diff --git a/elua.moon b/elua.moon
index f24c86d..9d2cb82 100644
--- a/elua.moon
+++ b/elua.moon
@@ -132,7 +132,12 @@ class Parser
 
     fn = assert load(code_fn, name)
     (env={}) ->
-      setfenv fn, env
+      combined_env = setmetatable {}, __index: (name) =>
+        val = env[name]
+        val = _G[name] if val == nil
+        val
+
+      setfenv fn, combined_env
       fn tostring, concat, html_escape
 
   -- generates the code of the template
diff --git a/spec/elua_spec.moon b/spec/elua_spec.moon
index 496fac8..1f32bc2 100644
--- a/spec/elua_spec.moon
+++ b/spec/elua_spec.moon
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ This is my message to <%= [=[oh yeah  %>"]=] %>]]
 "
       }
 
+
+      -- should have access to _G
+      {
+        ""
+        "<% assert(true) %>"
+        { hello: "world" }
+      }
     }
 
     for case in *cases