diff --git a/Sources/Variable.swift b/Sources/Variable.swift
index ea0353ae..db7440a3 100644
--- a/Sources/Variable.swift
+++ b/Sources/Variable.swift
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@ import Foundation
 
 typealias Number = Float
 
+public protocol GenericVariable: Equatable {
+  var variable: String { get }
+}
+
+public func ==<T: GenericVariable>(lhs: T, rhs: T) -> Bool {
+  return lhs.variable == rhs.variable
+}
+
 
 class FilterExpression : Resolvable {
   let filters: [(FilterType, [Variable])]
@@ -41,8 +49,66 @@ class FilterExpression : Resolvable {
   }
 }
 
+// A structure used to represent a template variable or expression, resolved in
+// a given context
+public struct CompoundVariable : GenericVariable, Resolvable {
+  public let variable: String
+
+  /// Create a variable with a string representing the variable
+  public init(_ variable: String) {
+    self.variable = variable
+  }
+
+  /// Resolve the variable in the given context, first as a normal variable, then
+  /// as an expression (more expensive)
+  public func resolve(_ context: Context) throws -> Any? {
+    var result = try Variable(variable).resolve(context)
+
+    if result == nil {
+      result = try expressionResolve(context)
+    }
+
+    return result
+  }
+
+  private func expressionResolve(_ context: Context) throws -> Any? {
+    var components = explode(expression: variable, operators: " +-*/()")
+
+    // try to resolve each individual component
+    components = try components.map {
+      if let resolved = try Variable($0).resolve(context) {
+        return stringify(resolved)
+      } else {
+        return $0
+      }
+    }
+
+    let expression = NSExpression(format: components.joined())
+    return expression.expressionValue(with: nil, context: nil)
+  }
+  
+  private func explode(expression: String, operators: String) -> [String] {
+    let set = CharacterSet(charactersIn: operators)
+    var result = [String]()
+    
+    var current = ""
+    for character in expression.unicodeScalars {
+      if !set.contains(character) {
+        current += String(character)
+      } else {
+        result.append(current)
+        result.append(String(character))
+        current = ""
+      }
+    }
+    result.append(current)
+
+    return result.filter { !$0.isEmpty }
+  }
+}
+
 /// A structure used to represent a template variable, and to resolve it in a given context.
-public struct Variable : Equatable, Resolvable {
+public struct Variable : GenericVariable, Resolvable {
   public let variable: String
 
   /// Create a variable with a string representing the variable
@@ -117,10 +183,6 @@ public struct Variable : Equatable, Resolvable {
   }
 }
 
-public func ==(lhs: Variable, rhs: Variable) -> Bool {
-  return lhs.variable == rhs.variable
-}
-
 
 func normalize(_ current: Any?) -> Any? {
   if let current = current as? Normalizable {
diff --git a/Tests/StencilTests/VariableSpec.swift b/Tests/StencilTests/VariableSpec.swift
index d66dc1a4..1a680b82 100644
--- a/Tests/StencilTests/VariableSpec.swift
+++ b/Tests/StencilTests/VariableSpec.swift
@@ -115,4 +115,72 @@ func testVariable() {
     }
 #endif
   }
+
+  describe("CompoundVariable") {
+    let context = Context(dictionary: [
+      "name": "Kyle",
+      "a": 3,
+      "x": 20
+    ])
+
+    $0.it("Falls back to default behaviour for strings") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("\"name\"")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? String
+      try expect(result) == "name"
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Falls back to default behaviour for numbers") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("5")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? Number
+      try expect(result) == 5
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Falls back to default behaviour for resolvables") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("name")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? String
+      try expect(result) == "Kyle"
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Unresolvables still produce nil") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("something")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context)
+      try expect(result).to.beNil()
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Can add two numbers") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("1 + 2")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? Number
+      try expect(result) == 3
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Can substract two numbers") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("2 - 4")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? Number
+      try expect(result) == -2
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Can multiply two numbers") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("-2 * -4")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? Number
+      try expect(result) == 8
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Can divide two numbers") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("4 / 2")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? Number
+      try expect(result) == 2
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Can resolve variables") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("a * x")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? Number
+      try expect(result) == 60
+    }
+
+    $0.it("Can process a complex expression") {
+      let variable = CompoundVariable("1 + 2 * 3 - (4 + 6) / 5")
+      let result = try variable.resolve(context) as? Number
+      try expect(result) == 5
+    }
+  }
 }