diff --git a/lib/ramble/docs/workspace_config.rst b/lib/ramble/docs/workspace_config.rst
index 2e1049bde..7356c0dae 100644
--- a/lib/ramble/docs/workspace_config.rst
+++ b/lib/ramble/docs/workspace_config.rst
@@ -176,10 +176,14 @@ Supported functions are:
 * ``randint`` (from `random.randint`)
 * ``re_search(regex, str)`` (determine if ``str`` contains pattern ``regex``, based on ``re.search``)
 
-Additionally, string slicing is supported:
+String slicing is supported:
 
 * ``str[start:end:step]`` (string slicing)
 
+Dictionary references are supported:
+
+* ``dict_name["key"]`` (dictionary subscript)
+
 .. _ramble-escaped-variables:
 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/lib/ramble/ramble/test/expander.py b/lib/ramble/ramble/test/expander.py
index e1877fd82..6859f08ea 100644
--- a/lib/ramble/ramble/test/expander.py
+++ b/lib/ramble/ramble/test/expander.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ def exp_dict():
         "size": '"0000.96"',  # Escaped as a string
         "test_mask": '"0x0"',
         "max_len": 9,
+        "test_dict": {"test_key1": "test_val1", "test_key2": "test_val2"},
     }
 
 
@@ -85,6 +86,9 @@ def exp_dict():
         ('"{env_name}"[:{max_len}:1]', "spack_foo", set(), 1),
         ("not_a_slice[0]", "not_a_slice[0]", set(), 1),
         ("not_a_valid_slice[0:a]", "not_a_valid_slice[0:a]", set(), 1),
+        ("{test_dict}", "{'test_key1': 'test_val1', 'test_key2': 'test_val2'}", set(), 1),
+        ("{test_dict['test_key1']}", "test_val1", set(), 1),
+        ("{test_dict['test_key2']}", "test_val2", set(), 1),
     ],
 )
 def test_expansions(input, output, no_expand_vars, passes):