diff --git a/core/field_variable.js b/core/field_variable.js
index b0b13b7f3..1b41909f1 100644
--- a/core/field_variable.js
+++ b/core/field_variable.js
@@ -110,6 +110,21 @@ Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.setValue = function(newValue) {
     Blockly.Events.fire(new Blockly.Events.Change(
         this.sourceBlock_, 'field', this.name, this.value_, newValue));
   }
+  if (this.sourceBlock_) {
+    var variable = this.sourceBlock_.workspace.getVariableById(newValue);
+    if (variable) {
+      this.setText(variable.name);
+      this.value_ = newValue;
+      return;
+    }
+    // TODO(marisaleung): Remove name lookup after converting all Field Variable
+    //     instances to use id instead of name.
+    else if (variable = this.sourceBlock_.workspace.getVariable(newValue)) {
+      this.setText(newValue);
+      this.value_ = variable.getId();
+      return;
+    }
+  }
   this.value_ = newValue;
   this.setText(newValue);
 };
diff --git a/tests/jsunit/field_variable_test.js b/tests/jsunit/field_variable_test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..318cf43bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/jsunit/field_variable_test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Visual Blocks Editor
+ *
+ * Copyright 2017 Google Inc.
+ * https://developers.google.com/blockly/
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+ /**
+ * @fileoverview Tests for Blockly.Field
+ * @author marisaleung@google.com (Marisa Leung)
+ */
+'use strict';
+
+goog.require('goog.testing');
+
+var workspace;
+var saved_msg = Blockly.Msg.DELETE_VARIABLE;
+
+function fieldVariable_setUp() {
+  Blockly.Msg.DELETE_VARIABLE = 'Delete the "%1" variable';
+  workspace = new Blockly.Workspace();
+}
+
+function fieldVariable_tearDown() {
+  workspace.dispose();
+  Blockly.Msg.DELETE_VARIABLE = saved_msg;
+}
+
+function fieldVariable_mockBlock() {
+  return {'workspace': workspace, 'isShadow': function(){return false;}};
+}
+
+function test_fieldVariable_Constructor() {
+  fieldVariable_setUp();
+  var fieldVariable = new Blockly.FieldVariable('name1');
+  assertEquals('name1', fieldVariable.getText());
+  fieldVariable_tearDown();
+}
+
+function test_fieldVariable_setValueMatchId() {
+  // Expect the fieldVariable value to be set to variable name
+  fieldVariable_setUp();
+  workspace.createVariable('name2', null, 'id1');
+  var fieldVariable = new Blockly.FieldVariable('name1');
+  var mockBlock = fieldVariable_mockBlock();
+  fieldVariable.setSourceBlock(mockBlock);
+  fieldVariable.setValue('id1');
+  assertEquals('name2', fieldVariable.getText());
+  assertEquals('id1', fieldVariable.value_);
+  fieldVariable_tearDown();
+}
+
+function test_fieldVariable_setValueMatchName() {
+  // Expect the fieldVariable value to be set to variable name
+  fieldVariable_setUp();
+  workspace.createVariable('name2', null, 'id2');
+  var fieldVariable = new Blockly.FieldVariable('name1');
+  var mockBlock = fieldVariable_mockBlock();
+  fieldVariable.setSourceBlock(mockBlock);
+  fieldVariable.setValue('name2');
+  assertEquals('name2', fieldVariable.getText());
+  assertEquals('id2', fieldVariable.value_);
+  fieldVariable_tearDown();
+}
+
+function test_fieldVariable_setValueNoVariable() {
+  // Expect the fieldVariable value to be set to the passed in string. No error
+  // should be thrown.
+  fieldVariable_setUp();
+  var fieldVariable = new Blockly.FieldVariable('name1');
+  var mockBlock = {'workspace': workspace,
+    'isShadow': function(){return false;}};
+  fieldVariable.setSourceBlock(mockBlock);
+  fieldVariable.setValue('id1');
+  assertEquals('id1', fieldVariable.getText());
+  assertEquals('id1', fieldVariable.value_);
+  fieldVariable_tearDown();
+}
diff --git a/tests/jsunit/index.html b/tests/jsunit/index.html
index c4a60b7d8..2b3512751 100644
--- a/tests/jsunit/index.html
+++ b/tests/jsunit/index.html
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     <script src="field_test.js"></script>
     <script src="field_angle_test.js"></script>
     <script src="field_number_test.js"></script>
+    <script src="field_variable_test.js"></script>
     <script src="generator_test.js"></script>
     <script src="input_test.js"></script>
     <script src="names_test.js"></script>