diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 9c27c1459..c1800e571 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -282,19 +282,6 @@ func (c *compiler) compileField(obj *d2graph.Object, f *d2ir.Field) {
 			if len(f.Map().Edges) > 0 {
 				c.errorf(f.Map().Edges[0].LastRef().AST(), "vars cannot contain an edge")
 			}
-			// for _, varField := range f.Map().Fields {
-			//   if varField.Map() != nil {
-			//     c.errorf(varField.LastRef().AST(), "vars must be simple")
-			//   }
-			//   for _, cf := range classesField.Map().Fields {
-			//     if _, ok := d2graph.ReservedKeywords[cf.Name]; !ok {
-			//       c.errorf(cf.LastRef().AST(), "%s is an invalid class field, must be reserved keyword", cf.Name)
-			//     }
-			//     if cf.Name == "class" {
-			//       c.errorf(cf.LastRef().AST(), `"class" cannot appear within "classes"`)
-			//     }
-			//   }
-			// }
 		}
 		return
 	} else if isReserved {
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile_test.go b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
index 22373fac5..1912a9258 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile_test.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
@@ -3470,7 +3470,31 @@ vars: {
   x: hey
 }
 hi: ${z}
-`, "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.d2:5:1: could not resolve variable z")
+`, `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.d2:5:1: could not resolve variable "z"`)
+				},
+			},
+			{
+				name: "edge",
+				run: func(t *testing.T) {
+					assertCompile(t, `
+vars: {
+  x -> a
+}
+hi
+`, "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/edge.d2:3:3: vars cannot contain an edge")
+				},
+			},
+			{
+				name: "map",
+				run: func(t *testing.T) {
+					assertCompile(t, `
+vars: {
+  colors: {
+    button: red
+  }
+}
+hi: ${colors}
+`, `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/map.d2:7:1: cannot reference map variable "colors"`)
 				},
 			},
 		}
diff --git a/d2ir/compile.go b/d2ir/compile.go
index 8e69091de..4a7ef23c0 100644
--- a/d2ir/compile.go
+++ b/d2ir/compile.go
@@ -153,9 +153,12 @@ func (c *compiler) resolveSubstitution(vars *Map, mk *d2ast.Key, substitution *d
 		resolved = r
 	}
 	if resolved == nil {
-		c.errorf(mk, "could not resolve variable %s", strings.Join(substitution.IDA(), "."))
+		c.errorf(mk, `could not resolve variable "%s"`, strings.Join(substitution.IDA(), "."))
 	} else {
-		// TODO maps
+		if resolved.Composite != nil {
+			c.errorf(mk, `cannot reference map variable "%s"`, strings.Join(substitution.IDA(), "."))
+			return nil
+		}
 		return resolved
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -211,9 +214,6 @@ func (c *compiler) compileMap(dst *Map, ast, scopeAST *d2ast.Map) {
 	}
 	for _, n := range ast.Nodes {
 		switch {
-		case n.Substitution != nil:
-			println("\033[1;31m--- DEBUG:", "=======================", "\033[m")
-			c.errorf(n.Substitution, "only values can use substitutions")
 		case n.MapKey != nil:
 			c.compileKey(&RefContext{
 				Key:      n.MapKey,
@@ -350,15 +350,6 @@ func (c *compiler) compileField(dst *Map, kp *d2ast.KeyPath, refctx *RefContext)
 				c.overlayClasses(f.Map())
 			}
 		}
-		// } else if refctx.Key.Value.Substitution != nil {
-		//   vars := ParentBoard(f).Map().GetField("vars")
-		//   resolved := c.resolveSubstitution(vars.Map(), refctx.Key, refctx.Key.Value.Substitution)
-		//   if resolved != nil {
-		//     f.Primary_ = &Scalar{
-		//       parent: f,
-		//       Value:  resolved,
-		//     }
-		//   }
 	} else if refctx.Key.Value.ScalarBox().Unbox() != nil {
 		// If the link is a board, we need to transform it into an absolute path.
 		if f.Name == "link" {
@@ -368,8 +359,6 @@ func (c *compiler) compileField(dst *Map, kp *d2ast.KeyPath, refctx *RefContext)
 			parent: f,
 			Value:  refctx.Key.Value.ScalarBox().Unbox(),
 		}
-
-		// InterpolationBox within any of these values can be substitutions too
 	}
 }
 
@@ -538,15 +527,6 @@ func (c *compiler) compileEdges(refctx *RefContext) {
 					}
 				}
 				c.compileMap(e.Map_, refctx.Key.Value.Map, refctx.ScopeAST)
-				// } else if refctx.Key.Value.Substitution != nil {
-				//   vars := ParentBoard(e).Map().GetField("vars")
-				//   resolved := c.resolveSubstitution(vars.Map(), refctx.Key, refctx.Key.Value.Substitution)
-				//   if resolved != nil {
-				//     e.Primary_ = &Scalar{
-				//       parent: e,
-				//       Value:  resolved,
-				//     }
-				//   }
 			} else if refctx.Key.Value.ScalarBox().Unbox() != nil {
 				e.Primary_ = &Scalar{
 					parent: e,
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/edge.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/edge.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b83fda7d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/edge.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "graph": null,
+  "err": {
+    "errs": [
+      {
+        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/edge.d2,2:2:11-2:8:17",
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/edge.d2:3:3: vars cannot contain an edge"
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/map.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/map.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d8156660
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/map.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "graph": null,
+  "err": {
+    "errs": [
+      {
+        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/map.d2,6:0:43-6:13:56",
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/map.d2:7:1: cannot reference map variable \"colors\""
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.exp.json
index 64d495784..bf2e45fed 100644
--- a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.exp.json
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.exp.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     "errs": [
       {
         "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.d2,4:0:20-4:8:28",
-        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.d2:5:1: could not resolve variable z"
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile2/vars/errors/missing.d2:5:1: could not resolve variable \"z\""
       }
     ]
   }