diff --git a/src/implicit.c b/src/implicit.c
index 4abd1ce9..c65aec66 100644
--- a/src/implicit.c
+++ b/src/implicit.c
@@ -975,7 +975,11 @@ pattern_search (struct file *file, int archive,
           f->deps = imf->deps;
           f->cmds = imf->cmds;
           f->stem = imf->stem;
-          f->variables = imf->variables;
+          /* Setting target specific variables for a file causes the file to be
+           * entered to the database as a prerequisite. Implicit search then
+           * treats this file as explicitly mentioned. Preserve target specific
+           * variables of this file.  */
+          merge_variable_set_lists(&f->variables, imf->variables);
           f->pat_variables = imf->pat_variables;
           f->pat_searched = imf->pat_searched;
           f->also_make = imf->also_make;
diff --git a/tests/scripts/features/implicit_search b/tests/scripts/features/implicit_search
index 32c9a716..745423d8 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/features/implicit_search
+++ b/tests/scripts/features/implicit_search
@@ -423,5 +423,68 @@ unrelated: bye.o
 unlink('hello.f', 'hello.z', 'hello.xx', 'bye.xx');
 
 
+# A target specific variable causes the file to be entered to the database as a
+# prerequisite. Implicit search then treats this file as explicitly mentioned.
+# Test that implicit search keeps target specific variables of this file intact.
+# In this series of tests prerequisite 'hello.x' has a target specific variable
+# and is built as an intermediate. Implicit search treats 'hello.x' as
+# explicitly mentioned, but 'hello.x' does not qualify as ought-to-exist.
+unlink('hello.x', 'hello.tsk');
+
+# 'hello.x' is mentioned explicitly on the same implicit rule.
+run_make_test(q!
+all: hello.tsk
+%.tsk: hello.x; $(info $@)
+%.x:; $(flags)
+hello.x: flags:=true
+!, '', "true\nhello.tsk\n");
+
+# Similar to the one above, but this time 'hello.x' is derived from the stem.
+run_make_test(q!
+all: hello.tsk
+%.tsk: %.x; $(info $@)
+%.x:; $(flags)
+hello.x: flags:=true
+!, '', "true\nhello.tsk\n");
+
+# Similar to the one above, this time 'hello.x' is also mentioned explicitly on
+# an unrelated rule.
+run_make_test(q!
+all: hello.tsk
+%.tsk: %.x; $(info $@)
+%.x:; $(flags)
+hello.x: flags:=true
+unrelated: hello.x
+!, '', "true\nhello.tsk\n");
+
+# 'hello.x' has a pattern specific variable.
+run_make_test(q!
+all: hello.tsk
+%.tsk: %.x; $(info $@)
+%.x:; $(flags)
+%.x: flags:=true
+!, '', "true\nhello.tsk\n");
+
+# 'hello.x' has a target specific variable and a pattern specific variable.
+run_make_test(q!
+all: hello.tsk
+%.tsk: %.x; $(info $@)
+%.x:; $(flags)
+hello.x: flags+=good
+%.x: flags:=true
+!, '', "true good\nhello.tsk\n");
+
+# Intermediate prerequisite 'hello.x' has a target specific variable, a pattern
+# specfic variable, matches on both rules '%.tsk: %.x' and 'big_%.tsk: %.x'.
+run_make_test(q!
+all: hello.tsk big_hello.tsk
+%.tsk: %.x; $(info $@)
+big_%.tsk: %.x; $(info $@)
+%.x:; $(flags)
+hello.x: flags+=good
+%.x: flags:=true
+!, '', "true good\nhello.tsk\nbig_hello.tsk\n");
+
+
 # This tells the test driver that the perl test script executed properly.
 1;