diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/format.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/format.rs
index d7220cad11..45f29d315e 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/format.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/format.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 use crate::commands::WholeStreamCommand;
 use crate::context::CommandRegistry;
+use crate::evaluate::evaluate_baseline_expr;
 use crate::prelude::*;
 use nu_errors::ShellError;
-use nu_protocol::{ColumnPath, ReturnSuccess, Signature, SyntaxShape, UntaggedValue, Value};
+use nu_protocol::{ReturnSuccess, Signature, SyntaxShape, UntaggedValue};
 use nu_source::Tagged;
-use nu_value_ext::{as_column_path, get_data_by_column_path};
 use std::borrow::Borrow;
 
 pub struct Format;
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ fn format_command(
 ) -> Result<OutputStream, ShellError> {
     let registry = registry.clone();
     let stream = async_stream! {
+        let scope = args.call_info.scope.clone();
         let (FormatArgs { pattern }, mut input) = args.process(&registry).await?;
         let pattern_tag = pattern.tag.clone();
 
@@ -61,44 +62,32 @@ fn format_command(
         let commands = format_pattern;
 
         while let Some(value) = input.next().await {
-            match value {
-                value
-                @
-                Value {
-                    value: UntaggedValue::Row(_),
-                    ..
-                } => {
-                    let mut output = String::new();
+            let scope = scope.clone().set_it(value);
+            let mut output = String::new();
 
-                    for command in &commands {
-                        match command {
-                            FormatCommand::Text(s) => {
-                                output.push_str(&s);
-                            }
-                            FormatCommand::Column(c) => {
-                                let key = to_column_path(&c, &pattern_tag)?;
+            for command in &commands {
+                match command {
+                    FormatCommand::Text(s) => {
+                        output.push_str(&s);
+                    }
+                    FormatCommand::Column(c) => {
+                        // FIXME: use the correct spans
+                        let full_column_path = nu_parser::parse_full_column_path(&(c.to_string()).spanned(Span::unknown()), &registry);
 
-                                let fetcher = get_data_by_column_path(
-                                    &value,
-                                    &key,
-                                    Box::new(move |(_, _, error)| error),
-                                );
+                        let result = evaluate_baseline_expr(&full_column_path.0, &registry, &scope).await;
 
-                                if let Ok(c) = fetcher {
-                                    output
-                                        .push_str(&value::format_leaf(c.borrow()).plain_string(100_000))
-                                }
-                                // That column doesn't match, so don't emit anything
-                            }
+                        if let Ok(c) = result {
+                            output
+                                .push_str(&value::format_leaf(c.borrow()).plain_string(100_000))
+                        } else {
+                            // That column doesn't match, so don't emit anything
                         }
                     }
-
-                    yield ReturnSuccess::value(
-                        UntaggedValue::string(output).into_untagged_value())
                 }
-                _ => yield ReturnSuccess::value(
-                    UntaggedValue::string(String::new()).into_untagged_value()),
-            };
+            }
+
+            yield ReturnSuccess::value(
+                UntaggedValue::string(output).into_untagged_value())
         }
     };
 
@@ -150,30 +139,6 @@ fn format(input: &str) -> Vec<FormatCommand> {
     output
 }
 
-fn to_column_path(
-    path_members: &str,
-    tag: impl Into<Tag>,
-) -> Result<Tagged<ColumnPath>, ShellError> {
-    let tag = tag.into();
-
-    as_column_path(
-        &UntaggedValue::Table(
-            path_members
-                .split('.')
-                .map(|x| {
-                    let member = match x.parse::<u64>() {
-                        Ok(v) => UntaggedValue::int(v),
-                        Err(_) => UntaggedValue::string(x),
-                    };
-
-                    member.into_value(&tag)
-                })
-                .collect(),
-        )
-        .into_value(&tag),
-    )
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::Format;
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/evaluate/evaluator.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/evaluate/evaluator.rs
index ea4bc22817..e3df8c8b0f 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/evaluate/evaluator.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/evaluate/evaluator.rs
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ async fn evaluate_invocation(
     let mut context = Context::basic()?;
     context.registry = registry.clone();
 
-    let input = InputStream::one(scope.it.clone());
+    let input = InputStream::empty();
 
     let result = run_block(&block, &mut context, input, &scope.clone()).await?;
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/tests/commands/format.rs b/crates/nu-cli/tests/commands/format.rs
index eb44805517..d827781fd8 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/tests/commands/format.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/tests/commands/format.rs
@@ -28,3 +28,17 @@ fn given_fields_can_be_column_paths() {
 
     assert_eq!(actual.out, "nu is a new type of shell");
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn can_use_variables() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+        cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+        open cargo_sample.toml
+            | format "{$it.package.name} is {$it.package.description}"
+            | echo $it
+        "#
+    ));
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "nu is a new type of shell");
+}
diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/src/lib.rs b/crates/nu-parser/src/lib.rs
index cc940c6f66..c6f2f672e8 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ mod shapes;
 mod signature;
 
 pub use crate::lite_parse::{lite_parse, LiteBlock};
-pub use crate::parse::{classify_block, garbage};
+pub use crate::parse::{classify_block, garbage, parse_full_column_path};
 pub use crate::path::expand_ndots;
 pub use crate::shapes::shapes;
 pub use crate::signature::{Signature, SignatureRegistry};
diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/src/parse.rs b/crates/nu-parser/src/parse.rs
index 45cb38d26b..aeebe937f9 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/src/parse.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/src/parse.rs
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ fn parse_simple_column_path(lite_arg: &Spanned<String>) -> (SpannedExpression, O
 }
 
 /// Parses a column path, adding in the preceding reference to $it if it's elided
-fn parse_full_column_path(
+pub fn parse_full_column_path(
     lite_arg: &Spanned<String>,
     registry: &dyn SignatureRegistry,
 ) -> (SpannedExpression, Option<ParseError>) {