diff --git a/core/modules/filters/is/variable.js b/core/modules/filters/is/variable.js
index 1f2e5d1b3..110d9a7c8 100644
--- a/core/modules/filters/is/variable.js
+++ b/core/modules/filters/is/variable.js
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@ exports.variable = function(source,prefix,options) {
 	var results = [];
 	if(prefix === "!") {
 		source(function(tiddler,title) {
-			if(!(title in options.widget.variables)) {
+			if(options.widget.getVariable(title) === undefined) {
 				results.push(title);
 			}
 		});
 	} else {
 		source(function(tiddler,title) {
-			if(title in options.widget.variables) {
+			if(options.widget.getVariable(title) !== undefined) {
 				results.push(title);
 			}
 		});
diff --git a/core/modules/filters/variables.js b/core/modules/filters/variables.js
index fda40a404..c92b780d2 100644
--- a/core/modules/filters/variables.js
+++ b/core/modules/filters/variables.js
@@ -16,9 +16,15 @@ Filter operator for returning the names of the active variables
 Export our filter function
 */
 exports.variables = function(source,operator,options) {
-	var names = [];
-	for(var variable in options.widget.variables) {
-		names.push(variable);
+	var names = [],
+		widget = options.widget;
+	while(widget && !widget.hasOwnProperty("variables")) {
+		widget = widget.parentWidget;
+	}
+	if(widget && widget.variables) {
+		for(var variable in widget.variables) {
+			names.push(variable);
+		}
 	}
 	return names.sort();
 };