diff --git a/doomsday/libcore/include/de/data/variable.h b/doomsday/libcore/include/de/data/variable.h
index 025b0bdedd..2d08e977ab 100644
--- a/doomsday/libcore/include/de/data/variable.h
+++ b/doomsday/libcore/include/de/data/variable.h
@@ -176,6 +176,20 @@ class DENG2_PUBLIC Variable : public ISerializable
         return *v;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the value of the variable.
+     */
+    template <typename Type>
+    Type const &value() const {
+        Type const *v = dynamic_cast<Type const *>(valuePtr());
+        if(!v) {
+            /// @throw TypeError Casting to Type failed.
+            throw TypeError("Variable::value",
+                            QString("Illegal type conversion to ") + typeid(Type).name());
+        }
+        return *v;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the Record that the variable references. If the variable does
      * not have a RecordValue, an exception is thrown.
@@ -184,6 +198,10 @@ class DENG2_PUBLIC Variable : public ISerializable
      */
     Record const &valueAsRecord() const;
 
+    Record &valueAsRecord();
+
+    operator Record & ();
+
     operator Record const & () const;
 
     // Automatic conversion to native primitive types.
@@ -191,20 +209,6 @@ class DENG2_PUBLIC Variable : public ISerializable
     operator QString () const;
     operator ddouble () const;
 
-    /**
-     * Returns the value of the variable.
-     */
-    template <typename Type>
-    Type const &value() const {
-        Type const *v = dynamic_cast<Type const *>(valuePtr());
-        if(!v) {
-            /// @throw TypeError Casting to Type failed.
-            throw TypeError("Variable::value",
-                            QString("Illegal type conversion to ") + typeid(Type).name());
-        }
-        return *v;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns the current mode flags of the variable.
      */
diff --git a/doomsday/libcore/src/data/record.cpp b/doomsday/libcore/src/data/record.cpp
index c0dded59ff..cef65da3ca 100644
--- a/doomsday/libcore/src/data/record.cpp
+++ b/doomsday/libcore/src/data/record.cpp
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ Record const &Record::parentRecordForMember(String const &name) const
     if(lastOmitted.isEmpty()) return *this;
 
     // Omit the final segment of the dotted path to find out the parent record.
-    return (*this)[lastOmitted].valueAsRecord();
+    return (*this)[lastOmitted];
 }
 
 QTextStream &operator << (QTextStream &os, Record const &record)
diff --git a/doomsday/libcore/src/data/variable.cpp b/doomsday/libcore/src/data/variable.cpp
index f737585a05..a3941e9737 100644
--- a/doomsday/libcore/src/data/variable.cpp
+++ b/doomsday/libcore/src/data/variable.cpp
@@ -167,11 +167,21 @@ Value const *Variable::valuePtr() const
     return d->value;
 }
 
+Record &Variable::valueAsRecord()
+{
+    return value<RecordValue>().dereference();
+}
+
 Record const &Variable::valueAsRecord() const
 {
     return value<RecordValue>().dereference();
 }
 
+Variable::operator Record & ()
+{
+    return valueAsRecord();
+}
+
 Variable::operator Record const & () const
 {
     return valueAsRecord();