diff --git a/libexec/bats-exec-test b/libexec/bats-exec-test
index 266d15c..190ef30 100755
--- a/libexec/bats-exec-test
+++ b/libexec/bats-exec-test
@@ -41,20 +41,37 @@ load() {
 
 run() {
   local e E T
+  
   [[ ! "$-" =~ e ]] || e=1
   [[ ! "$-" =~ E ]] || E=1
   [[ ! "$-" =~ T ]] || T=1
+  
   set +e
   set +E
   set +T
-  output="$("$@" 2>&1)"
-  status="$?"
+  
+  output=$(
+    "$@" 2>&1; status=$?
+    bats_capture_vars > "$BATS_VARS"
+    exit $status
+  )
+  
+  status=$?
   IFS=$'\n' lines=($output)
+
   [ -z "$e" ] || set -e
   [ -z "$E" ] || set -E
   [ -z "$T" ] || set -T
 }
 
+set_run_vars() {
+  local var_names=("$@")
+
+  for n in "${var_names[@]}"; do
+    eval "$(grep "$n=" "$BATS_VARS")" 2> /dev/null || true
+  done
+}
+
 setup() {
   true
 }
@@ -82,6 +99,10 @@ bats_test_function() {
   BATS_TEST_NAMES["${#BATS_TEST_NAMES[@]}"]="$test_name"
 }
 
+bats_capture_vars() {
+  comm -3 <(declare | sort) <(declare -f | sort)
+}
+
 bats_capture_stack_trace() {
   if [ "$BASH_SOURCE" != "$1" ]; then
     BATS_STACK_TRACE=()
@@ -200,7 +221,7 @@ bats_exit_trap() {
     status=0
   fi
 
-  rm -f "$BATS_OUT"
+  rm -f "$BATS_OUT" "$BATS_VARS"
   exit "$status"
 }
 
@@ -247,6 +268,7 @@ fi
 BATS_TMPNAME="$BATS_TMPDIR/bats.$$"
 BATS_PARENT_TMPNAME="$BATS_TMPDIR/bats.$PPID"
 BATS_OUT="${BATS_TMPNAME}.out"
+BATS_VARS="${BATS_TMPNAME}.vars"
 
 bats_preprocess_source() {
   BATS_TEST_SOURCE="${BATS_TMPNAME}.src"
diff --git a/test/bats.bats b/test/bats.bats
index 37d55c2..f1e626f 100755
--- a/test/bats.bats
+++ b/test/bats.bats
@@ -186,3 +186,10 @@ fixtures bats
   [ "${lines[0]}" = "This isn't TAP!" ]
   [ "${lines[1]}" = "Good day to you" ]
 }
+
+@test "variables are preserved" {
+  run bats "$FIXTURE_ROOT/preserved_variables.bats"
+  echo $status
+  echo $output
+  [ $status -eq 0 ]
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/bats/preserved_variables.bats b/test/fixtures/bats/preserved_variables.bats
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e47ce8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/bats/preserved_variables.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+@test "set_run_vars sets variables from run" {
+  odd_characters="'(')'"'!@#$$%^&*~`{}[]:;"<>,./\'
+  normal_var=1
+  
+  change_vars() {
+    normal_var=3
+    new_var=4
+    new_array=()
+    new_array[0]="  item  with  spaces  "
+    new_array[3]="item after gap"
+    new_array[4]="$odd_characters"
+  }
+  
+  run change_vars
+
+  [ "$normal_var" -eq 1 ]
+  set_run_vars normal_var
+  [ "$normal_var" -eq 3 ]
+
+  [ -z "$new_var" ]
+  set_run_vars new_var
+  [ "$new_var" -eq 4 ]
+
+  [ -z "$new_array" ]
+  set_run_vars new_array
+  [ "${new_array[0]}" == "  item  with  spaces  " ]
+  [ "${new_array[3]}" == "item after gap" ]
+  [ "${new_array[4]}" == "$odd_characters" ]
+}
+
+@test "set_run_vars handles readonly variables" {
+  readonly readonly_var=2
+  
+  change_vars() {
+    :
+  }
+
+  run change_vars
+
+  [ "$readonly_var" -eq 2 ]
+  set_run_vars readonly_var
+  [ "$readonly_var" -eq 2 ]
+}
+
+@test "local variables are not available after run" {
+  change_vars() {
+    local local_var="local"
+    global_var=1
+  }
+
+  run change_vars
+
+  [ -z "$local_var" ]
+  set_run_vars local_var
+  [ -z "$local_var" ]
+
+  [ -z "$global_var" ]
+  set_run_vars global_var
+  [ "$global_var" -eq 1 ]
+}
+
+@test "set_run_vars accepts multiple variables" {
+   change_vars() {
+     var1=1
+     var2=2
+     var3=3
+   }
+
+   run change_vars
+
+   [ -z "$var1" ]
+   [ -z "$var2" ]
+   [ -z "$var3" ]
+   set_run_vars var1 var2 var3
+   [ "$var1" -eq 1 ]
+   [ "$var2" -eq 2 ]
+   [ "$var3" -eq 3 ]
+}