diff --git a/variable_handling.go b/variable_handling.go
index 72c4773d..95a85886 100644
--- a/variable_handling.go
+++ b/variable_handling.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-task/task/execext"
 
 	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
+	"github.com/Masterminds/sprig"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 )
 
@@ -76,10 +77,19 @@ func (t *Task) handleVariables() (map[string]string, error) {
 	return localVariables, nil
 }
 
-var templateFuncs = template.FuncMap{
-	"OS":   func() string { return runtime.GOOS },
-	"ARCH": func() string { return runtime.GOARCH },
-	"IsSH": func() bool { return execext.ShExists },
+var templateFuncs template.FuncMap
+
+func init() {
+	taskFuncs := template.FuncMap{
+		"OS":   func() string { return runtime.GOOS },
+		"ARCH": func() string { return runtime.GOARCH },
+		"IsSH": func() bool { return execext.ShExists },
+	}
+
+	templateFuncs = sprig.TxtFuncMap()
+	for k, v := range taskFuncs {
+		templateFuncs[k] = v
+	}
 }
 
 // ReplaceVariables writes vars into initial string