diff --git a/jenkins_jobs/expander.py b/jenkins_jobs/expander.py
index 57ded06f8..fed2f51f3 100644
--- a/jenkins_jobs/expander.py
+++ b/jenkins_jobs/expander.py
@@ -143,12 +143,13 @@ class Expander:
 
 # Expand only yaml objects.
 class YamlObjectsExpander(Expander):
-    def __init__(self):
-        super().__init__()
+    def __init__(self, config=None):
+        super().__init__(config)
         self.expanders.update(
             {
                 str: dont_expand,
                 LocString: dont_expand,
+                IncludeRawVerbatim: dont_expand,
             }
         )
 
diff --git a/jenkins_jobs/loader.py b/jenkins_jobs/loader.py
index 6ffded141..a79a26284 100644
--- a/jenkins_jobs/loader.py
+++ b/jenkins_jobs/loader.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from functools import partial
 from .errors import JenkinsJobsException
 from .loc_loader import LocLoader
 from .yaml_objects import BaseYamlObject
-from .expander import Expander, deprecated_yaml_tags, yaml_classes_list
+from .expander import YamlObjectsExpander, deprecated_yaml_tags, yaml_classes_list
 from .roots import root_adders
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def enum_expanded_paths(path_list):
 
 
 def load_files(config, roots, path_list):
-    expander = Expander(config)
+    expander = YamlObjectsExpander(config)
     loader = Loader.empty(config)
     for path in enum_expanded_paths(path_list):
         if is_stdin(path):
diff --git a/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include-raw-vars.sh b/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include-raw-vars.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7cedeaed4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include-raw-vars.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# sample script to check that variables aren't expanded
+# when using the !include-raw-verbatim: application yaml tag
+
+VAR1="hello"
+VAR2="world"
+VAR3="${VAR1} ${VAR2}"
+
+[[ -n "${VAR3}" ]] && {
+    # this next section is executed as one
+    echo "${VAR3}"
+    exit 0
+}
diff --git a/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.xml b/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f341ef024
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<project>
+  <actions/>
+  <description>&lt;!-- Managed by Jenkins Job Builder --&gt;</description>
+  <keepDependencies>false</keepDependencies>
+  <blockBuildWhenDownstreamBuilding>false</blockBuildWhenDownstreamBuilding>
+  <blockBuildWhenUpstreamBuilding>false</blockBuildWhenUpstreamBuilding>
+  <concurrentBuild>false</concurrentBuild>
+  <canRoam>true</canRoam>
+  <properties/>
+  <scm class="hudson.scm.NullSCM"/>
+  <builders>
+    <hudson.tasks.Shell>
+      <command>#!/bin/bash
+#
+# sample script to check that variables aren't expanded
+# when using the !include-raw-verbatim: application yaml tag
+
+VAR1=&quot;hello&quot;
+VAR2=&quot;world&quot;
+VAR3=&quot;${VAR1} ${VAR2}&quot;
+
+[[ -n &quot;${VAR3}&quot; ]] &amp;&amp; {
+    # this next section is executed as one
+    echo &quot;${VAR3}&quot;
+    exit 0
+}
+</command>
+    </hudson.tasks.Shell>
+  </builders>
+  <publishers/>
+  <buildWrappers/>
+</project>
diff --git a/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.yaml b/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b1906a47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# using !include in job-template
+- job-template: !include: include002.yaml.inc
+- project:
+    name: acc-cdi
+    jobs:
+      - test-gerrit
diff --git a/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.yaml.inc b/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.yaml.inc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e918fab21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/yamlparser/job_fixtures/include002.yaml.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+name: test-gerrit
+builders:
+  - shell:
+      !include-raw-verbatim: include-raw-vars.sh