diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8498408a..6622ce53 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
-- Add support for yaml extension ([#584](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/584))
+- Remove long deprecated and undocumented `$` variable prefix and `^` command
+  prefix
+  ([#642](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/642), [#644](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/644), [#645](https://github.com/go-task/task/pull/645)).
+- Add support for `.yaml` extension (as an alternative to `.yml`).
+  This was requested multiple times throughout the years. Enjoy!
+  ([#183](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/183), [#184](https://github.com/go-task/task/pull/184), [#369](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/369), [#584](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/584), [#621](https://github.com/go-task/task/pull/621)).
 
 ## v3.9.2 - 2021-12-02
 
diff --git a/taskfile/cmd.go b/taskfile/cmd.go
index 9835e8c0..7166371b 100644
--- a/taskfile/cmd.go
+++ b/taskfile/cmd.go
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 package taskfile
 
-import (
-	"strings"
-)
-
 // Cmd is a task command
 type Cmd struct {
 	Cmd         string
@@ -23,11 +19,7 @@ type Dep struct {
 func (c *Cmd) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 	var cmd string
 	if err := unmarshal(&cmd); err == nil {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(cmd, "^") {
-			c.Task = strings.TrimPrefix(cmd, "^")
-		} else {
-			c.Cmd = cmd
-		}
+		c.Cmd = cmd
 		return nil
 	}
 	var cmdStruct struct {
diff --git a/taskfile/var.go b/taskfile/var.go
index 502ff5cc..fbda3895 100644
--- a/taskfile/var.go
+++ b/taskfile/var.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package taskfile
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"strings"
 
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
@@ -108,11 +107,7 @@ type Var struct {
 func (v *Var) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 	var str string
 	if err := unmarshal(&str); err == nil {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(str, "$") {
-			v.Sh = strings.TrimPrefix(str, "$")
-		} else {
-			v.Static = str
-		}
+		v.Static = str
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/testdata/vars/v2/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/vars/v2/Taskfile.yml
index 90f36993..7f533c5d 100644
--- a/testdata/vars/v2/Taskfile.yml
+++ b/testdata/vars/v2/Taskfile.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ tasks:
       - echo '{{.TASK}}' > task_name.txt
     vars:
       FOO: foo
-      BAR: $echo bar
+      BAR:
+        sh: echo bar
       BAZ:
         sh: echo baz
       TMPL_FOO: "{{.FOO}}"
diff --git a/testdata/vars/v2/Taskvars.yml b/testdata/vars/v2/Taskvars.yml
index 62b1739a..576f988e 100644
--- a/testdata/vars/v2/Taskvars.yml
+++ b/testdata/vars/v2/Taskvars.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 FOO2: foo2
-BAR2: $echo bar2
+BAR2:
+  sh: echo bar2
 BAZ2:
   sh: echo baz2
 TMPL2_FOO: "{{.FOO}}"