diff --git a/myql/myql.py b/myql/myql.py
index efceccb..177fb8e 100755
--- a/myql/myql.py
+++ b/myql/myql.py
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ def _payload_builder(self, query, format=None):
             'debug': self.debug,
             'jsonCompact': 'new' if self.jsonCompact else ''
         }
+
+        if vars(self).get('_vars'):
+            payload.update(self._vars)
+
         if self.crossProduct:
             payload['crossProduct'] = 'optimized'
 
@@ -136,12 +140,13 @@ def _clause_formatter(self, cond):
 
             cond = " ".join(cond)
         else: 
-            if isinstance(cond[2], str):
-                var = re.match('^@(\w+)$', cond[2])
-            else:
-                var = None
-            if var :
-                cond[2] = "{0}".format(var.group(1))
+            #if isinstance(cond[2], str):
+            #    var = re.match('^@(\w+)$', cond[2])
+            #else:
+            #    var = None
+            #if var :
+            if isinstance(cond[2], str) and cond[2].startswith('@'):
+                cond[2] = "{0}".format(cond[2])
             else :
                 cond[2] = "'{0}'".format(cond[2])
             cond = ' '.join(cond)
@@ -212,6 +217,13 @@ def use(self, url, name='mytable'):
         self.yql_table_name = name
         return {'table url': url, 'table name': name}
 
+    ##SET
+    def set(self, myvars):
+        '''
+        '''
+        self._vars = myvars
+        return True
+
     ##DESC
     def desc(self, table):
         '''Returns table description
diff --git a/tests/tests.py b/tests/tests.py
index 01692da..43a11d8 100755
--- a/tests/tests.py
+++ b/tests/tests.py
@@ -137,6 +137,15 @@ def test_cross_product(self):
         logging.debug("{0} {1}".format(response.status_code, response.reason))
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
 
+    def test_variable_substitution(self,):
+        yql = YQL()
+        var = {'home': 'Congo'}
+        yql.set(var) 
+
+        response = yql.select('geo.states', remote_filter=(5,)).where(['place', '=', '@home'])
+        logging.debug(pretty_json(response.content))
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+
     def test_raise_exception_no_table_selected(self):
         with self.assertRaises(NoTableSelectedError):
             response = self.yql.select(None).where([])
@@ -478,10 +487,10 @@ def setUp(self,):
         self.oauth = OAuth1(None, None, from_file='credentials.json')
         self.yql = YQL(oauth=self.oauth)
 
-    def test_get_contacts(self,):
-        data = self.yql.select('social.contacts').where(['guid','=', '@me'])
-        logging.debug(pretty_json(data.content))
-        self.assertEqual(data.status_code, 200)
+    #def test_get_contacts(self,):
+    #    data = self.yql.select('social.contacts').where(['guid','=', '@me'])
+    #    logging.debug(pretty_json(data.content))
+    #    self.assertEqual(data.status_code, 200)
 
 class TestTable(unittest.TestCase):