diff --git a/reactbot/bot.py b/reactbot/bot.py
index 37bf465..b893110 100644
--- a/reactbot/bot.py
+++ b/reactbot/bot.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 from typing import Type, Tuple, Dict
-from itertools import chain
 import time
 
 from attr import dataclass
diff --git a/reactbot/config.py b/reactbot/config.py
index 1f37570..8cb9ba5 100644
--- a/reactbot/config.py
+++ b/reactbot/config.py
@@ -88,9 +88,11 @@ class Config(BaseProxyConfig):
         return re.compile(pattern, flags=flags)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _parse_variables(data: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, JinjaTemplate]:
-        return {name: JinjaTemplate(var_tpl) for name, var_tpl
-                in data.get("variables", {}).items()}
+    def _parse_variables(data: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        return {name: (JinjaTemplate(var_tpl)
+                       if isinstance(var_tpl, str) and var_tpl.startswith("{{")
+                       else var_tpl)
+                for name, var_tpl in data.get("variables", {}).items()}
 
     @staticmethod
     def _parse_content(content: Union[Dict[str, Any], str]) -> Union[Dict[str, Any], JinjaTemplate]:
diff --git a/reactbot/rule.py b/reactbot/rule.py
index 441ffb7..f7703d2 100644
--- a/reactbot/rule.py
+++ b/reactbot/rule.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-from typing import Optional, Match, Dict, List, Set, Union, Pattern
+from typing import Optional, Match, Dict, List, Set, Union, Pattern, Any
 
 from attr import dataclass
 from jinja2 import Template as JinjaTemplate
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class Rule:
     not_matches: List[RPattern]
     template: Template
     type: Optional[EventType]
-    variables: Dict[str, JinjaTemplate]
+    variables: Dict[str, Any]
 
     def _check_not_match(self, body: str) -> bool:
         for pattern in self.not_matches:
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ class Rule:
         return None
 
     async def execute(self, evt: MessageEvent, match: Match) -> None:
-        content = self.template.execute(evt=evt, rule_vars=self.variables,
-                                        extra_vars={str(i): val for i, val in
-                                                    enumerate(match.groups())})
+        extra_vars = {
+            **{str(i): val for i, val in enumerate(match.groups())},
+            **match.groupdict(),
+        }
+        content = self.template.execute(evt=evt, rule_vars=self.variables, extra_vars=extra_vars)
         await evt.client.send_message_event(evt.room_id, self.type or self.template.type, content)
diff --git a/reactbot/simplepattern.py b/reactbot/simplepattern.py
index 4b30890..d9e74e1 100644
--- a/reactbot/simplepattern.py
+++ b/reactbot/simplepattern.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-from typing import Callable, List, Optional
+from typing import Callable, List, Dict, Optional
 import re
 
 
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ class BlankMatch:
     def groups() -> List[str]:
         return []
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def groupdict() -> Dict[str, str]:
+        return {}
+
 
 class SimplePattern:
     _ptm = BlankMatch()
diff --git a/reactbot/template.py b/reactbot/template.py
index 09967b9..8b003ac 100644
--- a/reactbot/template.py
+++ b/reactbot/template.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Index = Union[str, int, Key]
 @dataclass
 class Template:
     type: EventType
-    variables: Dict[str, JinjaTemplate]
+    variables: Dict[str, Any]
     content: Union[Dict[str, Any], JinjaTemplate]
 
     _variable_locations: List[Tuple[Index, ...]] = None
@@ -78,9 +78,12 @@ class Template:
 
     def execute(self, evt: Event, rule_vars: Dict[str, JinjaTemplate], extra_vars: Dict[str, str]
                 ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        variables = {**{name: template.render(event=evt)
-                        for name, template in chain(self.variables.items(), rule_vars.items())},
-                     **extra_vars}
+        variables = extra_vars
+        for name, template in chain(rule_vars.items(), self.variables.items()):
+            if isinstance(template, JinjaTemplate):
+                variables[name] = template.render(event=evt, variables=variables)
+            else:
+                variables[name] = template
         if isinstance(self.content, JinjaTemplate):
             raw_json = self.content.render(event=evt, **variables)
             return json.loads(raw_json)