diff --git a/app/routers/recipes.py b/app/routers/recipes.py
index 38d1eff..c5924d5 100644
--- a/app/routers/recipes.py
+++ b/app/routers/recipes.py
@@ -370,14 +370,43 @@ async def run_recipe(
                 nodes = nodes_dict
                 dag_copy["nodes"] = nodes
 
+            # Build lookup for variable inputs: map input names to node IDs
+            # Variable inputs can be referenced by: node_id, config.name, config.input (if string)
+            input_name_to_node = {}
+            for node_id, node in nodes.items():
+                if node.get("node_type") == "SOURCE":
+                    config = node.get("config", {})
+                    # Only variable inputs (those with 'input' in config, not fixed assets)
+                    if config.get("input"):
+                        input_name_to_node[node_id] = node_id
+                        # Map by config.name (e.g., "Second Video")
+                        if config.get("name"):
+                            name = config["name"]
+                            input_name_to_node[name] = node_id
+                            # Also allow snake_case version
+                            input_name_to_node[name.lower().replace(" ", "_")] = node_id
+                            input_name_to_node[name.lower().replace(" ", "-")] = node_id
+                        # Map by node.name if available (def binding)
+                        if node.get("name"):
+                            input_name_to_node[node["name"]] = node_id
+                            input_name_to_node[node["name"].replace("-", "_")] = node_id
+
             # Map user-provided input names to content hashes (for variable inputs)
             for input_name, content_hash in req.inputs.items():
+                # Try direct node ID match first
                 if input_name in nodes:
                     node = nodes[input_name]
                     if node.get("node_type") == "SOURCE":
                         if "config" not in node:
                             node["config"] = {}
                         node["config"]["content_hash"] = content_hash
+                # Try input name lookup
+                elif input_name in input_name_to_node:
+                    node_id = input_name_to_node[input_name]
+                    node = nodes[node_id]
+                    if "config" not in node:
+                        node["config"] = {}
+                    node["config"]["content_hash"] = content_hash
 
             # Transform output to output_id
             if "output" in dag_copy: