/vars/any2/Taskfile.yml
+++ b/testdata/vars/any2/Taskfile.yml
@@ -11,14 +11,10 @@ tasks:
       MAP:
         map: {"name":"Alice","age":30,"children":[{"name":"Bob","age":5},{"name":"Charlie","age":3},{"name":"Diane","age":1}]}
     cmds:
-      - >-
-        echo "{{.MAP.name}} has {{len .MAP.children}} children called
-        {{- $children := .MAP.children -}}
-        {{- range $i, $child := $children -}}
-          {{- if lt $i (sub (len $children) 1)}} {{$child.name -}},
-          {{- else}} and {{$child.name -}}
-          {{- end -}}
-        {{- end -}}"
+      - task: print-var
+        vars:
+          VAR:
+            ref: MAP
 
   json:
     vars:
@@ -27,14 +23,10 @@ tasks:
       JSON:
         json: "{{.JSON_STRING}}"
     cmds:
-      - >-
-        echo "{{.JSON.name}} has {{len .JSON.children}} children called
-        {{- $children := .JSON.children -}}
-        {{- range $i, $child := $children -}}
-          {{- if lt $i (sub (len $children) 1)}} {{$child.name -}},
-          {{- else}} and {{$child.name -}}
-          {{- end -}}
-        {{- end -}}"
+      - task: print-var
+        vars:
+          VAR:
+            ref: JSON
 
   yaml:
     vars:
@@ -42,10 +34,17 @@ tasks:
         sh: cat example.yaml
       YAML:
         yaml: "{{.YAML_STRING}}"
+    cmds:
+      - task: print-var
+        vars:
+          VAR:
+            ref: YAML
+
+  print-var:
     cmds:
       - >-
-        echo "{{.YAML.name}} has {{len .YAML.children}} children called
-        {{- $children := .YAML.children -}}
+        echo "{{.VAR.name}} has {{len .VAR.children}} children called
+        {{- $children := .VAR.children -}}
         {{- range $i, $child := $children -}}
           {{- if lt $i (sub (len $children) 1)}} {{$child.name -}},
           {{- else}} and {{$child.name -}}
diff --git a/variables.go b/variables.go
index a0663dc1..78aa7678 100644
--- a/variables.go
+++ b/variables.go
@@ -211,6 +211,17 @@ func (e *Executor) compiledTask(call ast.Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*ast.Task,
 			newCmd.Cmd = r.Replace(cmd.Cmd)
 			newCmd.Task = r.Replace(cmd.Task)
 			newCmd.Vars = r.ReplaceVars(cmd.Vars)
+			// Loop over the command's variables and resolve any references to other variables
+			err := cmd.Vars.Range(func(k string, v ast.Var) error {
+				if v.Ref != "" {
+					refVal := vars.Get(v.Ref)
+					newCmd.Vars.Set(k, refVal)
+				}
+				return nil
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
 			new.Cmds = append(new.Cmds, newCmd)
 		}
 	}