diff --git a/task_test.go b/task_test.go
index 5ac47c25..092c23e7 100644
--- a/task_test.go
+++ b/task_test.go
@@ -1964,10 +1964,6 @@ task: [included3:task1] echo "VAR_1 is included-default-var1"
 VAR_1 is included-default-var1
 task: [included3:task1] echo "VAR_2 is included-default-var2"
 VAR_2 is included-default-var2
-task: [included4:task1] echo "VAR_1 is included4-var1"
-VAR_1 is included4-var1
-task: [included4:task1] echo "VAR_2 is included-default-var2"
-VAR_2 is included-default-var2
 `)
 	require.NoError(t, e.Run(context.Background(), &task.Call{Task: "task1"}))
 	t.Log(buff.String())
diff --git a/taskfile/reader.go b/taskfile/reader.go
index edcf54e0..32308076 100644
--- a/taskfile/reader.go
+++ b/taskfile/reader.go
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func (r *Reader) include(ctx context.Context, node Node) error {
 				Aliases:        include.Aliases,
 				AdvancedImport: include.AdvancedImport,
 				Excludes:       include.Excludes,
-				Vars:           templater.ReplaceVars(include.Vars, cache),
+				Vars:           include.Vars,
 			}
 			if err := cache.Err(); err != nil {
 				return err
diff --git a/testdata/include_with_vars/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/include_with_vars/Taskfile.yml
index 0f5e0d88..5ded3e33 100644
--- a/testdata/include_with_vars/Taskfile.yml
+++ b/testdata/include_with_vars/Taskfile.yml
@@ -1,23 +1,16 @@
 version: "3"
 
-vars:
-  VAR_1: included4-var1
-
 includes:
   included1:
-    taskfile: include/Taskfile.include.yml
+    taskfile: include/Taskfile.include1.yml
     vars:
       VAR_1: included1-var1
   included2:
-    taskfile: include/Taskfile.include.yml
+    taskfile: include/Taskfile.include2.yml
     vars:
       VAR_1: included2-var1
   included3:
-    taskfile: include/Taskfile.include.yml
-  included4:
-    taskfile: include/Taskfile.include.yml
-    vars:
-      VAR_1: "{{.VAR_1}}"
+    taskfile: include/Taskfile.include3.yml
 
 tasks:
   task1:
@@ -25,4 +18,3 @@ tasks:
       - task: included1:task1
       - task: included2:task1
       - task: included3:task1
-      - task: included4:task1
diff --git a/testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include.yml b/testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include1.yml
similarity index 100%
rename from testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include.yml
rename to testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include1.yml
diff --git a/testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include2.yml b/testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include2.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3bb7a68e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include2.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+version: "3"
+
+vars:
+  VAR_1: '{{.VAR_1 | default "included-default-var1"}}'
+  VAR_2: '{{.VAR_2 | default "included-default-var2"}}'
+
+tasks:
+  task1:
+    cmds:
+      - echo "VAR_1 is {{.VAR_1}}"
+      - echo "VAR_2 is {{.VAR_2}}"
diff --git a/testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include3.yml b/testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include3.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3bb7a68e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/include_with_vars/include/Taskfile.include3.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+version: "3"
+
+vars:
+  VAR_1: '{{.VAR_1 | default "included-default-var1"}}'
+  VAR_2: '{{.VAR_2 | default "included-default-var2"}}'
+
+tasks:
+  task1:
+    cmds:
+      - echo "VAR_1 is {{.VAR_1}}"
+      - echo "VAR_2 is {{.VAR_2}}"