diff --git a/jolt-core/jolt/analyzer.clj b/jolt-core/jolt/analyzer.clj
index d820318..66ac5e7 100644
--- a/jolt-core/jolt/analyzer.clj
+++ b/jolt-core/jolt/analyzer.clj
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   Definitions are ordered so only `analyze` (mutually recursive) is forward
   declared — the bootstrap compiles forward refs through var cells, but keeping
   them to one keeps the compiled namespace simple."
-  (:require [jolt.ir :refer [const local var-ref host-ref if-node do-node invoke
+  (:require [jolt.ir :refer [const local var-ref the-var host-ref if-node do-node invoke
                              def-node let-node fn-node vector-node map-node set-node
                              quote-node throw-node]]
             [jolt.host :refer [form-sym? form-sym-name form-sym-ns form-list?
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
 (def ^:private handled
   #{"quote" "if" "do" "def" "fn*" "let*" "loop*" "recur" "throw" "try"
-    "syntax-quote"})
+    "syntax-quote" "var"})
 
 (defn- uncompilable [why]
   (throw (str "jolt/uncompilable: " why)))
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@
     ;; Lower the backtick to construction code (zero runtime cost), then analyze
     ;; it — the macroexpand/compile-time step, per read -> macroexpand -> compile.
     "syntax-quote" (analyze ctx (form-syntax-quote-lower ctx (second items)) env)
+    "var" (let [sym (second items)
+                r (resolve-global ctx sym)]
+            (if (= :var (:kind r))
+              (the-var (:ns r) (:name r))
+              (uncompilable (str "var of non-var " (form-sym-name sym)))))
     (uncompilable (str "special form " op))))
 
 (defn- analyze-symbol [ctx form env]
diff --git a/jolt-core/jolt/ir.clj b/jolt-core/jolt/ir.clj
index af34cdb..b869f24 100644
--- a/jolt-core/jolt/ir.clj
+++ b/jolt-core/jolt/ir.clj
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
 ;; A global var reference, by name. The back end resolves it to a host var.
 (defn var-ref [ns name] {:op :var :ns ns :name name})
 
+;; The var object itself — (var x) / #'x. Unlike var-ref (which derefs), the back
+;; end emits the embedded var cell so `binding`'s thread-binding frame can key on it.
+(defn the-var [ns name] {:op :the-var :ns ns :name name})
+
 ;; A runtime primitive (cons, +, get, apply, …) the back end maps to the host RT.
 (defn rt [name] {:op :rt :name name})
 
diff --git a/src/jolt/backend.janet b/src/jolt/backend.janet
index 9352517..767d8af 100644
--- a/src/jolt/backend.janet
+++ b/src/jolt/backend.janet
@@ -250,6 +250,9 @@
                # reference (a bare table in arg position would be re-evaluated as
                # a constructor — deep-copying it, and any atom in :root, each call).
                (tuple var-get (tuple 'quote cell))))
+      # (var x): the var object itself (not its value) — the embedded cell, by
+      # reference. binding keys its thread-binding frame on this exact cell.
+      :the-var (tuple 'quote (cell-for ctx (node :ns) (node :name)))
       :if ['if (emit ctx (node :test)) (emit ctx (node :then)) (emit ctx (node :else))]
       :do (emit-seq ctx node)
       :loop (emit-loop ctx node)
diff --git a/src/jolt/host_iface.janet b/src/jolt/host_iface.janet
index 5e86d1a..0edf6db 100644
--- a/src/jolt/host_iface.janet
+++ b/src/jolt/host_iface.janet
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
 (def- special-names
   (let [t @{}]
     (each n ["quote" "syntax-quote" "unquote" "unquote-splicing" "do" "if" "def"
-             "defmacro" "fn*" "let*" "loop*" "recur" "throw" "try" "set!" "var"
+             "defmacro" "fn*" "let*" "loop*" "recur" "throw" "try" "set!"
              "locking" "eval" "instance?" "defmulti" "defmethod" "deftype" "new"
              "." "var-get" "var-set" "var?" "alter-var-root" "find-var" "intern"
              "alter-meta!" "reset-meta!" "satisfies?"
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@
              "gen-class"
              # letfn stays: its let* expansion needs letrec semantics (mutual
              # recursion between the fns), which compiled sequential let* lacks.
-             "monitor-enter" "monitor-exit" "binding" "letfn"]
+             "monitor-enter" "monitor-exit" "letfn"]
       (put t n true))
     t))
 
diff --git a/src/jolt/loader.janet b/src/jolt/loader.janet
index f7608ea..36b5edc 100644
--- a/src/jolt/loader.janet
+++ b/src/jolt/loader.janet
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
       (= head-name "deftype") (= head-name "defmulti") (= head-name "defmethod")
       (= head-name "require") (= head-name "in-ns")
       (= head-name "set!")
-      (= head-name "var") (= head-name ".") (= head-name "new")
+      (= head-name ".") (= head-name "new")
       (= head-name "eval")))
 
 (defn- form-head-name [form]