diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5ee7da8..fa5d12e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 * Use shorter compiled function body ids when not on development environment
 * Add basic `Optional` value-wrapper class support
+* Make sure variables are always cast to a `Variables` instance
 
 ## 2.3.19 (2024-04-13)
 
diff --git a/lib/core/renderer.js b/lib/core/renderer.js
index 153d001..9312f4f 100644
--- a/lib/core/renderer.js
+++ b/lib/core/renderer.js
@@ -2144,7 +2144,7 @@ Renderer.setMethod(function applySynchronousRenderElementOptions(element, option
  *
  * @author   Jelle De Loecker   <jelle@elevenways.be>
  * @since    2.0.0
- * @version  2.3.1
+ * @version  2.4.0
  *
  * @param    {Element}   element
  * @param    {Object}    options
@@ -2242,7 +2242,7 @@ Renderer.setMethod(function applyElementOptions(element, options, for_sync_rende
 	if (options.variables) {
 
 		if (!element[Hawkejs.VARIABLES]) {
-			element[Hawkejs.VARIABLES] = {};
+			element[Hawkejs.VARIABLES] = this.prepareVariables({});
 		}
 
 		for (i = 0; i < options.variables.length; i++) {
diff --git a/lib/element/custom_element.js b/lib/element/custom_element.js
index abe847f..cd743b1 100644
--- a/lib/element/custom_element.js
+++ b/lib/element/custom_element.js
@@ -2516,7 +2516,7 @@ function _resolveRender(err) {
  *
  * @author   Jelle De Loecker <jelle@elevenways.be>
  * @since    2.1.3
- * @version  2.2.9
+ * @version  2.4.0
  *
  * @param    {Function}   fnc
  */
@@ -2531,10 +2531,12 @@ Element.setMethod(function applyCompiledTemplate(fnc) {
 
 	let renderer = this.ensureHawkejsRenderer();
 
-	let render_vars = {};
+	let render_vars;
 
 	if (this[Hawkejs.VARIABLES]) {
-		Object.assign(render_vars, this[Hawkejs.VARIABLES]);
+		render_vars = this[Hawkejs.VARIABLES].overlay();
+	} else {
+		render_vars = renderer.prepareVariables({});
 	}
 
 	Blast.defineGet(render_vars, 'self', () => {