diff --git a/parser.go b/parser.go
index cb7315b..7504b17 100644
--- a/parser.go
+++ b/parser.go
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ func (self *parser) parseGeneral(scanner *scanner, allowForest bool, allowVarRef
 				if currentTerm != nil {
 					sym = currentTerm.symbol()
 				}
-				if sym == SymList || sym == SymString || sym == SymDict || sym == SymExpression {
+				if sym == SymList || sym == SymString || sym == SymDict || sym == SymExpression || sym == SymVariable {
 					indexTk := NewToken(listTerm.tk.row, listTerm.tk.col, SymIndex, listTerm.source())
 					indexTerm := newTerm(indexTk)
 					if err = tree.addTerm(indexTerm); err == nil {