diff --git a/lisp/ob-sql.el b/lisp/ob-sql.el
index 78e8a3b43..de6d10d35 100644
--- a/lisp/ob-sql.el
+++ b/lisp/ob-sql.el
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@
 
 (defvar org-babel-default-header-args:sql '())
 
+(defun org-babel-expand-body:sql (body params)
+  "Expand BODY according to the values of PARAMS."
+  (org-babel-sql-expand-vars
+   body (mapcar #'cdr (org-babel-get-header params :var))))
+
 (defun org-babel-execute:sql (body params)
   "Execute a block of Sql code with Babel.
 This function is called by `org-babel-execute-src-block'."
@@ -70,7 +75,7 @@ This function is called by `org-babel-execute-src-block'."
 				    (or cmdline "")))
                     (t (error "no support for the %s sql engine" engine)))))
     (with-temp-file in-file
-      (insert (org-babel-expand-body:generic body params)))
+      (insert (org-babel-expand-body:sql body params)))
     (message command)
     (shell-command command)
     (with-temp-buffer
@@ -82,6 +87,28 @@ This function is called by `org-babel-execute-src-block'."
        (org-babel-pick-name (cdr (assoc :rowname-names params))
 			    (cdr (assoc :rownames params)))))))
 
+(defun org-babel-sql-expand-vars (body vars)
+  "Expand the variables held in VARS in BODY."
+  (mapc
+   (lambda (pair)
+     (setq body
+	   (replace-regexp-in-string
+	    (format "\$%s" (car pair))
+	    ((lambda (val)
+	       (if (listp val)
+		   ((lambda (data-file)
+		      (with-temp-file data-file
+			(insert (orgtbl-to-csv
+				 val '(:fmt (lambda (el) (if (stringp el)
+							el
+						      (format "%S" el)))))))
+		      data-file)
+		    (org-babel-temp-file "sql-data-"))
+		 (if (stringp val) val (format "%S" val))))
+	     (cdr pair))
+	    body)))
+   vars)
+  body)
 
 (defun org-babel-prep-session:sql (session params)
   "Raise an error because Sql sessions aren't implemented."
diff --git a/lisp/ob-sqlite.el b/lisp/ob-sqlite.el
index dd4ea87bb..498e11e63 100644
--- a/lisp/ob-sqlite.el
+++ b/lisp/ob-sqlite.el
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@
   "Execute a block of Sqlite code with Babel.
 This function is called by `org-babel-execute-src-block'."
   (let ((result-params (split-string (or (cdr (assoc :results params)) "")))
-	(vars (org-babel-get-header params :var))
 	(db (cdr (assoc :db params)))
 	(separator (cdr (assoc :separator params)))
 	(nullvalue (cdr (assoc :nullvalue params)))