diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d18d5d2e..574bfd7a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ build:
   deps: [setvar]
   cmds:
   - echo "{{prefix}} {{THEVAR}}"
-  variables:
+  vars:
     prefix: "Path:"
 
 setvar:
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ Task local variables are overwritten by variables found in `Variables`. Variable
 build:
   deps: [setvar]
   cmds:
-  - echo "{{prefix}} '{{THEVAR}}'"
-  variables:
-    prefix: "Result: "
+  - echo "{{PREFIX}} '{{THEVAR}}'"
+  vars:
+    PREFIX: "Result: "
 
 setvar:
   cmds:
diff --git a/task.go b/task.go
index 58ae45af..41568e87 100644
--- a/task.go
+++ b/task.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ type Task struct {
 	Sources   []string
 	Generates []string
 	Dir       string
-	Variables map[string]string
+	Vars      map[string]string
 	Set       string
 }
 
diff --git a/variable_handling.go b/variable_handling.go
index 651dd9ed..be140f98 100644
--- a/variable_handling.go
+++ b/variable_handling.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ var (
 
 func (t Task) handleVariables() (map[string]string, error) {
 	localVariables := make(map[string]string)
-	for key, value := range t.Variables {
+	for key, value := range t.Vars {
 		localVariables[key] = value
 	}
 	if fileVariables, err := readVariablefile(); err == nil {