diff --git a/hrp/session.go b/hrp/session.go
index e11a2958..b752ccea 100644
--- a/hrp/session.go
+++ b/hrp/session.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ func (r *SessionRunner) Start(givenVars map[string]interface{}) error {
 
 	// run step in sequential order
 	for _, step := range r.testCase.TestSteps {
+		// TODO: parse step
 		// parse step name
 		parsedName, err := r.parser.ParseString(step.Name(), r.sessionVariables)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -66,6 +67,12 @@ func (r *SessionRunner) Start(givenVars map[string]interface{}) error {
 		log.Info().Str("step", stepName).
 			Str("type", string(step.Type())).Msg("run step start")
 
+		// merge step variables with session variables
+		step.Struct().Variables, err = r.mergeStepVariables(step.Struct().Variables)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "merge step variables with session variables failed")
+		}
+
 		// run step
 		stepResult, err := step.Run(r)
 		stepResult.Name = stepName
@@ -120,8 +127,8 @@ func (r *SessionRunner) Start(givenVars map[string]interface{}) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// MergeStepVariables merges step variables with config variables and session variables
-func (r *SessionRunner) MergeStepVariables(vars map[string]interface{}) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
+// mergeStepVariables merges step variables with config variables and session variables
+func (r *SessionRunner) mergeStepVariables(vars map[string]interface{}) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
 	// override variables
 	// step variables > session variables (extracted variables from previous steps)
 	overrideVars := mergeVariables(vars, r.sessionVariables)
diff --git a/hrp/step_mobile_ui.go b/hrp/step_mobile_ui.go
index 585d5fa2..cb44af82 100644
--- a/hrp/step_mobile_ui.go
+++ b/hrp/step_mobile_ui.go
@@ -554,12 +554,7 @@ func runStepMobileUI(s *SessionRunner, step *TStep) (stepResult *StepResult, err
 		ContentSize: 0,
 	}
 	screenshots := make([]string, 0)
-
-	// override step variables
-	stepVariables, err := s.MergeStepVariables(step.Variables)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
+	stepVariables := step.Variables
 
 	var osType string
 	var mobileStep *MobileStep
diff --git a/hrp/step_request.go b/hrp/step_request.go
index 7aed3f13..b86ddabd 100644
--- a/hrp/step_request.go
+++ b/hrp/step_request.go
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@ func runStepRequest(r *SessionRunner, step *TStep) (stepResult *StepResult, err
 		Success:     false,
 		ContentSize: 0,
 	}
+	stepVariables := step.Variables
 
 	defer func() {
 		// update testcase summary
@@ -299,12 +300,6 @@ func runStepRequest(r *SessionRunner, step *TStep) (stepResult *StepResult, err
 		}
 	}()
 
-	// override step variables
-	stepVariables, err := r.MergeStepVariables(step.Variables)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-
 	err = prepareUpload(r.parser, step, stepVariables)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
diff --git a/hrp/step_testcase.go b/hrp/step_testcase.go
index e0c7a346..a581a289 100644
--- a/hrp/step_testcase.go
+++ b/hrp/step_testcase.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ func (s *StepTestCaseWithOptionalArgs) Run(r *SessionRunner) (stepResult *StepRe
 		StepType: stepTypeTestCase,
 		Success:  false,
 	}
+	stepVariables := s.step.Variables
 
 	defer func() {
 		// update testcase summary
@@ -59,11 +60,6 @@ func (s *StepTestCaseWithOptionalArgs) Run(r *SessionRunner) (stepResult *StepRe
 		}
 	}()
 
-	stepVariables, err := r.MergeStepVariables(s.step.Variables)
-	if err != nil {
-		return stepResult, err
-	}
-
 	stepTestCase := s.step.TestCase.(*TestCase)
 
 	// copy testcase to avoid data racing
diff --git a/hrp/step_websocket.go b/hrp/step_websocket.go
index c953a1ce..0beb2147 100644
--- a/hrp/step_websocket.go
+++ b/hrp/step_websocket.go
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ func runStepWebSocket(r *SessionRunner, step *TStep) (stepResult *StepResult, er
 		Success:     false,
 		ContentSize: 0,
 	}
+	stepVariables := step.Variables
 
 	defer func() {
 		// update testcase summary
@@ -262,12 +263,6 @@ func runStepWebSocket(r *SessionRunner, step *TStep) (stepResult *StepResult, er
 		}
 	}()
 
-	// override step variables
-	stepVariables, err := r.MergeStepVariables(step.Variables)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-
 	sessionData := newSessionData()
 	parser := r.parser
 	config := r.parsedConfig