diff --git a/src/trait_manager/model/Trait.ts b/src/trait_manager/model/Trait.ts
index b5a3a10eb..0065be55c 100644
--- a/src/trait_manager/model/Trait.ts
+++ b/src/trait_manager/model/Trait.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
-import { isString, isUndefined } from 'underscore';
+import { isString, isUndefined, keys } from 'underscore';
 import Category from '../../abstract/ModuleCategory';
 import { LocaleOptions, Model, SetOptions } from '../../common';
 import Component from '../../dom_components/model/Component';
 import EditorModel from '../../editor/model/Editor';
-import { isDef } from '../../utils/mixins';
+import { isDef, stringToPath } from '../../utils/mixins';
 import TraitsEvents, { TraitGetValueOptions, TraitOption, TraitProperties, TraitSetValueOptions } from '../types';
 import TraitView from '../view/TraitView';
 import Traits from './Traits';
+import TraitDataVariable from './TraitDataVariable';
+import { DataSourcesEvents, DataVariableListener } from '../../data_sources/types';
 
 /**
  * @property {String} id Trait id, eg. `my-trait-id`.
@@ -26,6 +28,8 @@ export default class Trait extends Model<TraitProperties> {
   em: EditorModel;
   view?: TraitView;
   el?: HTMLElement;
+  dataListeners: DataVariableListener[] = [];
+  dataVariable?: TraitDataVariable;
 
   defaults() {
     return {
@@ -51,6 +55,18 @@ export default class Trait extends Model<TraitProperties> {
       this.setTarget(target);
     }
     this.em = em;
+
+    if (
+      this.attributes.value &&
+      typeof this.attributes.value === 'object' &&
+      this.attributes.value.type === 'data-variable'
+    ) {
+      this.dataVariable = new TraitDataVariable(this.attributes.value, { em: this.em, trait: this });
+
+      const dv = this.dataVariable.getDataValue();
+      this.set({ value: dv });
+      this.listenToDataVariable(this.dataVariable);
+    }
   }
 
   get parent() {
@@ -85,6 +101,32 @@ export default class Trait extends Model<TraitProperties> {
     }
   }
 
+  listenToDataVariable(dataVar: TraitDataVariable) {
+    const { em } = this;
+    const { path } = dataVar.attributes;
+    const normPath = stringToPath(path || '').join('.');
+    const dataListeners: DataVariableListener[] = [];
+    const prevListeners = this.dataListeners || [];
+
+    prevListeners.forEach(ls => this.stopListening(ls.obj, ls.event, this.updateValueFromDataVariable));
+
+    dataListeners.push({ obj: dataVar, event: 'change:value' });
+    dataListeners.push({ obj: em, event: `${DataSourcesEvents.path}:${normPath}` });
+
+    dataListeners.forEach(ls =>
+      this.listenTo(ls.obj, ls.event, () => {
+        const dr = dataVar.getDataValue();
+        this.updateValueFromDataVariable(dr);
+      })
+    );
+    this.dataListeners = dataListeners;
+  }
+
+  updateValueFromDataVariable(value: string) {
+    this.setTargetValue(value);
+    this.trigger('change:value');
+  }
+
   /**
    * Get the trait id.
    * @returns {String}
@@ -130,6 +172,12 @@ export default class Trait extends Model<TraitProperties> {
    * @returns {any}
    */
   getValue(opts?: TraitGetValueOptions) {
+    if (this.dataVariable) {
+      const dValue = this.dataVariable.getDataValue();
+
+      return dValue;
+    }
+
     return this.getTargetValue(opts);
   }
 
@@ -146,6 +194,11 @@ export default class Trait extends Model<TraitProperties> {
     const valueOpts: { avoidStore?: boolean } = {};
     const { setValue } = this.attributes;
 
+    // if (value && typeof value === 'object' && value.type === 'data-variable') {
+    //   value = new TraitDataVariable(value, { em: this.em, trait: this }).initialize();
+    //   this.listenToDataVariable(value);
+    // }
+
     if (setValue) {
       setValue({
         value,
diff --git a/src/trait_manager/model/TraitDataVariable.ts b/src/trait_manager/model/TraitDataVariable.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bcd8daa4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/trait_manager/model/TraitDataVariable.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import { Model } from '../../common';
+import EditorModel from '../../editor/model/Editor';
+import { stringToPath } from '../../utils/mixins';
+import Trait from './Trait';
+
+export default class TraitDataVariable extends Model {
+  em?: EditorModel;
+  trait?: Trait;
+
+  defaults() {
+    return {
+      type: 'data-variable',
+      value: '',
+      path: '',
+    };
+  }
+
+  initialize(attrs: any, options: any) {
+    super.initialize(attrs, options);
+    this.em = options.em;
+    this.trait = options.trait;
+
+    this.listenToDataSource();
+
+    return this;
+  }
+
+  listenToDataSource() {
+    const { path } = this.attributes;
+    const resolvedPath = stringToPath(path).join('.');
+
+    if (this.em) {
+      this.listenTo(this.em.DataSources, `change:${resolvedPath}`, this.onDataSourceChange);
+    }
+  }
+
+  getDataValue() {
+    const { path } = this.attributes;
+    const [dsId, drId, key] = stringToPath(path);
+    const ds = this?.em?.DataSources.get(dsId);
+    const dr = ds && ds.getRecord(drId);
+    const dv = dr?.get(key);
+
+    return dv;
+  }
+
+  onDataSourceChange() {
+    const dv = this.getDataValue();
+    this?.trait?.setTargetValue(dv);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/specs/data_sources/index.ts b/test/specs/data_sources/index.ts
index a7fbb11f2..acee0b64c 100644
--- a/test/specs/data_sources/index.ts
+++ b/test/specs/data_sources/index.ts
@@ -298,6 +298,55 @@ describe('DataSourceManager', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('Traits', () => {
+    let fixtures: HTMLElement;
+    let cmpRoot: ComponentWrapper;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      document.body.innerHTML = '<div id="fixtures"></div>';
+      const { Pages, Components } = em;
+      Pages.onLoad();
+      cmpRoot = Components.getWrapper()!;
+      const View = Components.getType('wrapper')!.view;
+      const wrapperEl = new View({
+        model: cmpRoot,
+        config: { ...cmpRoot.config, em },
+      });
+      wrapperEl.render();
+      fixtures = document.body.querySelector('#fixtures')!;
+      fixtures.appendChild(wrapperEl.el);
+    });
+
+    test('component initializes with data-variable trait input', () => {
+      const inputDataSource: DataSourceProps = {
+        id: 'test-input',
+        records: [{ id: 'id1', value: 'test-value' }],
+      };
+      dsm.add(inputDataSource);
+
+      const cmp = cmpRoot.append({
+        tagName: 'input',
+        traits: [
+          'name',
+          'type',
+          {
+            type: 'text',
+            label: 'Value',
+            name: 'value',
+            value: {
+              type: 'data-variable',
+              value: 'default',
+              path: 'test-input.id1.value',
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      })[0];
+
+      const input = cmp.getEl();
+      expect(input?.getAttribute('value')).toBe('test-value');
+    });
+  });
+
   test('add DataSource with records', () => {
     const eventAdd = jest.fn();
     em.on(dsm.events.add, eventAdd);