diff --git a/core/field_variable.js b/core/field_variable.js
index d02dd2a7f..8f8b54284 100644
--- a/core/field_variable.js
+++ b/core/field_variable.js
@@ -134,30 +134,36 @@ Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.setValue = function(newValue) {
  * @this {Blockly.FieldVariable}
  */
 Blockly.FieldVariable.dropdownCreate = function() {
+  var variableNameList = [];
   if (this.sourceBlock_ && this.sourceBlock_.workspace) {
     // Get a copy of the list, so that adding rename and new variable options
     // doesn't modify the workspace's list.
-    var variableList = this.sourceBlock_.workspace.getVariablesOfType('');
-  } else {
-    var variableList = [];
+
+    var variableModelList = this.sourceBlock_.workspace.getVariablesOfType('');
+    for (var i = 0; i < variableModelList.length; i++) {
+      variableNameList.push(variableModelList[i].name);
+    }
   }
   // Ensure that the currently selected variable is an option.
   var name = this.getText();
-  if (name && variableList.indexOf(name) == -1) {
-    variableList.push(name);
+  if (name && variableNameList.indexOf(name) == -1) {
+    variableNameList.push(name);
   }
-  variableList.sort(goog.string.caseInsensitiveCompare);
+  variableNameList.sort(goog.string.caseInsensitiveCompare);
 
-  this.renameVarItemIndex_ = variableList.length;
-  variableList.push(Blockly.Msg.RENAME_VARIABLE);
+  this.renameVarItemIndex_ = variableNameList.length;
+  variableNameList.push(Blockly.Msg.RENAME_VARIABLE);
 
-  this.deleteVarItemIndex_ = variableList.length;
-  variableList.push(Blockly.Msg.DELETE_VARIABLE.replace('%1', name));
+  this.deleteVarItemIndex_ = variableNameList.length;
+  variableNameList.push(Blockly.Msg.DELETE_VARIABLE.replace('%1', name));
   // Variables are not language-specific, use the name as both the user-facing
   // text and the internal representation.
   var options = [];
-  for (var i = 0; i < variableList.length; i++) {
-    options[i] = [variableList[i], variableList[i]];
+  for (var i = 0; i < variableNameList.length; i++) {
+    // TODO(marisaleung): Set options[i] to [name, uuid]. This requires
+    // changes where the variable gets set since the initialized value would be
+    // id.
+    options[i] = [variableNameList[i], variableNameList[i]];
   }
   return options;
 };
diff --git a/core/variables.js b/core/variables.js
index 361e9c795..387349a66 100644
--- a/core/variables.js
+++ b/core/variables.js
@@ -105,8 +105,12 @@ Blockly.Variables.allVariables = function(root) {
  * @return {!Array.<!Element>} Array of XML block elements.
  */
 Blockly.Variables.flyoutCategory = function(workspace) {
-  var variableList = workspace.getVariablesOfType('');
-  variableList.sort(goog.string.caseInsensitiveCompare);
+  var variableNameList = [];
+  var variableModelList = workspace.getVariablesOfType('');
+  for (var i = 0; i < variableModelList.length; i++) {
+    variableNameList.push(variableModelList[i].name);
+  }
+  variableNameList.sort(goog.string.caseInsensitiveCompare);
 
   var xmlList = [];
   var button = goog.dom.createDom('button');
@@ -119,12 +123,12 @@ Blockly.Variables.flyoutCategory = function(workspace) {
 
   xmlList.push(button);
 
-  if (variableList.length > 0) {
+  if (variableNameList.length > 0) {
     if (Blockly.Blocks['variables_set']) {
       var gap = Blockly.Blocks['math_change'] ? 8 : 24;
       var blockText = '<xml>' +
             '<block type="variables_set" gap="' + gap + '">' +
-            '<field name="VAR">' + variableList[0] + '</field>' +
+            '<field name="VAR">' + variableNameList[0] + '</field>' +
             '</block>' +
             '</xml>';
       var block = Blockly.Xml.textToDom(blockText).firstChild;
@@ -134,7 +138,7 @@ Blockly.Variables.flyoutCategory = function(workspace) {
       var gap = Blockly.Blocks['variables_get'] ? 20 : 8;
       var blockText = '<xml>' +
           '<block type="math_change" gap="' + gap + '">' +
-          '<field name="VAR">' + variableList[0] + '</field>' +
+          '<field name="VAR">' + variableNameList[0] + '</field>' +
           '<value name="DELTA">' +
           '<shadow type="math_number">' +
           '<field name="NUM">1</field>' +
@@ -146,11 +150,11 @@ Blockly.Variables.flyoutCategory = function(workspace) {
       xmlList.push(block);
     }
 
-    for (var i = 0; i < variableList.length; i++) {
+    for (var i = 0; i < variableNameList.length; i++) {
       if (Blockly.Blocks['variables_get']) {
         var blockText = '<xml>' +
             '<block type="variables_get" gap="8">' +
-            '<field name="VAR">' + variableList[i] + '</field>' +
+            '<field name="VAR">' + variableNameList[i] + '</field>' +
             '</block>' +
             '</xml>';
         var block = Blockly.Xml.textToDom(blockText).firstChild;