diff --git a/cozo-core/src/cozoscript.pest b/cozo-core/src/cozoscript.pest
index 9d4a37ee..37751840 100644
--- a/cozo-core/src/cozoscript.pest
+++ b/cozo-core/src/cozoscript.pest
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ LINE_COMMENT = _{ "#" ~ (!"\n" ~ ANY)* }
 COMMENT = _{(BLOCK_COMMENT | LINE_COMMENT)}
 
 prog_entry = {"?"}
-var = @{(XID_START | "_") ~ (XID_CONTINUE | "_")*}
+var = @{(XID_START | "_") ~ (XID_CONTINUE | "." | "_")*}
 param = @{"$" ~ (XID_CONTINUE | "_" | ".")+}
 ident = @{XID_START ~ ("_" | XID_CONTINUE)*}
 underscore_ident = @{("_" | XID_START) ~ ("_" | XID_CONTINUE)*}