diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 41233591..e204fb40 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -2146,6 +2146,8 @@ static int compare_set_qsort(const void *_l, const void *_r) {
 }
 
 static struct cmd_results *cmd_set(int argc, char **argv) {
+	char *tmp;
+	int size;
 	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
 	if (!config->reading) return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "set", "Can only be used in config file.");
 	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "set", EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 2))) {
@@ -2153,7 +2155,15 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_set(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 
 	if (argv[0][0] != '$') {
-		return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "set", "Malformed variable assignment, name has to start with $");
+		sway_log(L_INFO, "Warning: variable '%s' doesn't start with $", argv[0]);
+
+		size = asprintf(&tmp, "%s%s", "$", argv[0]);
+		if (size == -1) {
+			return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "set", "Not possible to create variable $'%s'", argv[0]);
+		}
+
+		argv[0] = strdup(tmp);
+		free(tmp);
 	}
 
 	struct sway_variable *var = NULL;