diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index e2c8b71bb..3c0946bfa 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -281,12 +281,6 @@ func (c *compiler) compileField(obj *d2graph.Object, f *d2ir.Field) {
 		if f.Map() != nil {
 			if len(f.Map().Edges) > 0 {
 				c.errorf(f.Map().Edges[0].LastRef().AST(), "vars cannot contain an edge")
-			} else {
-				for _, f := range f.Map().Fields {
-					if f.Primary() == nil && f.Composite == nil {
-						c.errorf(f.LastRef().AST(), "invalid var with no value")
-					}
-				}
 			}
 		}
 		return
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile_test.go b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
index d716228cf..b3f189be2 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile_test.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
@@ -3797,17 +3797,6 @@ hi: ${z}
 `, `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.d2:5:1: could not resolve variable "z"`)
 				},
 			},
-			{
-				name: "bad-var",
-				run: func(t *testing.T) {
-					assertCompile(t, `
-vars: {
-  x
-}
-hi: ${x}
-`, `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.d2:3:3: invalid var with no value`)
-				},
-			},
 			{
 				name: "multi-part-map",
 				run: func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -3818,7 +3807,7 @@ vars: {
   }
 }
 hi: 1 ${x}
-`, `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.d2:7:1: cannot substitute map variable "x" as part of a string`)
+`, `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.d2:7:1: cannot substitute composite variable "x" as part of a string`)
 				},
 			},
 			{
@@ -3938,7 +3927,7 @@ z: {
 	d: ...${x}
   c
 }
-`, `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.d2:8:2: cannot substitute map variable "x" as part of a string`)
+`, `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.d2:8:2: cannot substitute composite variable "x" as part of a string`)
 				},
 			},
 		}
diff --git a/d2ir/compile.go b/d2ir/compile.go
index ef88d95a9..ffa5a96ae 100644
--- a/d2ir/compile.go
+++ b/d2ir/compile.go
@@ -188,8 +188,12 @@ func (c *compiler) resolveSubstitutions(varsStack []*Map, node Node) {
 					}
 				}
 				if resolvedField.Primary() == nil {
+					if resolvedField.Composite == nil {
+						c.errorf(node.LastRef().AST(), `cannot substitute variable without value: "%s"`, strings.Join(box.Substitution.IDA(), "."))
+						return
+					}
 					if len(s.Value) > 1 {
-						c.errorf(node.LastRef().AST(), `cannot substitute map variable "%s" as part of a string`, strings.Join(box.Substitution.IDA(), "."))
+						c.errorf(node.LastRef().AST(), `cannot substitute composite variable "%s" as part of a string`, strings.Join(box.Substitution.IDA(), "."))
 						return
 					}
 					switch n := node.(type) {
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.exp.json
index c079e0f3c..c740711a7 100644
--- a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.exp.json
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
       {
         "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.d2,2:2:11-2:3:12",
         "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.d2:3:3: invalid var with no value"
+      },
+      {
+        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.d2,4:4:23-4:5:24",
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/bad-var.d2:5:5: invalid var with no value"
       }
     ]
   }
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.exp.json
index 70c263dfa..055c954df 100644
--- a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.exp.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     "errs": [
       {
         "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.d2,6:0:31-6:2:33",
-        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.d2:7:1: cannot substitute map variable \"x\" as part of a string"
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/multi-part-map.d2:7:1: cannot substitute composite variable \"x\" as part of a string"
       }
     ]
   }
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.exp.json
index 296f35954..3d31fd966 100644
--- a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.exp.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     "errs": [
       {
         "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.d2,7:1:36-7:2:37",
-        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.d2:8:2: cannot substitute map variable \"x\" as part of a string"
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/spread-non-solo.d2:8:2: cannot substitute composite variable \"x\" as part of a string"
       }
     ]
   }