diff --git a/src/format.rs b/src/format.rs
index 9aeb615..f921102 100644
--- a/src/format.rs
+++ b/src/format.rs
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ fn read_byte(chr: u8, index: usize, state: &FormatParserState) -> FormatParserSt
         },
         Variable(start, _end) => match chr {
             x if is_var_char(x) => Variable(*start, index + 1),
+            b'$' => Variable(index, index + 1),
             _ => Fixed(index, index + 1),
         },
         Fixed(start, _end) => match chr {
@@ -180,6 +181,9 @@ fn read_format(bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<Format, FormatParserError> {
             (Variable(start, end), Fixed(_, _)) => stack.push(FormatPart::Variable(
                 create_owned_str(&bytes, *start, *end)?,
             )),
+            (Variable(start, end), Variable(b_start, _)) if b_start > start => stack.push(FormatPart::Variable(
+                create_owned_str(&bytes, *start, *end)?,
+            )),
             (Fixed(start, end), Variable(_, _)) => {
                 stack.push(FormatPart::Fixed(create_owned_str(&bytes, *start, *end)?))
             }