diff --git a/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/interpolate-vars.js b/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/interpolate-vars.js
index 659eaf53f..a5a867f2b 100644
--- a/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/interpolate-vars.js
+++ b/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/interpolate-vars.js
@@ -67,40 +67,47 @@ const interpolateVars = (request, envVariables = {}, runtimeVariables = {}, proc
   });
 
   const contentType = getContentType(request.headers);
+  const isGraphqlRequest = request.mode === 'graphql';
 
-  if (contentType.includes('json')) {
-    // Skip interpolation if data is a Buffer (e.g., gzip-compressed data)
-    if (typeof request.data === 'object' && !Buffer.isBuffer(request.data)) {
-      try {
-        let parsed = JSON.stringify(request.data);
-        parsed = _interpolate(parsed, { escapeJSONStrings: true });
-        request.data = JSON.parse(parsed);
-      } catch (err) {}
-    }
+  // GraphQL: interpolate query and variables in place. We do not stringify the whole body and interpolate that, because variables is a JSON string. Full-body stringify would nest it and double-escape any {{var}} inside.
+  if (isGraphqlRequest && request.data && typeof request.data === 'object') {
+    request.data.query = _interpolate(request.data.query, { escapeJSONStrings: true });
+    request.data.variables = _interpolate(request.data.variables, { escapeJSONStrings: true });
+  }
 
-    if (typeof request.data === 'string') {
-      if (request?.data?.length) {
-        request.data = _interpolate(request.data, { escapeJSONStrings: true });
+  // Skip body interpolation for GraphQL requests.
+  if (!isGraphqlRequest) {
+    if (contentType.includes('json') && !Buffer.isBuffer(request.data)) {
+      if (typeof request.data === 'string') {
+        if (request?.data?.length) {
+          request.data = _interpolate(request.data, { escapeJSONStrings: true });
+        }
+      } else if (typeof request.data === 'object') {
+        try {
+          let parsed = JSON.stringify(request.data);
+          parsed = _interpolate(parsed, { escapeJSONStrings: true });
+          request.data = JSON.parse(parsed);
+        } catch (err) {}
       }
-    }
-  } else if (contentType === 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded') {
-    if (request.data && Array.isArray(request.data)) {
-      request.data = request.data.map((d) => ({
-        ...d,
-        value: _interpolate(d?.value)
-      }));
-    }
-  } else if (contentType === 'multipart/form-data') {
-    if (Array.isArray(request?.data) && !isFormData(request.data)) {
-      try {
-        request.data = request?.data?.map((d) => ({
+    } else if (contentType === 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded') {
+      if (request.data && Array.isArray(request.data)) {
+        request.data = request.data.map((d) => ({
           ...d,
           value: _interpolate(d?.value)
         }));
-      } catch (err) {}
+      }
+    } else if (contentType === 'multipart/form-data') {
+      if (Array.isArray(request?.data) && !isFormData(request.data)) {
+        try {
+          request.data = request?.data?.map((d) => ({
+            ...d,
+            value: _interpolate(d?.value)
+          }));
+        } catch (err) {}
+      }
+    } else {
+      request.data = _interpolate(request.data);
     }
-  } else {
-    request.data = _interpolate(request.data);
   }
 
   each(request?.pathParams, (param) => {
diff --git a/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/prepare-request.js b/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/prepare-request.js
index 9588e8fed..83c7ab86c 100644
--- a/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/prepare-request.js
+++ b/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/prepare-request.js
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ const prepareRequest = async (item = {}, collection = {}) => {
     tags: item.tags || [],
     pathParams: request.params?.filter((param) => param.type === 'path'),
     settings: item.settings,
-    responseType: 'arraybuffer'
+    responseType: 'arraybuffer',
+    mode: request.body?.mode
   };
 
   const collectionRoot = collection?.draft?.root || collection?.root || {};
@@ -371,7 +372,8 @@ const prepareRequest = async (item = {}, collection = {}) => {
   if (request.body.mode === 'graphql') {
     const graphqlQuery = {
       query: get(request, 'body.graphql.query'),
-      variables: JSON.parse(decomment(get(request, 'body.graphql.variables') || '{}'))
+      // Parse variables only after interpolation (github.com/usebruno/bruno/issues/884)
+      variables: decomment(get(request, 'body.graphql.variables') || '{}')
     };
     if (!contentTypeDefined) {
       axiosRequest.headers['content-type'] = 'application/json';
diff --git a/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/run-single-request.js b/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/run-single-request.js
index 29f19155e..79c54c59e 100644
--- a/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/run-single-request.js
+++ b/packages/bruno-cli/src/runner/run-single-request.js
@@ -308,6 +308,16 @@ const runSingleRequest = async function (
     // interpolate variables inside request
     interpolateVars(request, envVariables, runtimeVariables, processEnvVars);
 
+    // if this is a graphql request, parse the variables, only after interpolation
+    // https://github.com/usebruno/bruno/issues/884
+    if (request.mode === 'graphql' && typeof request.data?.variables === 'string') {
+      try {
+        request.data.variables = JSON.parse(request.data.variables);
+      } catch (err) {
+        throw new Error(`Failed to parse GraphQL variables: ${err.message}`);
+      }
+    }
+
     if (request.settings?.encodeUrl) {
       request.url = encodeUrl(request.url);
     }
diff --git a/packages/bruno-cli/tests/runner/prepare-request.spec.js b/packages/bruno-cli/tests/runner/prepare-request.spec.js
index 61dd143fd..c48141afd 100644
--- a/packages/bruno-cli/tests/runner/prepare-request.spec.js
+++ b/packages/bruno-cli/tests/runner/prepare-request.spec.js
@@ -600,4 +600,50 @@ describe('prepare-request: prepareRequest', () => {
       expect(readFileSyncSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
+
+  describe('GraphQL request', () => {
+    it('keeps variables as string for interpolation', async () => {
+      const item = {
+        request: {
+          method: 'POST',
+          headers: [],
+          params: [],
+          url: 'https://example.com',
+          body: {
+            mode: 'graphql',
+            graphql: {
+              query: 'query { x }',
+              variables: '{"apiPermissions": {{permissionsJSON}}}'
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+      const result = await prepareRequest(item);
+      expect(result.mode).toBe('graphql');
+      expect(result.data).toMatchObject({ query: 'query { x }' });
+      expect(typeof result.data.variables).toBe('string');
+      expect(result.data.variables).toBe('{"apiPermissions": {{permissionsJSON}}}');
+    });
+
+    it('defaults variables to "{}" when missing', async () => {
+      const item = {
+        request: {
+          method: 'POST',
+          headers: [],
+          params: [],
+          url: 'https://example.com',
+          body: {
+            mode: 'graphql',
+            graphql: {
+              query: 'query { x }',
+              variables: undefined
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+      const result = await prepareRequest(item);
+      expect(typeof result.data.variables).toBe('string');
+      expect(result.data.variables).toBe('{}');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/network/index.js b/packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/network/index.js
index 222794d9b..e6a612cac 100644
--- a/packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/network/index.js
+++ b/packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/network/index.js
@@ -540,8 +540,12 @@ const registerNetworkIpc = (mainWindow) => {
 
     // if this is a graphql request, parse the variables, only after interpolation
     // https://github.com/usebruno/bruno/issues/884
-    if (request.mode === 'graphql') {
-      request.data.variables = JSON.parse(request.data.variables);
+    if (request.mode === 'graphql' && typeof request.data?.variables === 'string') {
+      try {
+        request.data.variables = JSON.parse(request.data.variables);
+      } catch (err) {
+        throw new Error(`Failed to parse GraphQL variables: ${err.message}`);
+      }
     }
 
     // stringify the request url encoded params
diff --git a/packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/network/interpolate-vars.js b/packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/network/interpolate-vars.js
index c8ce4dfa0..61c9fbd71 100644
--- a/packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/network/interpolate-vars.js
+++ b/packages/bruno-electron/src/ipc/network/interpolate-vars.js
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ const interpolateVars = (request, envVariables = {}, runtimeVariables = {}, proc
   });
 
   const contentType = getContentType(request.headers);
+  const isGraphqlRequest = request.mode === 'graphql';
 
   if (isGrpcRequest) {
     const jsonDoc = JSON.stringify(request.body);
@@ -103,7 +104,13 @@ const interpolateVars = (request, envVariables = {}, runtimeVariables = {}, proc
     });
   }
 
-  if (typeof contentType === 'string') {
+  // GraphQL: interpolate query and variables in place. We do not stringify the whole body and interpolate that, because variables is a JSON string. Full-body stringify would nest it and double-escape any {{var}} inside.
+  if (isGraphqlRequest && request.data && typeof request.data === 'object') {
+    request.data.query = _interpolate(request.data.query, { escapeJSONStrings: true });
+    request.data.variables = _interpolate(request.data.variables, { escapeJSONStrings: true });
+  }
+
+  if (typeof contentType === 'string' && !isGraphqlRequest) {
     /*
       We explicitly avoid interpolating buffer values because the file content is read as a buffer object in raw body mode.
       Even if the selected file's content type is JSON, this prevents the buffer object from being interpolated.
diff --git a/packages/bruno-electron/tests/network/prepare-request.spec.js b/packages/bruno-electron/tests/network/prepare-request.spec.js
index 89ba9c520..a0247b9f5 100644
--- a/packages/bruno-electron/tests/network/prepare-request.spec.js
+++ b/packages/bruno-electron/tests/network/prepare-request.spec.js
@@ -39,4 +39,29 @@ describe('prepare-request: prepareRequest', () => {
       expect(result.headers['content-type']).toEqual('application/json');
     });
   });
+
+  describe('GraphQL request', () => {
+    it('keeps variables as string for interpolation', async () => {
+      const item = {
+        request: {
+          method: 'POST',
+          headers: [],
+          params: [],
+          url: 'https://example.com',
+          body: {
+            mode: 'graphql',
+            graphql: {
+              query: 'query { x }',
+              variables: '{"apiPermissions": {{permissionsJSON}}}'
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+      const result = await prepareRequest(item);
+      expect(result.mode).toBe('graphql');
+      expect(result.data).toMatchObject({ query: 'query { x }' });
+      expect(typeof result.data.variables).toBe('string');
+      expect(result.data.variables).toBe('{"apiPermissions": {{permissionsJSON}}}');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/bruno-tests/collection/graphql/variable-interpolation.bru b/packages/bruno-tests/collection/graphql/variable-interpolation.bru
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1a0c7ee53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/bruno-tests/collection/graphql/variable-interpolation.bru
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+meta {
+  name: variables interpolation
+  type: graphql
+  seq: 3
+}
+
+post {
+  url: {{host}}/api/echo/json
+  body: graphql
+  auth: none
+}
+
+body:graphql {
+  query { __typename }
+}
+
+body:graphql:vars {
+  {
+    "my_json": "{{my_json}}"
+  }
+}
+
+assert {
+  res.status: eq 200
+}
+
+script:pre-request {
+  const testData = {
+    a: [1,2,3],
+    b: {
+      c: "test",
+      d: "another value"
+    }
+  };
+  
+  // Single escaping
+  let cv = JSON.stringify(testData).replace(/"/g, '\\"');
+  
+  bru.setVar("my_json", cv)
+}
+
+script:post-response {
+  bru.deleteVar("my_json")
+}
+
+tests {
+  test("GraphQL variables with nested object and array are interpolated then sent as parsed object", function() {
+    const body = res.getBody();
+    expect(body).to.have.property("variables");
+    expect(body.variables).to.be.an("object");
+    expect(body.variables).to.have.property("my_json");
+    expect(body.variables.my_json).to.eql("{\"a\":[1,2,3],\"b\":{\"c\":\"test\",\"d\":\"another value\"}}");
+  });
+}