diff --git a/quest_api.lua b/quest_api.lua
index 042263b..74a7177 100644
--- a/quest_api.lua
+++ b/quest_api.lua
@@ -138,8 +138,20 @@ yl_speak_up.get_quest_variables = function(pname, has_write_access)
 				table.insert(liste, k)
 			end
 		end
+	else
+		local right = "read_access"
+		if(has_write_access) then
+			right = "write_access"
+		end
+		-- insert those vars owned by other players where this one has access
+		for k, v in pairs(yl_speak_up.player_vars) do
+			if(   k[ "$META$"]
+			  and k[ "$META$"][ right ]
+			  and k[ "$META$"][ right ][ pname ]) then
+				table.insert(liste, k)
+			end
+		end
 	end
-	-- TODO: insert those vars owned by other players where this one has read access to
 	table.sort(liste)
 	return liste
 end
@@ -489,6 +501,9 @@ end
 
 -- does the opposite of the function above; adds "$ PNAME " if needed
 yl_speak_up.add_pname_to_var = function(var_name, pname)
+	if(not(var_name)) then
+		return ""
+	end
 	local parts = string.split(var_name, " ")
 	if(parts and parts[1] and parts[1] ~= "$") then
 		return "$ "..tostring(pname).." "..tostring(var_name)