diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
index 3f0406f8a8..94ea488322 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
@@ -711,9 +711,11 @@ fn trim_expand_and_apply_arg(
     // if arg is quoted, like "aa", 'aa', `aa`, or:
     // if arg is a variable or String interpolation, like: $variable_name, $"($variable_name)"
     // `as_a_whole` will be true, so nu won't remove the inner quotes.
-    let (trimmed_args, run_glob_expansion, mut keep_raw) = trim_enclosing_quotes(&arg.item);
+    let (trimmed_args, mut run_glob_expansion, mut keep_raw) = trim_enclosing_quotes(&arg.item);
     if *arg_keep_raw {
         keep_raw = true;
+        // it's a list or a variable, don't run glob expansion either
+        run_glob_expansion = false;
     }
     let mut arg = Spanned {
         item: if keep_raw {
diff --git a/tests/shell/pipeline/commands/external.rs b/tests/shell/pipeline/commands/external.rs
index 103766e52f..54e1dd639b 100644
--- a/tests/shell/pipeline/commands/external.rs
+++ b/tests/shell/pipeline/commands/external.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::EmptyFile;
 use nu_test_support::nu;
+use nu_test_support::playground::Playground;
 use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "which-support")]
@@ -166,6 +168,35 @@ fn err_pipe_with_failed_external_works() {
     assert_eq!(actual.out, "4");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn dont_run_glob_if_pass_variable_to_external() {
+    Playground::setup("dont_run_glob", |dirs, sandbox| {
+        sandbox.with_files(vec![
+            EmptyFile("jt_likes_cake.txt"),
+            EmptyFile("andres_likes_arepas.txt"),
+        ]);
+
+        let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), r#"let f = "*.txt"; nu --testbin nonu $f"#);
+
+        assert_eq!(actual.out, "*.txt");
+    })
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn run_glob_if_pass_variable_to_external() {
+    Playground::setup("run_glob_on_external", |dirs, sandbox| {
+        sandbox.with_files(vec![
+            EmptyFile("jt_likes_cake.txt"),
+            EmptyFile("andres_likes_arepas.txt"),
+        ]);
+
+        let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), r#"let f = "*.txt"; nu --testbin nonu ...(glob $f)"#);
+
+        assert!(actual.out.contains("jt_likes_cake.txt"));
+        assert!(actual.out.contains("andres_likes_arepas.txt"));
+    })
+}
+
 mod it_evaluation {
     use super::nu;
     use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::{EmptyFile, FileWithContent, FileWithContentToBeTrimmed};