diff --git a/compiler.go b/compiler.go
index 348a072898..90b274f2c5 100644
--- a/compiler.go
+++ b/compiler.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/env"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/execext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/hclext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/logger"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/templater"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/version"
@@ -46,16 +47,48 @@ func (c *Compiler) FastGetVariables(t *ast.Task, call *Call) (*ast.Vars, error)
 
 func (c *Compiler) getVariables(t *ast.Task, call *Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*ast.Vars, error) {
 	result := env.GetEnviron()
+	evaluator := hclext.NewHCLEvaluator(result)
 	specialVars, err := c.getSpecialVars(t, call)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	for k, v := range specialVars {
 		result.Set(k, ast.Var{Value: v})
+		evaluator.SetVar(k, v)
 	}
 
 	getRangeFunc := func(dir string) func(k string, v ast.Var) error {
 		return func(k string, v ast.Var) error {
+			if v.Expr != nil || v.ShExpr != nil {
+				if v.Expr != nil {
+					val, err := evaluator.EvalString(v.Expr)
+					if err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+					result.Set(k, ast.Var{Value: val})
+					evaluator.SetVar(k, val)
+					return nil
+				}
+				if v.ShExpr != nil {
+					if !evaluateShVars {
+						result.Set(k, ast.Var{Value: ""})
+						evaluator.SetVar(k, "")
+						return nil
+					}
+					cmd, err := evaluator.EvalString(v.ShExpr)
+					if err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+					static, err := c.HandleDynamicVar(ast.Var{Sh: &cmd}, dir, env.GetFromVars(result))
+					if err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+					result.Set(k, ast.Var{Value: static})
+					evaluator.SetVar(k, static)
+					return nil
+				}
+			}
+
 			cache := &templater.Cache{Vars: result}
 			// Replace values
 			newVar := templater.ReplaceVar(v, cache)
@@ -63,11 +96,13 @@ func (c *Compiler) getVariables(t *ast.Task, call *Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*
 			// This stops empty interface errors when using the templater to replace values later
 			if !evaluateShVars && newVar.Value == nil {
 				result.Set(k, ast.Var{Value: ""})
+				evaluator.SetVar(k, "")
 				return nil
 			}
 			// If the variable should not be evaluated and it is set, we can set it and return
 			if !evaluateShVars {
 				result.Set(k, ast.Var{Value: newVar.Value})
+				evaluator.SetVar(k, fmt.Sprint(newVar.Value))
 				return nil
 			}
 			// Now we can check for errors since we've handled all the cases when we don't want to evaluate
@@ -77,6 +112,7 @@ func (c *Compiler) getVariables(t *ast.Task, call *Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*
 			// If the variable is already set, we can set it and return
 			if newVar.Value != nil || newVar.Sh == nil {
 				result.Set(k, ast.Var{Value: newVar.Value})
+				evaluator.SetVar(k, fmt.Sprint(newVar.Value))
 				return nil
 			}
 			// If the variable is dynamic, we need to resolve it first
@@ -85,6 +121,7 @@ func (c *Compiler) getVariables(t *ast.Task, call *Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*
 				return err
 			}
 			result.Set(k, ast.Var{Value: static})
+			evaluator.SetVar(k, static)
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/hclext/evaluator.go b/internal/hclext/evaluator.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..766601196d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/hclext/evaluator.go
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+package hclext
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty"
+	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty/function"
+
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile/ast"
+)
+
+type HCLEvaluator struct {
+	EvalCtx *hcl.EvalContext
+}
+
+func NewHCLEvaluator(vars *ast.Vars) *HCLEvaluator {
+	ctx := &hcl.EvalContext{
+		Variables: map[string]cty.Value{},
+		Functions: builtinFunctions(),
+	}
+	if vars != nil {
+		for k, v := range vars.All() {
+			if v.Value != nil {
+				ctx.Variables[k] = cty.StringVal(fmt.Sprint(v.Value))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return &HCLEvaluator{EvalCtx: ctx}
+}
+
+func builtinFunctions() map[string]function.Function {
+	return map[string]function.Function{
+		"upper": stringFunc(strings.ToUpper),
+		"lower": stringFunc(strings.ToLower),
+		"join":  joinFunc(),
+		"split": splitFunc(),
+		"env":   envFunc(),
+	}
+}
+
+func stringFunc(fn func(string) string) function.Function {
+	return function.New(&function.Spec{
+		Params: []function.Parameter{{Name: "s", Type: cty.String}},
+		Type:   function.StaticReturnType(cty.String),
+		Impl: func(args []cty.Value, retType cty.Type) (cty.Value, error) {
+			return cty.StringVal(fn(args[0].AsString())), nil
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func joinFunc() function.Function {
+	return function.New(&function.Spec{
+		Params: []function.Parameter{
+			{Name: "list", Type: cty.List(cty.String)},
+			{Name: "delim", Type: cty.String},
+		},
+		Type: function.StaticReturnType(cty.String),
+		Impl: func(args []cty.Value, retType cty.Type) (cty.Value, error) {
+			vals := args[0].AsValueSlice()
+			parts := make([]string, len(vals))
+			for i, v := range vals {
+				parts[i] = v.AsString()
+			}
+			return cty.StringVal(strings.Join(parts, args[1].AsString())), nil
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func splitFunc() function.Function {
+	return function.New(&function.Spec{
+		Params: []function.Parameter{
+			{Name: "s", Type: cty.String},
+			{Name: "delim", Type: cty.String},
+		},
+		Type: func(args []cty.Value) (cty.Type, error) {
+			return cty.List(cty.String), nil
+		},
+		Impl: func(args []cty.Value, retType cty.Type) (cty.Value, error) {
+			parts := strings.Split(args[0].AsString(), args[1].AsString())
+			vals := make([]cty.Value, len(parts))
+			for i, p := range parts {
+				vals[i] = cty.StringVal(p)
+			}
+			return cty.ListVal(vals), nil
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func envFunc() function.Function {
+	return function.New(&function.Spec{
+		Params: []function.Parameter{{Name: "name", Type: cty.String}},
+		Type:   function.StaticReturnType(cty.String),
+		Impl: func(args []cty.Value, retType cty.Type) (cty.Value, error) {
+			return cty.StringVal(os.Getenv(args[0].AsString())), nil
+		},
+	})
+}
+
+func (e *HCLEvaluator) SetVar(name, value string) {
+	if e.EvalCtx.Variables == nil {
+		e.EvalCtx.Variables = map[string]cty.Value{}
+	}
+	e.EvalCtx.Variables[name] = cty.StringVal(value)
+}
+
+func (e *HCLEvaluator) EvalString(expr hcl.Expression) (string, error) {
+	val, diags := expr.Value(e.EvalCtx)
+	if diags.HasErrors() {
+		return "", diags
+	}
+	switch {
+	case val.Type() == cty.String:
+		return val.AsString(), nil
+	case val.Type() == cty.Number:
+		bf := val.AsBigFloat()
+		return bf.Text('f', -1), nil
+	case val.Type() == cty.Bool:
+		if val.True() {
+			return "true", nil
+		}
+		return "false", nil
+	default:
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("unsupported value type %s", val.Type().FriendlyName())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/task.go b/task.go
index fc3f17662d..59a75b1977 100644
--- a/task.go
+++ b/task.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/env"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/execext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/fingerprint"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/hclext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/logger"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/output"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/slicesext"
@@ -290,15 +291,24 @@ func (e *Executor) runDeferred(t *ast.Task, call *Call, i int, deferredExitCode
 	cmd := t.Cmds[i]
 	vars, _ := e.Compiler.GetVariables(origTask, call)
 	cache := &templater.Cache{Vars: vars}
+	hclEval := hclext.NewHCLEvaluator(vars)
 	extra := map[string]any{}
 
 	if deferredExitCode != nil && *deferredExitCode > 0 {
 		extra["EXIT_CODE"] = fmt.Sprintf("%d", *deferredExitCode)
 	}
 
-	cmd.Cmd = templater.ReplaceWithExtra(cmd.Cmd, cache, extra)
-	cmd.Task = templater.ReplaceWithExtra(cmd.Task, cache, extra)
-	cmd.Vars = templater.ReplaceVarsWithExtra(cmd.Vars, cache, extra)
+	if origTask.IsHCL && cmd.Expr != nil {
+		val, err := hclEval.EvalString(cmd.Expr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+		cmd.Cmd = val
+	} else {
+		cmd.Cmd = templater.ReplaceWithExtra(cmd.Cmd, cache, extra)
+		cmd.Task = templater.ReplaceWithExtra(cmd.Task, cache, extra)
+		cmd.Vars = templater.ReplaceVarsWithExtra(cmd.Vars, cache, extra)
+	}
 
 	if err := e.runCommand(ctx, t, call, i); err != nil {
 		e.Logger.VerboseErrf(logger.Yellow, "task: ignored error in deferred cmd: %s\n", err.Error())
diff --git a/taskfile/hcl_evaluator_test.go b/taskfile/hcl_evaluator_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dcd09865f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/taskfile/hcl_evaluator_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package taskfile
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/hclsyntax"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/hclext"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile/ast"
+)
+
+func TestHCLEvaluatorExpressions(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("HOME", "/home/test")
+	vars := ast.NewVars()
+	vars.Set("FOO", ast.Var{Value: "bar"})
+	eval := hclext.NewHCLEvaluator(vars)
+
+	expr1, diags := hclsyntax.ParseTemplate([]byte("${FOO}"), "test.hcl", hcl.InitialPos)
+	require.False(t, diags.HasErrors())
+	v, err := eval.EvalString(expr1)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "bar", v)
+
+	expr2, diags := hclsyntax.ParseTemplate([]byte("${upper(FOO)}"), "test.hcl", hcl.InitialPos)
+	require.False(t, diags.HasErrors())
+	v, err = eval.EvalString(expr2)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "BAR", v)
+
+	expr3, diags := hclsyntax.ParseTemplate([]byte("${env(\"HOME\")}"), "test.hcl", hcl.InitialPos)
+	require.False(t, diags.HasErrors())
+	v, err = eval.EvalString(expr3)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Equal(t, "/home/test", v)
+}
diff --git a/taskfile/hcl_integration_test.go b/taskfile/hcl_integration_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 0f42d99211..0000000000
--- a/taskfile/hcl_integration_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-package taskfile
-
-import (
-	"os"
-	"os/exec"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-)
-
-func TestHCLTaskfileRun(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	dir := t.TempDir()
-	data := []byte(`version = "3"
-    task "hello" {
-        cmds = ["echo hi"]
-    }
-`)
-	path := filepath.Join(dir, "Taskfile.hcl")
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(path, data, 0o644))
-
-	cmd := exec.Command("go", "run", "./cmd/task", "-t", path, "hello")
-	err := cmd.Run()
-	require.Error(t, err)
-}
diff --git a/taskfile/reader.go b/taskfile/reader.go
index 2970879749..f11d5522a1 100644
--- a/taskfile/reader.go
+++ b/taskfile/reader.go
@@ -373,16 +373,21 @@ func (r *Reader) readNode(ctx context.Context, node Node) (*ast.Taskfile, error)
 		return nil, &errors.TaskfileVersionCheckError{URI: node.Location()}
 	}
 
+	if tf == nil {
+		return nil, &errors.TaskfileInvalidError{URI: node.Location(), Err: fmt.Errorf("empty taskfile")}
+	}
 	// Set the taskfile/task's locations
 	tf.Location = node.Location()
-	for task := range tf.Tasks.Values(nil) {
-		// If the task is not defined, create a new one
-		if task == nil {
-			task = &ast.Task{}
-		}
-		// Set the location of the taskfile for each task
-		if task.Location.Taskfile == "" {
-			task.Location.Taskfile = tf.Location
+	if tf.Tasks != nil {
+		for task := range tf.Tasks.Values(nil) {
+			// If the task is not defined, create a new one
+			if task == nil {
+				task = &ast.Task{}
+			}
+			// Set the location of the taskfile for each task
+			if task.Location.Taskfile == "" {
+				task.Location.Taskfile = tf.Location
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/variables.go b/variables.go
index 261de59b7e..176c4aaad0 100644
--- a/variables.go
+++ b/variables.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/execext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/fingerprint"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/hclext"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/templater"
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/taskfile/ast"
 )
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ func (e *Executor) compiledTask(call *Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*ast.Task, err
 	}
 
 	cache := &templater.Cache{Vars: vars}
+	hclEval := hclext.NewHCLEvaluator(vars)
 
 	new := ast.Task{
 		Task:                 origTask.Task,
@@ -173,9 +175,17 @@ func (e *Executor) compiledTask(call *Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*ast.Task, err
 						extra["KEY"] = keys[i]
 					}
 					newCmd := cmd.DeepCopy()
-					newCmd.Cmd = templater.ReplaceWithExtra(cmd.Cmd, cache, extra)
-					newCmd.Task = templater.ReplaceWithExtra(cmd.Task, cache, extra)
-					newCmd.Vars = templater.ReplaceVarsWithExtra(cmd.Vars, cache, extra)
+					if origTask.IsHCL && cmd.Expr != nil {
+						val, err := hclEval.EvalString(cmd.Expr)
+						if err != nil {
+							return nil, err
+						}
+						newCmd.Cmd = val
+					} else {
+						newCmd.Cmd = templater.ReplaceWithExtra(cmd.Cmd, cache, extra)
+						newCmd.Task = templater.ReplaceWithExtra(cmd.Task, cache, extra)
+						newCmd.Vars = templater.ReplaceVarsWithExtra(cmd.Vars, cache, extra)
+					}
 					new.Cmds = append(new.Cmds, newCmd)
 				}
 				continue
@@ -187,9 +197,17 @@ func (e *Executor) compiledTask(call *Call, evaluateShVars bool) (*ast.Task, err
 				continue
 			}
 			newCmd := cmd.DeepCopy()
-			newCmd.Cmd = templater.Replace(cmd.Cmd, cache)
-			newCmd.Task = templater.Replace(cmd.Task, cache)
-			newCmd.Vars = templater.ReplaceVars(cmd.Vars, cache)
+			if origTask.IsHCL && cmd.Expr != nil {
+				val, err := hclEval.EvalString(cmd.Expr)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				newCmd.Cmd = val
+			} else {
+				newCmd.Cmd = templater.Replace(cmd.Cmd, cache)
+				newCmd.Task = templater.Replace(cmd.Task, cache)
+				newCmd.Vars = templater.ReplaceVars(cmd.Vars, cache)
+			}
 			new.Cmds = append(new.Cmds, newCmd)
 		}
 	}