diff --git a/d2compiler/compile_test.go b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
index f077c5abe..44c4d1bb2 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile_test.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
@@ -1732,6 +1732,10 @@ environment: {
 }
 `,
 			},
+			assertions: func(t *testing.T, g *d2graph.Graph) {
+				assert.Equal(t, 1, len(g.Objects))
+				assert.Equal(t, "k", g.Objects[0].AbsID())
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "import-connections",
diff --git a/d2ir/import.go b/d2ir/import.go
index 6f593c5c7..2d6630203 100644
--- a/d2ir/import.go
+++ b/d2ir/import.go
@@ -111,6 +111,14 @@ func (c *compiler) __import(imp *d2ast.Import) (*Map, bool) {
 
 	c.compileMap(ir, ast, ast)
 
+	// We attempt to resolve variables in the imported file scope first
+	// But ignore errors, in case the variable is meant to be resolved at the
+	// importer
+	savedErrors := make([]d2ast.Error, len(c.err.Errors))
+	copy(savedErrors, c.err.Errors)
+	c.compileSubstitutions(ir, nil)
+	c.err.Errors = savedErrors
+
 	c.seenImports[impPath] = struct{}{}
 
 	return ir, true
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.exp.json
index 243379fb6..a2ec401d7 100644
--- a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.exp.json
@@ -3,66 +3,37 @@
     "name": "",
     "isFolderOnly": false,
     "ast": {
-      "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:0:0-3:0:42",
+      "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:0:0-1:0:23",
       "nodes": [
         {
-          "map_key": {
-            "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:0:0-2:1:41",
-            "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:0:0-0:11:11",
-              "path": [
-                {
-                  "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:0:0-0:11:11",
-                    "value": [
-                      {
-                        "string": "development",
-                        "raw_string": "development"
-                      }
-                    ]
-                  }
-                }
-              ]
-            },
-            "primary": {},
-            "value": {
-              "map": {
-                "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:13:13-2:1:41",
-                "nodes": [
-                  {
-                    "import": {
-                      "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,1:2:17-1:24:39",
-                      "spread": true,
-                      "pre": "",
-                      "path": [
-                        {
-                          "unquoted_string": {
-                            "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,1:6:21-1:12:27",
-                            "value": [
-                              {
-                                "string": "models",
-                                "raw_string": "models"
-                              }
-                            ]
-                          }
-                        },
-                        {
-                          "unquoted_string": {
-                            "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,1:13:28-1:24:39",
-                            "value": [
-                              {
-                                "string": "environment",
-                                "raw_string": "environment"
-                              }
-                            ]
-                          }
-                        }
-                      ]
+          "import": {
+            "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:0:0-0:22:22",
+            "spread": true,
+            "pre": "",
+            "path": [
+              {
+                "unquoted_string": {
+                  "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:4:4-0:10:10",
+                  "value": [
+                    {
+                      "string": "models",
+                      "raw_string": "models"
                     }
-                  }
-                ]
+                  ]
+                }
+              },
+              {
+                "unquoted_string": {
+                  "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:11:11-0:22:22",
+                  "value": [
+                    {
+                      "string": "environment",
+                      "raw_string": "environment"
+                    }
+                  ]
+                }
               }
-            }
+            ]
           }
         }
       ]
@@ -93,63 +64,17 @@
     },
     "edges": null,
     "objects": [
-      {
-        "id": "development",
-        "id_val": "development",
-        "references": [
-          {
-            "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:0:0-0:11:11",
-              "path": [
-                {
-                  "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/import-nested-var.d2,0:0:0-0:11:11",
-                    "value": [
-                      {
-                        "string": "development",
-                        "raw_string": "development"
-                      }
-                    ]
-                  }
-                }
-              ]
-            },
-            "key_path_index": 0,
-            "map_key_edge_index": -1
-          }
-        ],
-        "attributes": {
-          "label": {
-            "value": "development"
-          },
-          "labelDimensions": {
-            "width": 0,
-            "height": 0
-          },
-          "style": {},
-          "iconStyle": {},
-          "near_key": null,
-          "shape": {
-            "value": "rectangle"
-          },
-          "direction": {
-            "value": ""
-          },
-          "constraint": null
-        },
-        "zIndex": 0
-      },
       {
         "id": "k",
         "id_val": "k",
         "references": [
           {
             "key": {
-              "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/models.d2,8:2:56-8:3:57",
+              "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/models.d2,3:4:20-3:5:21",
               "path": [
                 {
                   "unquoted_string": {
-                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/models.d2,8:2:56-8:3:57",
+                    "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/models.d2,3:4:20-3:5:21",
                     "value": [
                       {
                         "string": "k",