diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/workflow/ConfigFields.jsx b/packages/web/src/components/workflow/ConfigFields.jsx
index 365a4f4..373fcd1 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/workflow/ConfigFields.jsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/workflow/ConfigFields.jsx
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
-import { LuPlus, LuTrash2 } from "react-icons/lu";
+import { Link } from "react-router-dom";
+import { LuEye, LuEyeOff, LuExternalLink, LuPlus, LuTrash2 } from "react-icons/lu";
+import { useVariables } from "../../api/hooks.js";
 import { triggerDestinations } from "../../lib/workflow-doc.js";
 import { prettyJson } from "../../lib/script.js";
 import { FieldLabel } from "./FieldHelp.jsx";
 
 const MULTILINE_KEYS = new Set(["expression", "jsonata"]);
+const VAR_PEEK_MAX = 48;
 
 const CONFIG_REF_PREFIXES = [
   { prefix: "$SECRET_", label: "secret" },
@@ -17,19 +20,131 @@ function describeConfigRef(value) {
   const trimmed = value.trim();
   for (const { prefix, label } of CONFIG_REF_PREFIXES) {
     if (trimmed.startsWith(prefix) && trimmed.length > prefix.length) {
-      return { label, name: trimmed.slice(prefix.length) };
+      return { label, name: trimmed.slice(prefix.length), kind: prefix };
     }
   }
   return null;
 }
 
-function ConfigRefHint({ value }) {
+function formatVarDisplay(value) {
+  if (typeof value === "string") return value === "" ? '""' : value;
+  return String(value);
+}
+
+function truncatePeek(text, maxLen = VAR_PEEK_MAX) {
+  if (!text) return "";
+  if (text.length <= maxLen) return text;
+  return `${text.slice(0, Math.max(0, maxLen - 1))}…`;
+}
+
+/** Edit-time lookup for `$VAR_` against workflow owner (not a runtime guarantee). */
+function lookupVariable(variables, owner, name) {
+  const list = Array.isArray(variables) ? variables : [];
+  const match = list.find((v) => v.owner === owner && v.name === name);
+  if (match) {
+    return { status: "found", value: match.value, type: match.type };
+  }
+  const otherOwners = [
+    ...new Set(list.filter((v) => v.name === name && v.owner !== owner).map((v) => v.owner)),
+  ];
+  if (otherOwners.length > 0) {
+    return { status: "other_owner", otherOwners };
+  }
+  return { status: "missing" };
+}
+
+function variablesDeepLink({ owner, name, missing }) {
+  if (missing) {
+    const params = new URLSearchParams();
+    if (owner) params.set("owner", owner);
+    if (name) params.set("name", name);
+    const q = params.toString();
+    return q ? `/variables/new?${q}` : "/variables/new";
+  }
+  return `/variables/${encodeURIComponent(owner)}/${encodeURIComponent(name)}/edit`;
+}
+
+function ConfigRefHint({ value, owner }) {
   const ref = describeConfigRef(value);
+  const isVar = ref?.kind === "$VAR_";
+  const { data: variables = [], isPending } = useVariables(undefined, { enabled: isVar });
+  const [revealed, setRevealed] = useState(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setRevealed(false);
+  }, [value, owner]);
+
   if (!ref) return null;
+
+  if (!isVar) {
+    return (
+      <p className="text-xs opacity-60">
+        from {ref.label} <span className="font-mono">{ref.name}</span>
+      </p>
+    );
+  }
+
+  const lookup = !owner
+    ? { status: "missing" }
+    : isPending
+      ? { status: "loading" }
+      : lookupVariable(variables, owner, ref.name);
+  const linkTo = variablesDeepLink({
+    owner: owner || "",
+    name: ref.name,
+    missing: lookup.status !== "found",
+  });
+
+  let statusNote = null;
+  if (lookup.status === "missing") {
+    statusNote = <span className="text-warning">(missing)</span>;
+  } else if (lookup.status === "other_owner") {
+    statusNote = (
+      <span className="text-warning">
+        (missing · other owner: {lookup.otherOwners.join(", ")})
+      </span>
+    );
+  }
+
+  const fullText = lookup.status === "found" ? formatVarDisplay(lookup.value) : "";
+  const peek = truncatePeek(fullText);
+  const masked = lookup.status === "found" ? "******" : null;
+
   return (
-    <p className="text-xs opacity-60">
-      from {ref.label} <span className="font-mono">{ref.name}</span>
-    </p>
+    <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-x-1.5 gap-y-0.5 text-xs opacity-60">
+      <span>
+        from variable <span className="font-mono">{ref.name}</span>
+        {lookup.status === "found" ? ":" : null}
+      </span>
+      {lookup.status === "found" ? (
+        <>
+          <span className="font-mono" title={revealed ? fullText : undefined}>
+            {revealed ? peek : masked}
+          </span>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            className="btn btn-ghost btn-xs btn-square h-5 min-h-0 w-5"
+            aria-label={revealed ? "Hide value" : "Show value"}
+            title={revealed ? "Hide value" : "Show value"}
+            onClick={() => setRevealed((v) => !v)}
+          >
+            {revealed ? <LuEyeOff className="size-3" /> : <LuEye className="size-3" />}
+          </button>
+        </>
+      ) : null}
+      {statusNote}
+      {lookup.status === "loading" ? null : (
+        <Link
+          to={linkTo}
+          target="_blank"
+          rel="noopener noreferrer"
+          className="link link-hover inline-flex items-center gap-0.5"
+        >
+          {lookup.status === "found" ? "Open Variables" : "Create on Variables"}
+          <LuExternalLink className="size-3" aria-hidden />
+        </Link>
+      )}
+    </div>
   );
 }
 
@@ -185,7 +300,7 @@ function ValueEditor({ value, onChange, spec, script, fieldKey, workflows, owner
 
   if (type === "object" || (value != null && typeof value === "object" && !Array.isArray(value) && type !== "any")) {
     const obj = value && typeof value === "object" && !Array.isArray(value) ? value : {};
-    return <ObjectFields value={obj} onChange={onChange} disabled={disabled} />;
+    return <ObjectFields value={obj} onChange={onChange} owner={owner} />;
   }
 
   if (type === "any") {
@@ -242,7 +357,7 @@ function JsonOrTextArea({ text, onCommit, disabled }) {
   );
 }
 
-function ObjectFields({ value, onChange }) {
+function ObjectFields({ value, onChange, owner }) {
   const entries = Object.entries(value ?? {});
 
   function setKey(oldKey, nextKey) {
@@ -286,6 +401,7 @@ function ObjectFields({ value, onChange }) {
               <ObjectFields
                 value={v && !Array.isArray(v) ? v : {}}
                 onChange={(nv) => setVal(k, nv)}
+                owner={owner}
               />
             ) : (
               <div className="space-y-0.5">
@@ -294,7 +410,7 @@ function ObjectFields({ value, onChange }) {
                   onCommit={(nv) => setVal(k, nv)}
                   className="font-mono text-xs"
                 />
-                <ConfigRefHint value={v} />
+                <ConfigRefHint value={v} owner={owner} />
               </div>
             )}
           </div>
@@ -425,7 +541,7 @@ export function ConfigFields({
               excludeFile={excludeFile}
               disabled={disabled}
             />
-            <ConfigRefHint value={cfg[key]} />
+            <ConfigRefHint value={cfg[key]} owner={owner} />
           </div>
         );
       })}
@@ -461,7 +577,7 @@ export function ConfigFields({
             excludeFile={excludeFile}
             disabled={disabled}
           />
-          <ConfigRefHint value={cfg[key]} />
+          <ConfigRefHint value={cfg[key]} owner={owner} />
         </div>
       ))}
       <button type="button" className="btn btn-ghost btn-xs" disabled={disabled} onClick={addExtra}>