diff --git a/examples/how_do_i.nom b/examples/how_do_i.nom
index 78a11e2..2480f72 100644
--- a/examples/how_do_i.nom
+++ b/examples/how_do_i.nom
@@ -203,9 +203,9 @@ rule [%what_she_said is what she said] =:
 
 #.. The language only reserves []{}().,:;% as special characters, so functions
     can have really funky names!
-rule [>> %foo_bar $$$^ --> %@ @& _~-^-~_~-^ %1 !] =:
+rule [>> %foo_bar $$$^ --> % @& _~-^-~_~-^ %1 !] =:
     say %foo_bar
-    say %@
+    say %
     say %1
 
 >> "wow" $$$^ --> "so flexible!" @& _~-^-~_~-^ "even numbers can be variables!" !
diff --git a/nomsu.lua b/nomsu.lua
index ee7118e..b00560c 100644
--- a/nomsu.lua
+++ b/nomsu.lua
@@ -117,9 +117,9 @@ local nomsu = [=[    file <- ({{| shebang?
 
     number <- ({ (("-"? (([0-9]+ "." [0-9]+) / ("." [0-9]+) / ([0-9]+)))-> tonumber) }) -> Number
 
-    -- Variables can be nameless (i.e. just %) and can't contain apostrophes
-    -- which is a hack to allow %foo's to parse as "%foo" and "'s" separately
-    variable <- ({ ("%" { ((%wordbreaker+) / (%wordchar+))? }) }) -> Var
+    -- Variables can be nameless (i.e. just %) and can't contain wordbreakers like apostrophe
+    -- which is a hack to allow %'s to parse as "%" and "' s" separately
+    variable <- ({ ("%" { %wordchar* }) }) -> Var
 
     inline_list <- ({ {|
          ("[" %ws? ((inline_list_item comma)* inline_list_item comma?)? %ws? "]")
diff --git a/nomsu.moon b/nomsu.moon
index 136b6ee..0c45258 100755
--- a/nomsu.moon
+++ b/nomsu.moon
@@ -118,9 +118,9 @@ nomsu = [=[
 
     number <- ({ (("-"? (([0-9]+ "." [0-9]+) / ("." [0-9]+) / ([0-9]+)))-> tonumber) }) -> Number
 
-    -- Variables can be nameless (i.e. just %) and can't contain apostrophes
-    -- which is a hack to allow %foo's to parse as "%foo" and "'s" separately
-    variable <- ({ ("%" { ((%wordbreaker+) / (%wordchar+))? }) }) -> Var
+    -- Variables can be nameless (i.e. just %) and can't contain wordbreakers like apostrophe
+    -- which is a hack to allow %'s to parse as "%" and "' s" separately
+    variable <- ({ ("%" { %wordchar* }) }) -> Var
 
     inline_list <- ({ {|
          ("[" %ws? ((inline_list_item comma)* inline_list_item comma?)? %ws? "]")