diff --git a/packages/taler-util/src/talerconfig.ts b/packages/taler-util/src/talerconfig.ts
index f817d9bcb..bb6eada7c 100644
--- a/packages/taler-util/src/talerconfig.ts
+++ b/packages/taler-util/src/talerconfig.ts
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ export function pathsub(
             defaultValue = undefined;
           }
 
-          const r = lookup(inner, depth + 1);
+          const r = lookup(varname, depth + 1);
           if (r !== undefined) {
             s = s.substring(0, start) + r + s.substring(p + 1);
             l = start + r.length;