diff --git a/C/c_interface.c b/C/c_interface.c
index 63f38fe4c..8a8a32fe7 100755
--- a/C/c_interface.c
+++ b/C/c_interface.c
@@ -3652,7 +3652,7 @@ Term YAP_UnNumberVars(Term t) {
 }
 
 int YAP_IsNumberedVariable(Term t) {
-  return IsApplTerm(t) && FunctorOfTerm(t) == FunctorVar &&
+  return IsApplTerm(t) && FunctorOfTerm(t) == FunctorDollarVar &&
          IsIntegerTerm(ArgOfTerm(1, t));
 }
 
diff --git a/C/userpreds.c b/C/userpreds.c
index f40c07f98..6dbb4a0e6 100644
--- a/C/userpreds.c
+++ b/C/userpreds.c
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ static int p_grab_tokens() {
   char ch, IdChars[256], *chp;
 
   IdFunctor = FunctorId;
-  VarFunctor = FunctorVar;
+  VarFunctor = FunctorDollarVar;
   p0 = p;
   ch = Yap_PlGetchar();
   while (1) {
diff --git a/C/utilpreds.c b/C/utilpreds.c
index 64184d8b7..d50674972 100644
--- a/C/utilpreds.c
+++ b/C/utilpreds.c
@@ -4584,7 +4584,7 @@ numbervar(Int id USES_REGS)
 {
   Term ts[1];
   ts[0] = MkIntegerTerm(id);
-  return Yap_MkApplTerm(LOCAL_FunctorVar, 1, ts);
+  return Yap_MkApplTerm(FunctorDollarVar, 1, ts);
 }
 
 static Term
@@ -4592,7 +4592,7 @@ numbervar_singleton(USES_REGS1)
 {
   Term ts[1];
   ts[0] = MkIntegerTerm(-1);
-  return Yap_MkApplTerm(LOCAL_FunctorVar, 1, ts);
+  return Yap_MkApplTerm(FunctorDollarVar, 1, ts);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -4904,7 +4904,7 @@ unnumber_complex_term(CELL *pt0, CELL *pt0_end, CELL *ptf, CELL *HLow, int share
 	  *ptf++ = d0;  /* you can just unnumber other extensions. */
 	  continue;
 	}
-	if (f == FunctorVar) {
+	if (f == FunctorDollarVar) {
 	  Int id = IntegerOfTerm(ap2[1]);
 	  ground = FALSE;
 	  if (id < -1) {
diff --git a/C/write.c b/C/write.c
index 1e087b870..0c5eb1b33 100644
--- a/C/write.c
+++ b/C/write.c
@@ -1117,14 +1117,17 @@ static void writeTerm(Term t, int p, int depth, int rinfixarg,
       if (op > p) {
         wrclose_bracket(wglb, TRUE);
       }
-    } else if (wglb->Handle_vars && functor == LOCAL_FunctorVar) {
+    } else if ( functor == FunctorDollarVar) {
       Term ti = ArgOfTerm(1, t);
       if (lastw == alphanum) {
         wrputc(' ', wglb->stream);
       }
-      if (!IsVarTerm(ti) &&
-          (IsIntTerm(ti) || IsCodesTerm(ti) ||
-	   IsAtomTerm(ti) || IsStringTerm(ti) )) {
+      if (wglb->Handle_vars &&
+          !IsVarTerm(ti) &&
+          (IsIntTerm(ti) ||
+           IsCodesTerm(ti) ||
+           IsAtomTerm(ti) ||
+           IsStringTerm(ti) )) {
         if (IsIntTerm(ti)) {
           Int k = IntOfTerm(ti);
           if (k == -1) {
diff --git a/H/iatoms.h b/H/iatoms.h
index 47a3b8bbd..92510a428 100644
--- a/H/iatoms.h
+++ b/H/iatoms.h
@@ -390,8 +390,8 @@
   AtomUserErr = Yap_LookupAtom("user_error");
   AtomUserIn = Yap_LookupAtom("user_input");
   AtomUserOut = Yap_LookupAtom("user_output");
+  AtomDollarVar = Yap_LookupAtom("$VAR");
   AtomVBar = Yap_LookupAtom("|");
-  AtomVar = Yap_FullLookupAtom("$VAR");
   AtomVarBranches = Yap_LookupAtom("var_branches");
   AtomVariableNames = Yap_LookupAtom("variable_names");
   AtomHiddenVar = Yap_FullLookupAtom("$V");
@@ -443,6 +443,7 @@
   FunctorDoLogUpdClause0 = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomDoLogUpdClause0,6);
   FunctorDoLogUpdClauseErase = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomDoLogUpdClauseErase,6);
   FunctorDoStaticClause = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomDoStaticClause,5);
+  FunctorDollarVar = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomDollarVar,1);
   FunctorDomainError = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomDomainError,2);
   FunctorDot = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomDot,2);
   FunctorDot10 = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomDot,10);
@@ -531,5 +532,4 @@
   FunctorUMinus = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomMinus,1);
   FunctorUPlus = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomPlus,1);
   FunctorVBar = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomVBar,2);
-  FunctorVar = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomVar,1);
   FunctorHiddenVar = Yap_MkFunctor(AtomHiddenVar,1);
diff --git a/H/ratoms.h b/H/ratoms.h
index 866574440..31d70b587 100644
--- a/H/ratoms.h
+++ b/H/ratoms.h
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@
   AtomFail = AtomAdjust(AtomFail);
   AtomFalse = AtomAdjust(AtomFalse);
   AtomFast = AtomAdjust(AtomFast);
+  AtomFastFail = AtomAdjust(AtomFastFail);
   AtomFileErrors = AtomAdjust(AtomFileErrors);
   AtomFileerrors = AtomAdjust(AtomFileerrors);
   AtomFileType = AtomAdjust(AtomFileType);
@@ -390,8 +391,8 @@
   AtomUserErr = AtomAdjust(AtomUserErr);
   AtomUserIn = AtomAdjust(AtomUserIn);
   AtomUserOut = AtomAdjust(AtomUserOut);
+  AtomDollarVar = AtomAdjust(AtomDollarVar);
   AtomVBar = AtomAdjust(AtomVBar);
-  AtomVar = AtomAdjust(AtomVar);
   AtomVarBranches = AtomAdjust(AtomVarBranches);
   AtomVariableNames = AtomAdjust(AtomVariableNames);
   AtomHiddenVar = AtomAdjust(AtomHiddenVar);
@@ -443,6 +444,7 @@
   FunctorDoLogUpdClause0 = FuncAdjust(FunctorDoLogUpdClause0);
   FunctorDoLogUpdClauseErase = FuncAdjust(FunctorDoLogUpdClauseErase);
   FunctorDoStaticClause = FuncAdjust(FunctorDoStaticClause);
+  FunctorDollarVar = FuncAdjust(FunctorDollarVar);
   FunctorDomainError = FuncAdjust(FunctorDomainError);
   FunctorDot = FuncAdjust(FunctorDot);
   FunctorDot10 = FuncAdjust(FunctorDot10);
@@ -531,5 +533,4 @@
   FunctorUMinus = FuncAdjust(FunctorUMinus);
   FunctorUPlus = FuncAdjust(FunctorUPlus);
   FunctorVBar = FuncAdjust(FunctorVBar);
-  FunctorVar = FuncAdjust(FunctorVar);
   FunctorHiddenVar = FuncAdjust(FunctorHiddenVar);
diff --git a/H/tatoms.h b/H/tatoms.h
index 56456e7ac..67933e06b 100644
--- a/H/tatoms.h
+++ b/H/tatoms.h
@@ -1166,12 +1166,12 @@
   Atom AtomUserOut_;
 #define AtomUserOut Yap_heap_regs->AtomUserOut_
 #define TermUserOut MkAtomTerm( Yap_heap_regs->AtomUserOut_ )
+  Atom AtomDollarVar_;
+#define AtomDollarVar Yap_heap_regs->AtomDollarVar_
+#define TermDollarVar MkAtomTerm( Yap_heap_regs->AtomDollarVar_ )
   Atom AtomVBar_;
 #define AtomVBar Yap_heap_regs->AtomVBar_
 #define TermVBar MkAtomTerm( Yap_heap_regs->AtomVBar_ )
-  Atom AtomVar_;
-#define AtomVar Yap_heap_regs->AtomVar_
-#define TermVar MkAtomTerm( Yap_heap_regs->AtomVar_ )
   Atom AtomVarBranches_;
 #define AtomVarBranches Yap_heap_regs->AtomVarBranches_
 #define TermVarBranches MkAtomTerm( Yap_heap_regs->AtomVarBranches_ )
@@ -1287,6 +1287,8 @@
 #define FunctorDoLogUpdClauseErase Yap_heap_regs->FunctorDoLogUpdClauseErase_
   Functor FunctorDoStaticClause_;
 #define FunctorDoStaticClause Yap_heap_regs->FunctorDoStaticClause_
+  Functor FunctorDollarVar_;
+#define FunctorDollarVar Yap_heap_regs->FunctorDollarVar_
   Functor FunctorDomainError_;
 #define FunctorDomainError Yap_heap_regs->FunctorDomainError_
   Functor FunctorDot_;
@@ -1463,7 +1465,5 @@
 #define FunctorUPlus Yap_heap_regs->FunctorUPlus_
   Functor FunctorVBar_;
 #define FunctorVBar Yap_heap_regs->FunctorVBar_
-  Functor FunctorVar_;
-#define FunctorVar Yap_heap_regs->FunctorVar_
   Functor FunctorHiddenVar_;
 #define FunctorHiddenVar Yap_heap_regs->FunctorHiddenVar_
diff --git a/misc/ATOMS b/misc/ATOMS
index c3dec4154..5b96f3097 100644
--- a/misc/ATOMS
+++ b/misc/ATOMS
@@ -396,7 +396,6 @@ A	UserErr			N	"user_error"
 A	UserIn			N	"user_input"
 A	UserOut			N	"user_output"
 A	VBar			N	"|"
-A	Var			F	"$VAR"
 A	VarBranches		N	"var_branches"
 A	VariableNames		N	"variable_names"
 A	HiddenVar		F	"$V"
@@ -448,6 +447,7 @@ F	DoLogUpdClause		DoLogUpdClause	6
 F	DoLogUpdClause0		DoLogUpdClause0	6
 F	DoLogUpdClauseErase	DoLogUpdClauseErase	6
 F	DoStaticClause		DoStaticClause	5
+F	DollarVar           DollarVar       1
 F	DomainError		DomainError	2
 F	Dot			Dot		2
 F	Dot10			Dot		10
@@ -536,6 +536,5 @@ F	TypeError		TypeError	2
 F	UMinus			Minus		1
 F	UPlus			Plus		1
 F	VBar			VBar		2
-F	Var			Var		1
 F	HiddenVar		HiddenVar	1
 
diff --git a/os/writeterm.c b/os/writeterm.c
index 792ffa4ff..d8564dd26 100644
--- a/os/writeterm.c
+++ b/os/writeterm.c
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ bind_variable_names(Term  t USES_REGS)
        return false;
     }
     t2 = ArgOfTerm(2, tl);
-    tv = Yap_MkApplTerm(LOCAL_FunctorVar, 1, &t1);
+    tv = Yap_MkApplTerm(FunctorDollarVar, 1, &t1);
     if (IsVarTerm(t2)) {
       Bind(VarOfTerm(t2), tv);
     }
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ dollar_var( USES_REGS1 )
     Term t2;
     if (!IsVarTerm(t2=Deref(ARG2))) {
       if (IsApplTerm(t2) &&
-          FunctorOfTerm( t2 ) == LOCAL_FunctorVar ) {
+          FunctorOfTerm( t2 ) == FunctorDollarVar ) {
         return Yap_unify(ArgOfTerm(1, t2), ARG1);
       }
       Yap_Error( TYPE_ERROR_COMPOUND, ARG2 , "");
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ dollar_var( USES_REGS1 )
     }
   }
   Term t2 = Yap_unify( MkVarTerm(), ARG1);
-  Term tv = Yap_MkApplTerm(LOCAL_FunctorVar, 1, &t2);
+  Term tv = Yap_MkApplTerm(FunctorDollarVar, 1, &t2);
   return Yap_unify(tv, ARG2);
 }