diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwscript/interpretercontext.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwscript/interpretercontext.cpp
index 89b107ae8f..8bcbbe5c7a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwscript/interpretercontext.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwscript/interpretercontext.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <iostream>
 
+#include <components/interpreter/types.hpp>
+
 #include "locals.hpp"
 #include "../mwworld/world.hpp"
 
@@ -78,32 +80,44 @@ namespace MWScript
     
     int InterpreterContext::getGlobalShort (const std::string& name) const
     {
-        return 0;
+        Interpreter::Type_Data value = mEnvironment.mWorld->getGlobalVariable (name);       
+        return static_cast<Interpreter::Type_Short> (
+            *reinterpret_cast<Interpreter::Type_Integer *> (&value));
     }
 
     int InterpreterContext::getGlobalLong (const std::string& name) const
     {
-        return 0;
+        // a global long is internally a float.
+        Interpreter::Type_Data value = mEnvironment.mWorld->getGlobalVariable (name);       
+        return static_cast<Interpreter::Type_Integer> (
+            *reinterpret_cast<Interpreter::Type_Float *> (&value));
     }
 
     float InterpreterContext::getGlobalFloat (const std::string& name) const
     {
-        return 0;
+        Interpreter::Type_Data value = mEnvironment.mWorld->getGlobalVariable (name);       
+        return *reinterpret_cast<Interpreter::Type_Float *> (&value);
     }
 
     void InterpreterContext::setGlobalShort (const std::string& name, int value)
     {
-    
+         mEnvironment.mWorld->getGlobalVariable (name) =
+            *reinterpret_cast<Interpreter::Type_Data *> (&value);
     }
 
     void InterpreterContext::setGlobalLong (const std::string& name, int value)
     {
-    
+        // a global long is internally a float.
+        float value2 = value;
+
+         mEnvironment.mWorld->getGlobalVariable (name) =
+            *reinterpret_cast<Interpreter::Type_Data *> (&value2);    
     }
 
     void InterpreterContext::setGlobalFloat (const std::string& name, float value)
     {
-    
+         mEnvironment.mWorld->getGlobalVariable (name) =
+            *reinterpret_cast<Interpreter::Type_Data *> (&value);    
     }
                 
     MWWorld::World& InterpreterContext::getWorld()
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
index aae72e5bc3..0381fa159a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ namespace MWWorld
         mInteriors[startCell].loadInt (startCell, mStore, mEsm);
         
         insertInteriorScripts (mInteriors[startCell]);
+
+        // global variables
+        for (ESMS::RecListT<ESM::Global>::MapType::const_iterator iter
+            (mStore.globals.list.begin()); 
+            iter != mStore.globals.list.end(); ++iter)
+            mGlobalVariables.insert (std::make_pair (iter->first, iter->second.value));
         
         std::cout << "\nSetting up cell rendering\n";
 
@@ -123,4 +129,14 @@ namespace MWWorld
         // Cell change not implemented yet.
         return false;
     }
+    
+    Interpreter::Type_Data& World::getGlobalVariable (const std::string& name)
+    {
+        std::map<std::string, Interpreter::Type_Data>::iterator iter = mGlobalVariables.find (name);
+        
+        if (iter==mGlobalVariables.end())
+            throw std::runtime_error ("unknown global variable: " + name);
+            
+        return iter->second;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.hpp
index ce18e9368e..98f22963ab 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/world.hpp
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
 #include <components/esm_store/cell_store.hpp>
 
+#include <components/interpreter/types.hpp>
+
 #include "../mwrender/playerpos.hpp"
 #include "../mwrender/mwscene.hpp"
 
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ namespace MWWorld
             ESMS::ESMStore mStore;
             std::map<std::string, CellStore> mInteriors;
             ScriptList mLocalScripts;
+            std::map<std::string, Interpreter::Type_Data> mGlobalVariables;
     
             // not implemented
             World (const World&);
@@ -72,6 +75,8 @@ namespace MWWorld
             
             bool hasCellChanged() const;
             ///< Has the player moved to a different cell, since the last frame?
+            
+            Interpreter::Type_Data& getGlobalVariable (const std::string& name);
     };
 }