diff --git a/parser/parser_yacc.y b/parser/parser_yacc.y
index 0447e23a2..e6a042353 100644
--- a/parser/parser_yacc.y
+++ b/parser/parser_yacc.y
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ struct codomain *do_local_profile(struct codomain *cod, char *name, int mode, in
 %%
 
 
-list:	 aliaslist varlist profilelist
+list:	 preamble profilelist
 	{ /* nothing */ };
 
 profilelist:	{ /* nothing */ };
@@ -260,8 +260,9 @@ profile:	opt_profile_flag TOK_COLON TOK_ID TOK_COLON TOK_ID flags TOK_OPEN rules
 		$$ = cod;
 	};
 
-aliaslist: { /* nothing */ }
-	| aliaslist alias { /* nothing */ };
+preamble: { /* nothing */ }
+	| preamble alias { /* nothing */ };
+	| preamble varassign { /* nothing */ };
 
 alias: TOK_ALIAS TOK_ID TOK_ARROW TOK_ID TOK_END_OF_RULE
 	{
@@ -271,11 +272,6 @@ alias: TOK_ALIAS TOK_ID TOK_ARROW TOK_ID TOK_END_OF_RULE
 		free($4);
 	};
 
-varlist:	{ /* nothing */ }
-
-varlist: 	varlist varassign
-		{ /* nothing */ }
-
 varassign:	TOK_SET_VAR TOK_EQUALS valuelist
 	{
 		struct value_list *list = $3;
diff --git a/parser/tst/simple_tests/alias_good_2.sd b/parser/tst/simple_tests/alias_good_2.sd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e04e46801
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parser/tst/simple_tests/alias_good_2.sd
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#=DESCRIPTION Simple test of alias functionality after var defn
+#=EXRESULT PASS
+
+alias /etc -> /Etcetera,
+
+@{FOO}= foo bar
+
+alias /tmp -> /var/tmp,
+
+@{MEEP} = meep moop
+
+alias /usr -> /User,
+
+/bin/foo {
+  #include <includes/base>
+  /tmp/@{FOO}/@{MEEP} rw,
+}