diff --git a/nomsu.lua b/nomsu.lua
index 583843f..28bb36d 100644
--- a/nomsu.lua
+++ b/nomsu.lua
@@ -610,7 +610,11 @@ end)]]):format(concat(lua_bits, "\n"))
       elseif "Number" == _exp_0 then
         return repr(tree.value), nil
       elseif "Var" == _exp_0 then
-        return "vars[" .. tostring(repr(tree.value)) .. "]", nil
+        if tree.value:match("^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*$") then
+          return "vars." .. tostring(tree.value), nil
+        else
+          return "vars[" .. tostring(repr(tree.value)) .. "]", nil
+        end
       else
         return self:error("Unknown/unimplemented thingy: " .. tostring(tree.type))
       end
diff --git a/nomsu.moon b/nomsu.moon
index 435265f..cd80510 100755
--- a/nomsu.moon
+++ b/nomsu.moon
@@ -461,7 +461,10 @@ end)]])\format(concat(lua_bits, "\n"))
                 return repr(tree.value), nil
 
             when "Var"
-                return "vars[#{repr tree.value}]", nil
+                if tree.value\match("^[a-zA-Z_][a-zA-Z0-9_]*$")
+                    return "vars.#{tree.value}", nil
+                else
+                    return "vars[#{repr tree.value}]", nil
 
             else
                 @error("Unknown/unimplemented thingy: #{tree.type}")