diff --git a/perlito5.pl b/perlito5.pl
index e5ccc4c4d..ee5b13eb7 100644
--- a/perlito5.pl
+++ b/perlito5.pl
@@ -4379,14 +4379,14 @@ sub Perlito5::Grammar::Scope::lookup_variable {
     $var->{'namespace'} && return $var;
     $var->{'_decl'} && return $var;
     $var->{'sigil'} eq '&' && return $var;
+    my $look = lookup_variable_inner($var, $scope);
+    $look && return $look;
     my $c = substr($var->{'name'}, 0, 1);
     if ($Special_var{$var->{'name'}} || $c lt 'A' || ($c gt 'Z' && $c lt 'a') || $c gt 'z') {
         $var->{'_decl'} = 'our';
         $var->{'_namespace'} = 'main';
         return $var
     }
-    my $look = lookup_variable_inner($var, $scope);
-    $look && return $look;
     if ($var->{'sigil'} eq '$' && ($var->{'name'} eq 'a' || $var->{'name'} eq 'b')) {
         $var->{'_decl'} = 'our';
         $var->{'_namespace'} = $Perlito5::PKG_NAME;
diff --git a/src5/lib/Perlito5/Grammar/Scope.pm b/src5/lib/Perlito5/Grammar/Scope.pm
index 040a855ab..a278e751d 100644
--- a/src5/lib/Perlito5/Grammar/Scope.pm
+++ b/src5/lib/Perlito5/Grammar/Scope.pm
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ sub lookup_variable {
     return $var if $var->{_decl};           # predeclared variable
     return $var if $var->{sigil} eq '&';    # &sub - TODO
 
+    my $look = lookup_variable_inner($var, $scope);
+    return $look if $look;
+
     my $c = substr($var->{name}, 0, 1);
     if ( $Special_var{ $var->{name} } || $c lt 'A' || ($c gt 'Z' && $c lt 'a') || $c gt 'z') {
         # special variable
@@ -50,9 +53,6 @@ sub lookup_variable {
         return $var;
     }
 
-    my $look = lookup_variable_inner($var, $scope);
-    return $look if $look;
-
     if ( $var->{sigil} eq '$' && ( $var->{name} eq 'a' || $var->{name} eq 'b' ) ) {
         # special variables $a and $b
         $var->{_decl} = 'our';