diff --git a/src/backend/vm.nim b/src/backend/vm.nim
index 63b7718..640be27 100644
--- a/src/backend/vm.nim
+++ b/src/backend/vm.nim
@@ -822,9 +822,13 @@ proc dispatch*(self: var PeonVM) =
                 # not a great idea)
                 self.pushc(self.pop())
             of LoadVar:
-                # Pushes a variable from the call stack
+                # Pushes a local variable from the call stack
                 # onto the operand stack
                 self.push(self.getc(self.readLong().int))
+            of LoadGlobal:
+                # Pushes a global variable from the call stack
+                # onto the operand stack
+                self.push(self.calls[self.readLong().int])
             of NoOp:
                 # Does nothing
                 continue
diff --git a/src/frontend/compiler/targets/bytecode/opcodes.nim b/src/frontend/compiler/targets/bytecode/opcodes.nim
index bb61399..42855ce 100644
--- a/src/frontend/compiler/targets/bytecode/opcodes.nim
+++ b/src/frontend/compiler/targets/bytecode/opcodes.nim
@@ -189,7 +189,8 @@ type
         SysClock64,  # Pushes the output of a monotonic clock on the stack
         LoadTOS,     # Pushes the top of the call stack onto the operand stack
         DupTop,      # Duplicates the top of the operand stack onto the operand stack
-        ReplExit     # Exits the VM immediately, leaving its state intact. Used in the REPL 
+        ReplExit,    # Exits the VM immediately, leaving its state intact. Used in the REPL 
+        LoadGlobal   # Loads a global variable
 
 
 # We group instructions by their operation/operand types for easier handling when debugging
@@ -282,7 +283,7 @@ const constantInstructions* = {LoadInt64, LoadUInt64,
 
 # Stack triple instructions operate on the stack at arbitrary offsets and pop arguments off of it in the form
 # of 24 bit integers
-const stackTripleInstructions* = {StoreVar, LoadVar, }
+const stackTripleInstructions* = {StoreVar, LoadVar, LoadGlobal}
 
 # Stack double instructions operate on the stack at arbitrary offsets and pop arguments off of it in the form
 # of 16 bit integers
diff --git a/src/frontend/compiler/targets/bytecode/target.nim b/src/frontend/compiler/targets/bytecode/target.nim
index 0033f3f..cbc39b5 100644
--- a/src/frontend/compiler/targets/bytecode/target.nim
+++ b/src/frontend/compiler/targets/bytecode/target.nim
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ proc compile*(self: BytecodeCompiler, ast: seq[Declaration], file: string, lines
               mode: CompileMode = Debug): Chunk
 proc statement(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: Statement)
 proc declaration(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: Declaration)
-proc varDecl(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: VarDecl)
+proc varDecl(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: VarDecl, hoist: bool = false)
 proc specialize(self: BytecodeCompiler, typ: Type, args: seq[Expression]): Type {.discardable.}
 proc patchReturnAddress(self: BytecodeCompiler, pos: int)
 proc handleMagicPragma(self: BytecodeCompiler, pragma: Pragma, name: Name)
@@ -1233,10 +1233,14 @@ method identifier(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: IdentExpr, name: Name = nil, com
         if not s.belongsTo.isNil() and s.belongsTo.valueType.fun.kind == funDecl and FunDecl(s.belongsTo.valueType.fun).isTemplate:
             discard
         else:
-            # Loads a regular variable from the current frame
-            self.emitByte(LoadVar, s.ident.token.line)
-            # No need to check for -1 here: we already did a nil check above!
-            self.emitBytes(s.position.toTriple(), s.ident.token.line)
+            if s.depth > 0:
+                # Loads a regular variable from the current frame
+                self.emitByte(LoadVar, s.ident.token.line)
+                # No need to check for -1 here: we already did a nil check above!
+                self.emitBytes(s.position.toTriple(), s.ident.token.line)
+            else:
+                self.emitByte(LoadGlobal, s.ident.token.line)
+                self.emitBytes(s.position.toTriple(), s.ident.token.line)
 
 
 method assignment(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: ASTNode, compile: bool = true): Type {.discardable.} =
@@ -1860,8 +1864,10 @@ proc statement(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: Statement) =
             self.expression(Expression(node))
 
 
-proc varDecl(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: VarDecl) =
+proc varDecl(self: BytecodeCompiler, node: VarDecl, hoist: bool = false) =
     ## Compiles variable declarations
+    if node.name.depth == 0 and not hoist:
+        return
     var typ: Type
     # Our parser guarantees that the variable declaration
     # will have a type declaration or a value (or both)
@@ -2071,6 +2077,11 @@ proc compile*(self: BytecodeCompiler, ast: seq[Declaration], file: string, lines
     if not incremental:
         self.jumps = @[]
     let pos = self.beginProgram()
+    let idx = self.stackIndex
+    for node in ast:
+        if node.kind == varDecl and VarDecl(node).name.depth == 0:
+            self.varDecl(VarDecl(node), hoist=true)
+    self.stackIndex = idx
     while not self.done():
         self.declaration(Declaration(self.step()))
     self.terminateProgram(pos)