diff --git a/include/cubescript/cubescript.hh b/include/cubescript/cubescript.hh
index 6caeb9e..fe54826 100644
--- a/include/cubescript/cubescript.hh
+++ b/include/cubescript/cubescript.hh
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ struct LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT global_var: ident {
 
     var_type get_variable_type() const;
 
+    void save(state &cs);
+
 protected:
     global_var() = default;
 };
diff --git a/src/cs_ident.cc b/src/cs_ident.cc
index 5ae9c66..f79cbbf 100644
--- a/src/cs_ident.cc
+++ b/src/cs_ident.cc
@@ -82,6 +82,18 @@ command_impl::command_impl(
     p_cargs{args}, p_cb_cftv{std::move(f)}, p_numargs{nargs}
 {}
 
+void ivar_impl::save_val() {
+    p_override = p_storage;
+}
+
+void fvar_impl::save_val() {
+    p_override = p_storage;
+}
+
+void svar_impl::save_val() {
+    p_override = std::move(p_storage);
+}
+
 void command_impl::call(state &cs, std::span<any_value> args, any_value &ret) {
     auto &ts = *cs.thread_pointer();
     auto idstsz = ts.idstack.size();
@@ -317,6 +329,23 @@ LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT var_type global_var::get_variable_type() const {
     }
 }
 
+LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT void global_var::save(state &cs) {
+    auto &ts = *cs.thread_pointer();
+    if ((ts.ident_flags & IDENT_FLAG_OVERRIDDEN) || is_overridable()) {
+        if (p_impl->p_flags & IDENT_FLAG_PERSIST) {
+            throw error{
+                cs, "cannot override persistent variable '%s'",
+                get_name().data()
+            };
+        }
+        if (!(p_impl->p_flags & IDENT_FLAG_OVERRIDDEN)) {
+            static_cast<var_impl *>(p_impl)->save_val();
+        }
+    } else {
+        p_impl->p_flags &= IDENT_FLAG_OVERRIDDEN;
+    }
+}
+
 LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT integer_type integer_var::get_value() const {
     return static_cast<ivar_impl const *>(this)->p_storage;
 }
diff --git a/src/cs_ident.hh b/src/cs_ident.hh
index ad609a3..0009168 100644
--- a/src/cs_ident.hh
+++ b/src/cs_ident.hh
@@ -75,11 +75,15 @@ bool ident_is_callable(ident const *id);
 
 struct var_impl: ident_impl {
     var_impl(ident_type tp, string_ref name, int flags);
+
+    virtual void save_val() = 0;
 };
 
 struct ivar_impl: var_impl, integer_var {
     ivar_impl(string_ref n, integer_type v, int flags);
 
+    void save_val();
+
     integer_type p_storage;
     integer_type p_override;
 };
@@ -87,6 +91,8 @@ struct ivar_impl: var_impl, integer_var {
 struct fvar_impl: var_impl, float_var {
     fvar_impl(string_ref n, float_type v, int flags);
 
+    void save_val();
+
     float_type p_storage;
     float_type p_override;
 };
@@ -94,6 +100,8 @@ struct fvar_impl: var_impl, float_var {
 struct svar_impl: var_impl, string_var {
     svar_impl(string_ref n, string_ref v, int flags);
 
+    void save_val();
+
     string_ref p_storage;
     string_ref p_override;
 };
diff --git a/tools/repl.cc b/tools/repl.cc
index cba5828..3b9a879 100644
--- a/tools/repl.cc
+++ b/tools/repl.cc
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
                 css, "variable '%s' is read only", iv->get_name().data()
             };
         }
+        iv->save(css);
         if (nargs == 2) {
             iv->set_value(args[1].get_int());
         } else if (nargs == 3) {
@@ -370,6 +371,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
                 css, "variable '%s' is read only", fv->get_name().data()
             };
         } else {
+            fv->save(css);
             fv->set_value(args[1].get_float());
         }
     });
@@ -389,6 +391,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
                 css, "variable '%s' is read only", sv->get_name().data()
             };
         } else {
+            sv->save(css);
             sv->set_value(args[1].get_str());
         }
     });