diff --git a/reclass/values/value.py b/reclass/values/value.py
index f90eded..976a35e 100644
--- a/reclass/values/value.py
+++ b/reclass/values/value.py
@@ -20,83 +20,101 @@
 _REF = 'REF'
 _EXP = 'EXP'
 
+_ESCAPE = ESCAPE_CHARACTER
+_DOUBLE_ESCAPE = _ESCAPE + _ESCAPE
+
+_REF_OPEN = REFERENCE_SENTINELS[0]
+_REF_CLOSE = REFERENCE_SENTINELS[1]
+_REF_CLOSE_FIRST = _REF_CLOSE[0]
+_REF_ESCAPE_OPEN = _ESCAPE + _REF_OPEN
+_REF_ESCAPE_CLOSE = _ESCAPE + _REF_CLOSE
+_REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN = _DOUBLE_ESCAPE + _REF_OPEN
+_REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_CLOSE = _DOUBLE_ESCAPE + _REF_CLOSE
+_REF_EXCLUDES = _ESCAPE + _REF_OPEN + _REF_CLOSE
+
+_EXP_OPEN = EXPORT_SENTINELS[0]
+_EXP_CLOSE = EXPORT_SENTINELS[1]
+_EXP_CLOSE_FIRST = _EXP_CLOSE[0]
+_EXP_ESCAPE_OPEN = _ESCAPE + _EXP_OPEN
+_EXP_ESCAPE_CLOSE = _ESCAPE + _EXP_CLOSE
+_EXP_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN = _DOUBLE_ESCAPE + _EXP_OPEN
+_EXP_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_CLOSE = _DOUBLE_ESCAPE + _EXP_CLOSE
+_EXP_EXCLUDES = _ESCAPE + _EXP_OPEN + _EXP_CLOSE
+
+_EXCLUDES = _ESCAPE + _REF_OPEN + _REF_CLOSE + _EXP_OPEN + _EXP_CLOSE
+
+def _string(string, location, tokens):
+    token = tokens[0]
+    tokens[0] = (_STR, token)
+
+def _reference(string, location, tokens):
+    token = list(tokens[0])
+    tokens[0] = (_REF, token)
+
+def _export(string, location, tokens):
+    token = list(tokens[0])
+    tokens[0] = (_EXP, token)
+
+def _get_parser():
+    white_space = pp.White()
+    double_escape = pp.Combine(pp.Literal(_DOUBLE_ESCAPE) + pp.MatchFirst([pp.FollowedBy(_REF_OPEN), pp.FollowedBy(_REF_CLOSE)])).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_ESCAPE))
+
+    ref_open = pp.Literal(_REF_OPEN).suppress()
+    ref_close = pp.Literal(_REF_CLOSE).suppress()
+    ref_not_open = ~pp.Literal(_REF_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN)
+    ref_not_close = ~pp.Literal(_REF_CLOSE) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_CLOSE) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_CLOSE)
+    ref_escape_open = pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_OPEN).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_REF_OPEN))
+    ref_escape_close = pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_CLOSE).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_REF_CLOSE))
+    ref_text = pp.MatchFirst([pp.Word(pp.printables, excludeChars=_REF_EXCLUDES), pp.CharsNotIn(_REF_CLOSE_FIRST, exact=1)])
+    ref_content = pp.Combine(pp.OneOrMore(ref_not_open + ref_not_close + ref_text))
+    ref_string = pp.MatchFirst([double_escape, ref_escape_open, ref_escape_close, ref_content, white_space]).setParseAction(_string)
+    ref_item = pp.Forward()
+    ref_items = pp.OneOrMore(ref_item)
+    reference = (ref_open + pp.Group(ref_items) + ref_close).setParseAction(_reference)
+    ref_item << (reference | ref_string)
+
+    exp_open = pp.Literal(_EXP_OPEN).suppress()
+    exp_close = pp.Literal(_EXP_CLOSE).suppress()
+    exp_not_open = ~pp.Literal(_EXP_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_EXP_ESCAPE_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_EXP_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN)
+    exp_not_close = ~pp.Literal(_EXP_CLOSE) + ~pp.Literal(_EXP_ESCAPE_CLOSE) + ~pp.Literal(_EXP_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_CLOSE)
+    exp_escape_open = pp.Literal(_EXP_ESCAPE_OPEN).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_EXP_OPEN))
+    exp_escape_close = pp.Literal(_EXP_ESCAPE_CLOSE).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_EXP_CLOSE))
+    exp_text = pp.Word(pp.printables, excludeChars=_EXP_CLOSE_FIRST)
+    exp_content = pp.Combine(pp.OneOrMore(exp_not_close + exp_text))
+    exp_string = pp.MatchFirst([double_escape, exp_escape_open, exp_escape_close, exp_content, white_space]).setParseAction(_string)
+    exp_items = pp.OneOrMore(exp_string)
+    export = (exp_open + pp.Group(exp_items) + exp_close).setParseAction(_export)
+
+    text = pp.MatchFirst([pp.Word(pp.printables, excludeChars=_EXCLUDES), pp.CharsNotIn('', exact=1)])
+    content = pp.Combine(pp.OneOrMore(ref_not_open + exp_not_open + text))
+    string = pp.MatchFirst([double_escape, ref_escape_open, exp_escape_open, content, white_space]).setParseAction(_string)
+
+    item = reference | export | string
+    line = pp.OneOrMore(item) + pp.StringEnd()
+    return line
+
+def _get_simple_ref_parser():
+    white_space = pp.White()
+
+    ref_open = pp.Literal(_REF_OPEN).suppress()
+    ref_close = pp.Literal(_REF_CLOSE).suppress()
+    ref_not_open = ~pp.Literal(_REF_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN)
+    ref_text = pp.Word(pp.printables, excludeChars=_REF_CLOSE_FIRST)
+    ref_content = pp.Combine(pp.OneOrMore(ref_text | white_space)).setParseAction(_string)
+    reference = (ref_open + pp.Group(ref_content) + ref_close).setParseAction(_reference)
+
+    text = pp.MatchFirst([pp.Word(pp.printables, excludeChars=_EXCLUDES), pp.CharsNotIn('', exact=1)])
+    content = pp.OneOrMore(ref_not_open + text)
+    string = pp.Combine(pp.OneOrMore(pp.MatchFirst([content, white_space]))).setParseAction(_string)
+
+    item = reference | string
+    line = pp.OneOrMore(item) + pp.StringEnd()
+    return line
+
 class Value(object):
 
-    def _get_parser():
-
-        def _string(string, location, tokens):
-            token = tokens[0]
-            tokens[0] = (_STR, token)
-
-        def _reference(string, location, tokens):
-            token = list(tokens[0])
-            tokens[0] = (_REF, token)
-
-        def _export(string, location, tokens):
-            token = list(tokens[0])
-            tokens[0] = (_EXP, token)
-
-        _ESCAPE = ESCAPE_CHARACTER
-        _DOUBLE_ESCAPE = _ESCAPE + _ESCAPE
-
-        _REF_OPEN = REFERENCE_SENTINELS[0]
-        _REF_CLOSE = REFERENCE_SENTINELS[1]
-        _REF_CLOSE_FIRST = _REF_CLOSE[0]
-        _REF_ESCAPE_OPEN = _ESCAPE + _REF_OPEN
-        _REF_ESCAPE_CLOSE = _ESCAPE + _REF_CLOSE
-        _REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN = _DOUBLE_ESCAPE + _REF_OPEN
-        _REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_CLOSE = _DOUBLE_ESCAPE + _REF_CLOSE
-        _REF_EXCLUDES = _ESCAPE + _REF_OPEN + _REF_CLOSE
-
-        _EXP_OPEN = EXPORT_SENTINELS[0]
-        _EXP_CLOSE = EXPORT_SENTINELS[1]
-        _EXP_CLOSE_FIRST = _EXP_CLOSE[0]
-        _EXP_ESCAPE_OPEN = _ESCAPE + _EXP_OPEN
-        _EXP_ESCAPE_CLOSE = _ESCAPE + _EXP_CLOSE
-        _EXP_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN = _DOUBLE_ESCAPE + _EXP_OPEN
-        _EXP_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_CLOSE = _DOUBLE_ESCAPE + _EXP_CLOSE
-        _EXP_EXCLUDES = _ESCAPE + _EXP_OPEN + _EXP_CLOSE
-
-        _EXCLUDES = _ESCAPE + _REF_OPEN + _REF_CLOSE + _EXP_OPEN + _EXP_CLOSE
-
-        white_space = pp.White()
-        double_escape = pp.Combine(pp.Literal(_DOUBLE_ESCAPE) + pp.MatchFirst([pp.FollowedBy(_REF_OPEN), pp.FollowedBy(_REF_CLOSE)])).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_ESCAPE))
-
-        ref_open = pp.Literal(_REF_OPEN).suppress()
-        ref_close = pp.Literal(_REF_CLOSE).suppress()
-        ref_not_open = ~pp.Literal(_REF_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN)
-        ref_not_close = ~pp.Literal(_REF_CLOSE) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_CLOSE) + ~pp.Literal(_REF_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_CLOSE)
-        ref_escape_open = pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_OPEN).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_REF_OPEN))
-        ref_escape_close = pp.Literal(_REF_ESCAPE_CLOSE).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_REF_CLOSE))
-        ref_text = pp.MatchFirst([pp.Word(pp.printables, excludeChars=_REF_EXCLUDES), pp.CharsNotIn(_REF_CLOSE_FIRST, exact=1)])
-        ref_content = pp.Combine(pp.OneOrMore(ref_not_open + ref_not_close + ref_text))
-        ref_string = pp.MatchFirst([double_escape, ref_escape_open, ref_escape_close, ref_content, white_space]).setParseAction(_string)
-        ref_item = pp.Forward()
-        ref_items = pp.OneOrMore(ref_item)
-        reference = (ref_open + pp.Group(ref_items) + ref_close).setParseAction(_reference)
-        ref_item << (reference | ref_string)
-
-        exp_open = pp.Literal(_EXP_OPEN).suppress()
-        exp_close = pp.Literal(_EXP_CLOSE).suppress()
-        exp_not_open = ~pp.Literal(_EXP_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_EXP_ESCAPE_OPEN) + ~pp.Literal(_EXP_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_OPEN)
-        exp_not_close = ~pp.Literal(_EXP_CLOSE) + ~pp.Literal(_EXP_ESCAPE_CLOSE) + ~pp.Literal(_EXP_DOUBLE_ESCAPE_CLOSE)
-        exp_escape_open = pp.Literal(_EXP_ESCAPE_OPEN).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_EXP_OPEN))
-        exp_escape_close = pp.Literal(_EXP_ESCAPE_CLOSE).setParseAction(pp.replaceWith(_EXP_CLOSE))
-        exp_text = pp.Word(pp.printables, excludeChars=_EXP_CLOSE_FIRST)
-        exp_content = pp.Combine(pp.OneOrMore(exp_not_close + exp_text))
-        exp_string = pp.MatchFirst([double_escape, exp_escape_open, exp_escape_close, exp_content, white_space]).setParseAction(_string)
-        exp_items = pp.OneOrMore(exp_string)
-        export = (exp_open + pp.Group(exp_items) + exp_close).setParseAction(_export)
-
-        text = pp.MatchFirst([pp.Word(pp.printables, excludeChars=_EXCLUDES), pp.CharsNotIn('', exact=1)])
-        content = pp.Combine(pp.OneOrMore(ref_not_open + exp_not_open + text))
-        string = pp.MatchFirst([double_escape, ref_escape_open, exp_escape_open, content, white_space]).setParseAction(_string)
-
-        item = reference | export | string
-        line = pp.OneOrMore(item) + pp.StringEnd()
-        return line
-
     _parser = _get_parser()
+    _simple_ref_parser = _get_simple_ref_parser()
 
     def __init__(self, val, delimiter=PARAMETER_INTERPOLATION_DELIMITER):
         self._delimiter = delimiter
@@ -104,19 +122,34 @@
         self._allRefs = False
         self._container = False
         if isinstance(val, str):
-            if '$' in val:
+            dollars = val.count('$')
+            if dollars == 0:
                 # speed up: only use pyparsing if there is a $ in the string
-                try:
-                    tokens = Value._parser.leaveWhitespace().parseString(val).asList()
-                except pp.ParseException as e:
-                    raise ParseError(e.msg, e.line, e.col, e.lineno)
-                items = self._createItems(tokens)
-                if len(items) is 1:
-                    self._item = items[0]
-                else:
-                    self._item = CompItem(items)
-            else:
                 self._item = ScaItem(val)
+            else:
+                open_braces = val.count('{')
+                if dollars == 1 and open_braces == 1 and '[' not in val and '\\' not in val:
+                    # speed up: simple reference or string
+                    try:
+                        tokens = Value._simple_ref_parser.leaveWhitespace().parseString(val).asList()
+                    except pp.ParseException as e:
+                        raise ParseError(e.msg, e.line, e.col, e.lineno)
+                    items = self._createItems(tokens)
+                    if len(items) is 1:
+                        self._item = items[0]
+                    else:
+                        self._item = CompItem(items)
+                else:
+                    # use the full parser
+                    try:
+                        tokens = Value._parser.leaveWhitespace().parseString(val).asList()
+                    except pp.ParseException as e:
+                        raise ParseError(e.msg, e.line, e.col, e.lineno)
+                    items = self._createItems(tokens)
+                    if len(items) is 1:
+                        self._item = items[0]
+                    else:
+                        self._item = CompItem(items)
         elif isinstance(val, list):
             self._item = ListItem(val)
             self._container = True