diff --git a/src/ast/compiler/macros.rs b/src/ast/compiler/macros.rs
index b4f0908..13ef96f 100644
--- a/src/ast/compiler/macros.rs
+++ b/src/ast/compiler/macros.rs
@@ -398,10 +398,21 @@ impl<E: MacroEvaluator> MacroExpander<E> {
 
             SyntaxKind::Placeholder(inner) => {
                 // Break out of template for substitution/evaluation
-                if let SyntaxKind::Identifier { symbol: ref sym, .. } = inner.kind
-                    && let Some(arg) = state.bindings.get(&sym.name)
-                {
-                    return Ok(arg.clone());
+                if let SyntaxKind::Identifier { symbol: ref sym, .. } = inner.kind {
+                    if let Some(arg) = state.bindings.get(&sym.name) {
+                        return Ok(arg.clone());
+                    }
+                    // Non-parameter identifier: return bare symbol without hygiene context.
+                    // This is the explicit unhygienic escape — ~x reaches into the call site.
+                    return Ok(SyntaxNode {
+                        comments: node.comments.clone(),
+                        identity: node.identity,
+                        kind: SyntaxKind::Identifier {
+                            symbol: sym.clone(),
+                            binding: (),
+                        },
+                        ty: (),
+                    });
                 }
                 let val = self.evaluator.evaluate(&inner, state.bindings)?;
                 Ok(self.value_to_node(val, node.identity))
@@ -831,4 +842,56 @@ mod tests {
             result.err()
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_macro_tilde_nonparam_assign() {
+        // ~x where x is not a parameter should produce a bare identifier,
+        // allowing it to resolve against the call-site variable.
+        let source = "
+            (do
+                (def x 0)
+                (macro inc-x [] `(assign ~x (+ ~x 1)))
+                (inc-x)
+                x)
+        ";
+        let mut parser = Parser::new(source);
+        let syntax = parser.parse_expression();
+
+        let mut expander = MacroExpander::new(MacroRegistry::new(), SimpleEvaluator);
+        let expanded = expander.expand(syntax).unwrap();
+
+        let mut diag = Diagnostics::new();
+        let result = Binder::bind_root(vec![], 0, 0, &expanded, &mut diag);
+        assert!(
+            result.is_ok(),
+            "~nonparam should resolve to call-site variable: {:?}",
+            result.err()
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_macro_hygiene_def_still_isolated() {
+        // A plain template `def` (without ~) still creates a hygienically
+        // isolated binding, so the call-site variable is unchanged.
+        let source = "
+            (do
+                (def x 99)
+                (macro reset [] `(def x 0))
+                (reset)
+                x)
+        ";
+        let mut parser = Parser::new(source);
+        let syntax = parser.parse_expression();
+
+        let mut expander = MacroExpander::new(MacroRegistry::new(), SimpleEvaluator);
+        let expanded = expander.expand(syntax).unwrap();
+
+        let mut diag = Diagnostics::new();
+        let result = Binder::bind_root(vec![], 0, 0, &expanded, &mut diag);
+        assert!(
+            result.is_ok(),
+            "Hygiene isolation for def should still hold: {:?}",
+            result.err()
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/macros.rs b/tests/macros.rs
index a808ba4..17f9a48 100644
--- a/tests/macros.rs
+++ b/tests/macros.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,69 @@
 use myc::ast::environment::Environment;
 
+// --- Tests for ~ident (non-parameter unhygienic escape) ---
+
+#[test]
+fn test_tilde_nonparam_assign_single() {
+    // ~x where x is not a parameter reaches the call-site variable.
+    let env = Environment::new();
+    let res = env
+        .run_script("(do (def x 0) (macro inc-x [] `(assign ~x (+ ~x 1))) (inc-x) x)")
+        .expect("should increment x");
+    assert_eq!(format!("{}", res), "1");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_tilde_nonparam_assign_multiple_expansions() {
+    // Multiple expansions of the same macro do not interfere with each other.
+    let env = Environment::new();
+    let res = env
+        .run_script(
+            "(do (def x 0) (macro inc-x [] `(assign ~x (+ ~x 1))) (inc-x) (inc-x) (inc-x) x)",
+        )
+        .expect("should increment x three times");
+    assert_eq!(format!("{}", res), "3");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_tilde_nonparam_def_creates_visible_binding() {
+    // ~y as a def pattern creates a visible binding at the call site.
+    let env = Environment::new();
+    let res = env
+        .run_script("(do (macro def-y [] `(def ~y 42)) (def-y) y)")
+        .expect("should create visible y");
+    assert_eq!(format!("{}", res), "42");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_tilde_nonparam_upvalue_capture() {
+    // ~x inside a lambda captures the call-site variable as an upvalue.
+    let env = Environment::new();
+    let res = env
+        .run_script("(do (def x 10) (macro make-adder [] `(fn [n] (+ n ~x))) (def add-x (make-adder)) (add-x 5))")
+        .expect("should capture x as upvalue");
+    assert_eq!(format!("{}", res), "15");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_tilde_nonparam_plain_def_stays_isolated() {
+    // A plain template `(def x ...)` (without ~) remains hygienically isolated
+    // even when ~x is used in the same template for references.
+    let env = Environment::new();
+    let res = env
+        .run_script("(do (def x 1) (macro double-x [] `(do (def x (* ~x 2)) ~x)) (double-x))")
+        .expect("should return call-site x, not macro-internal x");
+    // ~x reads the call-site x=1; the plain `def x` creates an isolated x[ctx]=2.
+    assert_eq!(format!("{}", res), "1");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_tilde_nonparam_missing_variable_is_error() {
+    // ~x where x does not exist at the call site produces a compile error.
+    let env = Environment::new();
+    let res = env.run_script("(do (macro inc-x [] `(assign ~x (+ ~x 1))) (inc-x))");
+    assert!(res.is_err(), "should fail: x is not defined at call site");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_macro_inlining_identity_collision() {
     let source = r#"