diff --git a/dotdrop/action.py b/dotdrop/action.py
index e383d0a..617bf72 100644
--- a/dotdrop/action.py
+++ b/dotdrop/action.py
@@ -68,12 +68,12 @@ class Action(Cmd):
     def __repr__(self):
         return 'action({})'.format(self.__str__())
 
-    def execute(self, templater=None, newvars={}):
+    def execute(self, templater=None):
         """execute the action in the shell"""
         ret = 1
         action = self.action
         if templater:
-            action = templater.generate_string(self.action, tmpvars=newvars)
+            action = templater.generate_string(self.action)
         try:
             cmd = action.format(*self.args)
         except IndexError:
diff --git a/dotdrop/config.py b/dotdrop/config.py
index 155349e..caaab31 100644
--- a/dotdrop/config.py
+++ b/dotdrop/config.py
@@ -175,21 +175,23 @@ class Cfg:
         """resolve dotfiles src/dst/actions templating for this profile"""
         t = Templategen(variables=variables)
         dotfiles = self._get_dotfiles(profile)
+        tvars = t.add_tmp_vars()
         for d in dotfiles:
+            # add dotfile variables
+            t.restore_vars(tvars)
+            newvar = d.get_vars()
+            t.add_tmp_vars(newvars=newvar)
             # src and dst path
             d.src = t.generate_string(d.src)
             d.dst = t.generate_string(d.dst)
             # pre actions
-            var = d.get_vars()
             if self.key_actions_pre in d.actions:
                 for action in d.actions[self.key_actions_pre]:
-                    action.action = t.generate_string(action.action,
-                                                      tmpvars=var)
+                    action.action = t.generate_string(action.action)
             # post actions
             if self.key_actions_post in d.actions:
                 for action in d.actions[self.key_actions_post]:
-                    action.action = t.generate_string(action.action,
-                                                      tmpvars=var)
+                    action.action = t.generate_string(action.action)
         return dotfiles
 
     def _load_config(self, profile=None):
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index d8b1dca..c020188 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ def action_executor(o, dotfile, actions, defactions, templater, post=False):
                 continue
             if o.debug:
                 LOG.dbg('executing def-{}-action {}'.format(s, action))
-            newvars = dotfile.get_vars()
-            ret = action.execute(templater=templater, newvars=newvars)
+            ret = action.execute(templater=templater)
             if not ret:
                 err = 'def-{}-action \"{}\" failed'.format(s, action.key)
                 LOG.err(err)
@@ -59,8 +58,7 @@ def action_executor(o, dotfile, actions, defactions, templater, post=False):
                 continue
             if o.debug:
                 LOG.dbg('executing {}-action {}'.format(s, action))
-            newvars = dotfile.get_vars()
-            ret = action.execute(templater=templater, newvars=newvars)
+            ret = action.execute(templater=templater)
             if not ret:
                 err = '{}-action \"{}\" failed'.format(s, action.key)
                 LOG.err(err)
@@ -93,7 +91,13 @@ def cmd_install(o):
                      showdiff=o.install_showdiff,
                      backup_suffix=o.install_backup_suffix)
     installed = 0
+    tvars = t.add_tmp_vars()
     for dotfile in dotfiles:
+        # add dotfile variables
+        t.restore_vars(tvars)
+        newvars = dotfile.get_vars()
+        t.add_tmp_vars(newvars=newvars)
+
         preactions = []
         if not o.install_temporary and dotfile.actions \
                 and Cfg.key_actions_pre in dotfile.actions:
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotfile.py b/dotdrop/dotfile.py
index ce1cac3..6b9b939 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotfile.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotfile.py
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ class Dotfile:
     def get_vars(self):
         """return this dotfile templating vars"""
         _vars = {}
-        _vars['_dotfile_src'] = self.src
-        _vars['_dotfile_dst'] = self.dst
+        _vars['_dotfile_abs_src'] = self.src
+        _vars['_dotfile_abs_dst'] = self.dst
         return _vars
 
     def __str__(self):
diff --git a/dotdrop/templategen.py b/dotdrop/templategen.py
index d5b7a1f..2ae2aad 100644
--- a/dotdrop/templategen.py
+++ b/dotdrop/templategen.py
@@ -51,36 +51,28 @@ class Templategen:
         self.env.globals['exists'] = jhelpers.exists
         self.env.globals['exists_in_path'] = jhelpers.exists_in_path
 
-    def generate(self, src, tmpvars={}):
+    def generate(self, src):
         """render template from path"""
         if not os.path.exists(src):
             return ''
-        saved = self._patch_globals(tmpvars)
-        ret = self._handle_file(src)
-        self._restore_globals(saved)
-        return ret
+        return self._handle_file(src)
 
-    def generate_string(self, string, tmpvars={}):
+    def generate_string(self, string):
         """render template from string"""
         if not string:
             return ''
-        saved = self._patch_globals(tmpvars)
-        if self.debug:
-            self.log.dbg('new vars: {}'.format(tmpvars))
-        ret = self.env.from_string(string).render()
-        self._restore_globals(saved)
-        return ret
+        return self.env.from_string(string).render()
 
-    def _patch_globals(self, newvars={}):
-        """add vars to the globals, make sure to call _restore_globals"""
+    def add_tmp_vars(self, newvars={}):
+        """add vars to the globals, make sure to call restore_vars"""
         saved_globals = self.env.globals.copy()
         if not newvars:
             return saved_globals
         self.env.globals.update(newvars)
         return saved_globals
 
-    def _restore_globals(self, saved_globals):
-        """restore globals from _patch_globals"""
+    def restore_vars(self, saved_globals):
+        """restore globals from add_tmp_vars"""
         self.env.globals = saved_globals.copy()
 
     def update_variables(self, variables):
diff --git a/tests-ng/actions-template.sh b/tests-ng/actions-template.sh
index 88a8d0f..17db3d1 100755
--- a/tests-ng/actions-template.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/actions-template.sh
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
 cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
 actions:
   pre:
-    preaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_src @@}} > {0}"
+    preaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_abs_src @@}} > {0}"
   post:
-    postaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_src @@}} > ${tmpa}/post"
-  nakedaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_src @@}} > ${tmpa}/naked"
+    postaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_abs_src @@}} > ${tmpa}/post"
+  nakedaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_abs_src @@}} > ${tmpa}/naked"
 config:
   backup: true
   create: true
@@ -102,10 +102,10 @@ rm -f ${tmpa}/naked* ${tmpa}/pre* ${tmpa}/post* ${tmpd}/abc
 cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
 actions:
   pre:
-    preaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_dst @@}} > ${tmpa}/pre"
+    preaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_abs_dst @@}} > ${tmpa}/pre"
   post:
-    postaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_dst @@}} > ${tmpa}/post"
-  nakedaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_dst @@}} > ${tmpa}/naked"
+    postaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_abs_dst @@}} > ${tmpa}/post"
+  nakedaction: "echo {{@@ _dotfile_abs_dst @@}} > ${tmpa}/naked"
 config:
   backup: true
   create: true
diff --git a/tests-ng/dotfile-variables.sh b/tests-ng/dotfile-variables.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0d48d64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/dotfile-variables.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2017, deadc0de6
+#
+# test dotfile specific variables
+# returns 1 in case of error
+#
+
+# exit on first error
+set -e
+
+# all this crap to get current path
+rl="readlink -f"
+if ! ${rl} "${0}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  rl="realpath"
+
+  if ! hash ${rl}; then
+    echo "\"${rl}\" not found !" && exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+cur=$(dirname "$(${rl} "${0}")")
+
+#hash dotdrop >/dev/null 2>&1
+#[ "$?" != "0" ] && echo "install dotdrop to run tests" && exit 1
+
+#echo "called with ${1}"
+
+# dotdrop path can be pass as argument
+ddpath="${cur}/../"
+[ "${1}" != "" ] && ddpath="${1}"
+[ ! -d ${ddpath} ] && echo "ddpath \"${ddpath}\" is not a directory" && exit 1
+
+export PYTHONPATH="${ddpath}:${PYTHONPATH}"
+bin="python3 -m dotdrop.dotdrop"
+
+echo "dotdrop path: ${ddpath}"
+echo "pythonpath: ${PYTHONPATH}"
+
+# get the helpers
+source ${cur}/helpers
+
+echo -e "\e[96m\e[1m==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==\e[0m"
+
+################################################################
+# this is the test
+################################################################
+
+# the dotfile source
+tmps=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+mkdir -p ${tmps}/dotfiles
+# the dotfile destination
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: true
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+dotfiles:
+  f_abc:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/abc
+    src: abc
+profiles:
+  p1:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_abc
+_EOF
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+# create the dotfile
+echo 'src:{{@@ _dotfile_abs_src @@}}' > ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+echo 'dst:{{@@ _dotfile_abs_dst @@}}' >> ${tmps}/dotfiles/abc
+
+# install
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} install -f -c ${cfg} -p p1 -V
+
+# checks
+[ ! -e ${tmpd}/abc ] && echo 'dotfile not installed' && exit 1
+grep "src:${tmps}/dotfiles/abc" ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+grep "dst:${tmpd}/abc" ${tmpd}/abc >/dev/null
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0