diff --git a/library/Director/CustomVariable/CustomVariableString.php b/library/Director/CustomVariable/CustomVariableString.php
index 530ca4ce..16b2f210 100644
--- a/library/Director/CustomVariable/CustomVariableString.php
+++ b/library/Director/CustomVariable/CustomVariableString.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class CustomVariableString extends CustomVariable
     public function toConfigString($renderExpressions = false)
     {
         if ($renderExpressions) {
-            return c::renderStringWithVariables($this->getValue());
+            return c::renderStringWithVariables($this->getValue(), ['config']);
         } else {
             return c::renderString($this->getValue());
         }
diff --git a/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigHelper.php b/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigHelper.php
index 6f5e246f..61da6f32 100644
--- a/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigHelper.php
+++ b/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigHelper.php
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Icinga\Module\Director\IcingaConfig;
 
-use Icinga\Exception\IcingaException;
-use Icinga\Exception\ProgrammingError;
+use InvalidArgumentException;
 
 class IcingaConfigHelper
 {
@@ -11,7 +10,7 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
      * Reserved words according to
      * https://docs.icinga.com/icinga2/snapshot/doc/module/icinga2/chapter/language-reference#reserved-keywords
      */
-    protected static $reservedWords = array(
+    protected static $reservedWords = [
         'object',
         'template',
         'include',
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
         'in',
         'current_filename',
         'current_line',
-    );
+    ];
 
     public static function renderKeyValue($key, $value, $prefix = '    ')
     {
@@ -69,7 +68,10 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
         } elseif ($value === 'n' || $value === false) {
             return 'false';
         } else {
-            throw new ProgrammingError('%s is not a valid boolean', $value);
+            throw new InvalidArgumentException(sprintf(
+                '%s is not a valid boolean',
+                $value
+            ));
         }
     }
 
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
     //       Parameter? Dedicated method? Always if \n is found?
     public static function renderString($string)
     {
-        $special = array(
+        $special = [
             '/\\\/',
             '/"/',
             '/\$/',
@@ -106,10 +108,10 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
             '/\r/',
             '/\n/',
             // '/\b/', -> doesn't work
-            '/\f/'
-        );
+            '/\f/',
+        ];
 
-        $replace = array(
+        $replace = [
             '\\\\\\',
             '\\"',
             '\\$',
@@ -118,7 +120,7 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
             '\\n',
             // '\\b',
             '\\f',
-        );
+        ];
 
         $string = preg_replace($special, $replace, $string);
 
@@ -144,7 +146,10 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
         } elseif (is_string($value)) {
             return static::renderString($value);
         } else {
-            throw new IcingaException('Unexpected type %s', var_export($value, 1));
+            throw new InvalidArgumentException(sprintf(
+                'Unexpected type %s',
+                var_export($value, 1)
+            ));
         }
     }
 
@@ -160,7 +165,7 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
     // Requires an array
     public static function renderArray($array)
     {
-        $data = array();
+        $data = [];
         foreach ($array as $entry) {
             if ($entry instanceof IcingaConfigRenderer) {
                 $data[] = $entry;
@@ -186,7 +191,7 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
 
     public static function renderDictionary($dictionary)
     {
-        $vals = array();
+        $vals = [];
         foreach ($dictionary as $key => $value) {
             $vals[$key] = rtrim(
                 self::renderKeyValue(
@@ -259,11 +264,12 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
         $value = 0;
         foreach ($parts as $part) {
             if (! preg_match('/^(\d+)([dhms]?)$/', $part, $m)) {
-                throw new ProgrammingError(
+                throw new InvalidArgumentException(sprintf(
                     '"%s" is not a valid time (duration) definition',
                     $interval
-                );
+                ));
             }
+
             switch ($m[2]) {
                 case 'd':
                     $value += $m[1] * 86400;
@@ -290,11 +296,11 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
             return '0s';
         }
 
-        $steps = array(
+        $steps = [
             'd' => 86400,
             'h' => 3600,
             'm' => 60,
-        );
+        ];
 
         foreach ($steps as $unit => $duration) {
             if ($seconds % $duration === 0) {
@@ -305,37 +311,89 @@ class IcingaConfigHelper
         return $seconds . 's';
     }
 
-    public static function stringHasMacro($string)
+    public static function stringHasMacro($string, $macroName = null)
     {
-        return preg_match('/(?<!\$)\$[\w\.]+\$(?!\$)/', $string);
+        $len = strlen($string);
+        $start = false;
+        // TODO: robust UTF8 support. It works, but it is not 100% correct
+        for ($i = 0; $i < $len; $i++) {
+            if ($string[$i] === '$') {
+                if ($start === false) {
+                    $start = $i;
+                } else {
+                    // Escaping, $$
+                    if ($start + 1 === $i) {
+                        $start = false;
+                    } else {
+                        if ($macroName === null) {
+                            return true;
+                        } else {
+                            if ($macroName === substr($string, $start + 1, $i - $start - 1)) {
+                                return true;
+                            } else {
+                                $start = false;
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        return false;
     }
 
-    public static function renderStringWithVariables($string)
+    /**
+     * Hint: this isn't complete, but let's restrict ourselves right now
+     *
+     * @param $name
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public static function isValidMacroName($name)
     {
-        $string = preg_replace(
-            '/(?<!\$)\$([\w\.]+)\$(?!\$)/',
-            '" + ${1} + "',
-            static::renderString($string)
-        );
+        return preg_match('/^[A-z_][A-z_\.\d]+$/', $name)
+            && ! preg_match('/\.$/', $name);
+    }
 
-        // TODO: this is an exemption for special variables. It would
-        //       never make any sense to evaluate them at parse time.
-        //       Another issue remains: there might be other reasons
-        //       for "late evaluation". But how to distinguish those
-        //       use cases?
-        $string = preg_replace(
-            '/" \+ ((?:user|notification)\.[\w\.]+) \+ "/',
-            '\$${1}\$',
-            $string
-        );
+    public static function renderStringWithVariables($string, array $whiteList = null)
+    {
+        $len = strlen($string);
+        $start = false;
+        $parts = [];
+        // TODO: UTF8...
+        $offset = 0;
+        for ($i = 0; $i < $len; $i++) {
+            if ($string[$i] === '$') {
+                if ($start === false) {
+                    $start = $i;
+                } else {
+                    // Ignore $$
+                    if ($start + 1 === $i) {
+                        $start = false;
+                    } else {
+                        // We got a macro
+                        $macroName = substr($string, $start + 1, $i - $start - 1);
+                        if (static::isValidMacroName($macroName)) {
+                            if ($whiteList === null || in_array($macroName, $whiteList)) {
+                                if ($start > $offset) {
+                                    $parts[] = static::renderString(
+                                        substr($string, $offset, $start - $offset)
+                                    );
+                                }
+                                $parts[] = $macroName;
+                                $offset = $i + 1;
+                            }
+                        }
 
-        if (substr($string, 0, 5) === '"" + ') {
-            $string = substr($string, 5);
-        }
-        if (substr($string, -5) === ' + ""') {
-            $string = substr($string, 0, -5);
+                        $start = false;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
         }
 
-        return $string;
+        if ($offset < $i) {
+            $parts[] = static::renderString(substr($string, $offset, $i - $offset));
+        }
+
+        return implode(' + ', $parts);
     }
 }
diff --git a/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigRendered.php b/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigRendered.php
index 10649648..90b710e3 100644
--- a/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigRendered.php
+++ b/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigRendered.php
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace Icinga\Module\Director\IcingaConfig;
 
-use Icinga\Exception\ProgrammingError;
+use InvalidArgumentException;
 
 class IcingaConfigRendered implements IcingaConfigRenderer
 {
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class IcingaConfigRendered implements IcingaConfigRenderer
     public function __construct($string)
     {
         if (! is_string($string)) {
-            throw new ProgrammingError('IcingaConfigRendered accepts only strings');
+            throw new InvalidArgumentException('IcingaConfigRendered accepts only strings');
         }
 
         $this->rendered = $string;
diff --git a/test/php/library/Director/CustomVariable/CustomVariablesTest.php b/test/php/library/Director/CustomVariable/CustomVariablesTest.php
index 2a32ea30..c5ba9f67 100644
--- a/test/php/library/Director/CustomVariable/CustomVariablesTest.php
+++ b/test/php/library/Director/CustomVariable/CustomVariablesTest.php
@@ -15,15 +15,12 @@ class CustomVariablesTest extends BaseTestCase
         $vars->bla = 'da';
         $vars->{'aBc'} = 'normal';
         $vars->{'a-0'} = 'special';
-        $expected = $this->indentVarsList(array(
+        $expected = $this->indentVarsList([
             'vars["a-0"] = "special"',
             'vars.aBc = "normal"',
             'vars.bla = "da"'
-        ));
-        $this->assertEquals(
-            $vars->toConfigString(),
-            $expected
-        );
+        ]);
+        $this->assertEquals($expected, $vars->toConfigString());
     }
 
     public function testVarsCanBeUnsetAndSetAgain()
@@ -33,24 +30,21 @@ class CustomVariablesTest extends BaseTestCase
         unset($vars->one);
         $vars->one = 'three';
 
-        $res = array();
+        $res = [];
         foreach ($vars as $k => $v) {
             $res[$k] = $v->getValue();
         }
 
-        $this->assertEquals(
-            array('one' => 'three'),
-            $res
-        );
+        $this->assertEquals(['one' => 'three'], $res);
     }
 
     public function testNumericKeysAreRenderedWithArraySyntax()
     {
         $vars = $this->newVars();
         $vars->{'1'} = 1;
-        $expected = $this->indentVarsList(array(
+        $expected = $this->indentVarsList([
             'vars["1"] = 1'
-        ));
+        ]);
 
         $this->assertEquals(
             $expected,
@@ -63,14 +57,11 @@ class CustomVariablesTest extends BaseTestCase
         $vars = $this->newVars();
         $vars->bla = 'da';
         $vars->abc = '$val$';
-        $expected = $this->indentVarsList(array(
-            'vars.abc = val',
+        $expected = $this->indentVarsList([
+            'vars.abc = "$val$"',
             'vars.bla = "da"'
-        ));
-        $this->assertEquals(
-            $vars->toConfigString(true),
-            $expected
-        );
+        ]);
+        $this->assertEquals($expected, $vars->toConfigString(true));
     }
 
     protected function indentVarsList($vars)
diff --git a/test/php/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigHelperTest.php b/test/php/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigHelperTest.php
index bb5955a0..506f3b8f 100644
--- a/test/php/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigHelperTest.php
+++ b/test/php/library/Director/IcingaConfig/IcingaConfigHelperTest.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class IcingaConfigHelperTest extends BaseTestCase
     }
 
     /**
-     * @expectedException \Icinga\Exception\ProgrammingError
+     * @expectedException \InvalidArgumentException
      */
     public function testWhetherInvalidIntervalStringRaisesException()
     {
@@ -53,12 +53,12 @@ class IcingaConfigHelperTest extends BaseTestCase
 
     public function testWhetherDictionaryRendersCorrectly()
     {
-        $dict = (object) array(
+        $dict = (object) [
             'key1'     => 'bla',
             'include'  => 'reserved',
             'spe cial' => 'value',
             '0'        => 'numeric',
-        );
+        ];
         $this->assertEquals(
             c::renderDictionary($dict),
             rtrim($this->loadRendered('dict1'))
@@ -81,26 +81,50 @@ class IcingaConfigHelperTest extends BaseTestCase
         $this->assertEquals(c::renderString('\f'), '"\\\\f"');
     }
 
+    public function testMacrosAreDetected()
+    {
+        $this->assertFalse(c::stringHasMacro('$$vars$'));
+        $this->assertFalse(c::stringHasMacro('$$'));
+        $this->assertTrue(c::stringHasMacro('$vars$$'));
+        $this->assertTrue(c::stringHasMacro('$multiple$$vars.nested.name$$vars$ is here'));
+        $this->assertTrue(c::stringHasMacro('some $vars.nested.name$ is here'));
+        $this->assertTrue(c::stringHasMacro('some $vars.nested.name$$vars.even.more$'));
+        $this->assertTrue(c::stringHasMacro('$vars.nested.name$$a$$$$not$'));
+        $this->assertTrue(c::stringHasMacro('MSSQL$$$config$'));
+        $this->assertTrue(c::stringHasMacro('MSSQL$$$config$', 'config'));
+        $this->assertTrue(c::stringHasMacro('MSSQL$$$nix$ and $config$', 'config'));
+        $this->assertFalse(c::stringHasMacro('MSSQL$$$nix$config$ and $$', 'config'));
+        $this->assertFalse(c::stringHasMacro('MSSQL$$$nix$ and $$config$', 'config'));
+        $this->assertFalse(c::stringHasMacro('MSSQL$$$config$', 'conf'));
+    }
+
     public function testRenderStringWithVariables()
     {
-        $this->assertEquals(c::renderStringWithVariables('Before $var$'), '"Before " + var');
+        $this->assertEquals('"Before " + var', c::renderStringWithVariables('Before $var$'));
         $this->assertEquals(c::renderStringWithVariables('$var$ After'), 'var + " After"');
         $this->assertEquals(c::renderStringWithVariables('$var$'), 'var');
         $this->assertEquals(c::renderStringWithVariables('$$var$$'), '"$$var$$"');
         $this->assertEquals(c::renderStringWithVariables('Before $$var$$ After'), '"Before $$var$$ After"');
         $this->assertEquals(
-            c::renderStringWithVariables('Before $name$ $name$ After'),
-            '"Before " + name + " " + name + " After"'
+            '"Before " + name1 + " " + name2 + " After"',
+            c::renderStringWithVariables('Before $name1$ $name2$ After')
+        );
+    }
+
+    public function testRenderStringWithVariablesX()
+    {
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            '"Before " + var1 + " " + var2 + " After"',
+            c::renderStringWithVariables('Before $var1$ $var2$ After')
         );
         $this->assertEquals(
-            c::renderStringWithVariables('Before $var1$ $var2$ After'),
-            '"Before " + var1 + " " + var2 + " After"'
+            'host.vars.custom',
+            c::renderStringWithVariables('$host.vars.custom$')
         );
-        $this->assertEquals(c::renderStringWithVariables('$host.vars.custom$'), 'host.vars.custom');
-        $this->assertEquals(c::renderStringWithVariables('$var"$'), '"$var\"$"');
+        $this->assertEquals('"$var\"$"', c::renderStringWithVariables('$var"$'));
         $this->assertEquals(
-            c::renderStringWithVariables('\tI am\rrendering\nproperly\fand I $support$ "multiple" $variables$\$'),
-            '"\\\\tI am\\\\rrendering\\\\nproperly\\\\fand I " + support + " \"multiple\" " + variables + "\\\\$"'
+            '"\\\\tI am\\\\rrendering\\\\nproperly\\\\fand I " + support + " \"multiple\" " + variables + "\\\\$"',
+            c::renderStringWithVariables('\tI am\rrendering\nproperly\fand I $support$ "multiple" $variables$\$')
         );
     }
 }