diff --git a/src/template/text.go b/src/template/text.go
index 42dfed5c..944a9366 100644
--- a/src/template/text.go
+++ b/src/template/text.go
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ func (t *Text) cleanTemplate() {
 	}
 
 	knownVariable := func(variable string) bool {
+		if variable == "." {
+			return true
+		}
 		variable = strings.TrimPrefix(variable, ".")
 		splitted := strings.Split(variable, ".")
 		if len(splitted) == 0 {
diff --git a/src/template/text_test.go b/src/template/text_test.go
index 30c721d2..b02e0116 100644
--- a/src/template/text_test.go
+++ b/src/template/text_test.go
@@ -225,6 +225,11 @@ func TestCleanTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 		Expected string
 		Template string
 	}{
+		{
+			Case:     "Literal dot",
+			Expected: "hello . what's up",
+			Template: "hello . what's up",
+		},
 		{
 			Case:     "Variable",
 			Expected: "{{range $cpu := .Data.CPU}}{{round $cpu.Mhz 2 }} {{end}}",