diff --git a/src/environment.cpp b/src/environment.cpp
index e382e7e05..dccda1de8 100644
--- a/src/environment.cpp
+++ b/src/environment.cpp
@@ -206,6 +206,20 @@ namespace Sass {
     }
   };
 
+  // use array access for getter and setter functions
+  template <typename T>
+  T& Environment<T>::get(const std::string& key)
+  {
+    auto cur = this;
+    while (cur) {
+      if (cur->has_local(key)) {
+        return cur->get_local(key);
+      }
+      cur = cur->parent_;
+    }
+    return get_local(key);
+  }
+
   // use array access for getter and setter functions
   template <typename T>
   T& Environment<T>::operator[](const std::string& key)
diff --git a/src/environment.hpp b/src/environment.hpp
index a6939be23..a48839aa7 100644
--- a/src/environment.hpp
+++ b/src/environment.hpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 namespace Sass {
 
+  // this defeats the whole purpose of environment being templatable!!
   typedef environment_map<std::string, AST_Node_Obj>::iterator EnvIter;
 
   class EnvResult {
@@ -92,6 +93,10 @@ namespace Sass {
     // include all scopes available
     bool has(const std::string& key) const;
 
+    // look on the full stack for key
+    // include all scopes available
+    T& get(const std::string& key);
+
     // look on the full stack for key
     // include all scopes available
     EnvResult find(const std::string& key);