diff --git a/template.go b/template.go
index d0fadb8..76ce7df 100644
--- a/template.go
+++ b/template.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ func truthy(val interface{}) bool {
 }
 
 // Templater for custom emails.
+// Slices "variables", "conditionals", and map "values" should NOT wrap names in { and }.
 // Variables should be written as {varName}.
 // If statements should be written as {if (!)varName}...{endif}.
 // Strings are true if != "", ints are true if != 0.
@@ -95,8 +96,7 @@ func templateEmail(content string, variables []string, conditionals []string, va
 					positive = false
 					varName = varName[1:]
 				}
-				wrappedVarName := "{" + varName + "}"
-				validVar := slices.Contains(conditionals, wrappedVarName)
+				validVar := slices.Contains(conditionals, varName)
 				if validVar {
 					ifTrue = positive == truthy(values[varName])
 				} else {
@@ -123,10 +123,9 @@ func templateEmail(content string, variables []string, conditionals []string, va
 			if ifStart != -1 {
 				continue
 			}
-			wrappedVarName := "{" + varName + "}"
-			validVar := slices.Contains(variables, wrappedVarName)
+			validVar := slices.Contains(variables, varName)
 			if !validVar {
-				out += wrappedVarName
+				out += "{" + varName + "}"
 				continue
 			}
 			out += fmt.Sprint(values[varName])
diff --git a/template_test.go b/template_test.go
index 465bc2b..b6bf1d0 100644
--- a/template_test.go
+++ b/template_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func TestBlankTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 func testConditional(isTrue bool, t *testing.T) {
 	in := `Success, {username}! Your account has been created. {if myCondition}Log in at {myAccountURL} with username {username} to get started.{endif}`
 
-	vars := []string{"{username}", "{myAccountURL}", "{myCondition}"}
+	vars := []string{"username", "myAccountURL", "myCondition"}
 	conds := vars
 	vals := map[string]any{
 		"username":     "TemplateUsername",
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func TestConditionalFalse(t *testing.T) {
 func TestTemplateDoubleBraceGracefulHandling(t *testing.T) {
 	in := `Success, {{username}}! Your account has been created. Log in at {myAccountURL} with username {username} to get started.`
 
-	vars := []string{"{username}", "{myAccountURL}"}
+	vars := []string{"username", "myAccountURL"}
 	vals := map[string]any{
 		"username":     "TemplateUsername",
 		"myAccountURL": "TemplateURL",
@@ -87,16 +87,16 @@ func TestTemplateDoubleBraceGracefulHandling(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestVarAtAnyPosition(t *testing.T) {
 	in := `Success, user! Your account has been created. Log in at myAccountURL with your username to get started.`
-	vars := []string{"{username}", "{myAccountURL}"}
+	vars := []string{"username", "myAccountURL"}
 	vals := map[string]any{
 		"username":     "TemplateUsername",
 		"myAccountURL": "TemplateURL",
 	}
 
 	for i := range in {
-		newIn := in[0:i] + vars[0] + in[i:]
+		newIn := in[0:i] + "{" + vars[0] + "}" + in[i:]
 
-		target := strings.ReplaceAll(newIn, vars[0], vals["username"].(string))
+		target := strings.ReplaceAll(newIn, "{"+vars[0]+"}", vals["username"].(string))
 
 		out, err := templateEmail(newIn, vars, []string{}, vals)
 
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func TestVarAtAnyPosition(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		if out != target {
-			t.Fatalf(`returned string doesn't match desired output: "%+v" != "%+v"`, out, target)
+			t.Fatalf(`returned string doesn't match desired output: "%+v" != "%+v, from "%+v""`, out, target, newIn)
 		}
 	}
 }