diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 02a1cac..7f45521 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ The following action deploys the app whenever a new commit is pushed to the main
 
 In this case, a secret of the repository named `SOME_SECRET_FROM_REPOSITORY` will also be passed into the app via its environment variables as `SOME_SECRET`. It is passed to the action's environment via the `${{ secrets.KEY }}` notation and then substituted into the spec itself via the environment variable reference in `value`. Make sure to define the respective env var's type as `SECRET` in the spec to ensure the value is stored in an encrypted way.
 
+**Note:** `APP_DOMAIN`, `APP_URL` and `APP_NAME` are predefined [App-wide variables](https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/app-platform/how-to/use-environment-variables/#app-wide-variables). Avoid overriding them in the action's environment to avoid the env-var-expansion process of the Github Action to interfere with that of the platform itself.
+
 ```yaml
 name: Update App
 
diff --git a/deploy/main.go b/deploy/main.go
index a7f99d8..ccc91dc 100644
--- a/deploy/main.go
+++ b/deploy/main.go
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func (d *deployer) createSpec(ctx context.Context) (*godo.AppSpec, error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get app spec content: %w", err)
 		}
-		appSpecExpanded := os.ExpandEnv(string(appSpec))
+		appSpecExpanded := utils.ExpandEnvRetainingBindables(string(appSpec))
 		if err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(appSpecExpanded), &spec); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse app spec: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/deploy/main_test.go b/deploy/main_test.go
index 46c61ea..50df721 100644
--- a/deploy/main_test.go
+++ b/deploy/main_test.go
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ import (
 func TestCreateSpecFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 	spec := &godo.AppSpec{
 		Name: "foo",
+		Envs: []*godo.AppVariableDefinition{{
+			Key:   "GLOBAL_ENV_VAR",
+			Value: "${APP_DOMAIN}",
+		}},
 		Services: []*godo.AppServiceSpec{{
 			Name: "web",
 			Image: &godo.ImageSourceSpec{
@@ -28,6 +32,10 @@ func TestCreateSpecFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 				Repository:   "bar",
 				Tag:          "${ENV_VAR}",
 			},
+			Envs: []*godo.AppVariableDefinition{{
+				Key:   "SERVICE_ENV_VAR",
+				Value: "${web2.HOSTNAME}",
+			}},
 		}, {
 			Name: "web2",
 			Image: &godo.ImageSourceSpec{
@@ -61,6 +69,10 @@ func TestCreateSpecFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 
 	expected := &godo.AppSpec{
 		Name: "foo",
+		Envs: []*godo.AppVariableDefinition{{
+			Key:   "GLOBAL_ENV_VAR",
+			Value: "${APP_DOMAIN}", // Bindable reference stayed intact.
+		}},
 		Services: []*godo.AppServiceSpec{{
 			Name: "web",
 			Image: &godo.ImageSourceSpec{
@@ -69,6 +81,10 @@ func TestCreateSpecFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 				Repository:   "bar",
 				Tag:          "v1", // Tag was updated.
 			},
+			Envs: []*godo.AppVariableDefinition{{
+				Key:   "SERVICE_ENV_VAR",
+				Value: "${web2.HOSTNAME}", // Bindable reference stayed intact.
+			}},
 		}, {
 			Name: "web2",
 			Image: &godo.ImageSourceSpec{
diff --git a/utils/env.go b/utils/env.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f97a13d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/env.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package utils
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// appWideVariables are the environment variables that are shared across all components.
+// See https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/app-platform/how-to/use-environment-variables/#app-wide-variables.
+var appWideVariables = map[string]struct{}{
+	"APP_DOMAIN": {},
+	"APP_URL":    {},
+	"APP_NAME":   {},
+}
+
+// ExpandEnvRetainingBindables expands the environment variables in s, but it
+// keeps bindable variables intact.
+// Since bindable variables look like env vars, notation-wise, we just don't
+// expand them at all.
+func ExpandEnvRetainingBindables(s string) string {
+	return os.Expand(s, func(name string) string {
+		value := os.Getenv(name)
+		if value == "" {
+			if _, ok := appWideVariables[name]; ok || looksLikeBindable(name) {
+				// If the environment variable is not set, keep the respective
+				// reference intact.
+				return fmt.Sprintf("${%s}", name)
+			}
+		}
+		return value
+	})
+}
+
+// looksLikeBindable returns true if the key looks like a bindable variable.
+// Environment variables can't usually contain dots, so if they do, we're
+// fairly confident that it's a bindable variable.
+func looksLikeBindable(key string) bool {
+	return strings.Contains(key, ".")
+}
diff --git a/utils/env_test.go b/utils/env_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1904d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/env_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package utils
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestExpandEnvRetainingBindables(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("FOO", "bar")
+	t.Setenv("APP_URL", "baz")
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		in   string
+		out  string
+	}{{
+		name: "simple",
+		in:   "hello $FOO",
+		out:  "hello bar",
+	}, {
+		name: "bindable",
+		in:   "hello ${FOO.bar}",
+		out:  "hello ${FOO.bar}",
+	}, {
+		name: "global bindable, unset",
+		in:   "hello ${APP_DOMAIN}",
+		out:  "hello ${APP_DOMAIN}",
+	}, {
+		name: "global bindable, overridden in env",
+		in:   "hello ${APP_URL}",
+		out:  "hello baz",
+	}}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := ExpandEnvRetainingBindables(test.in)
+			require.Equal(t, test.out, got)
+		})
+	}
+}