diff --git a/lib/ash/actions/create.ex b/lib/ash/actions/create.ex
index 5bb4a40c..0d9e3bc2 100644
--- a/lib/ash/actions/create.ex
+++ b/lib/ash/actions/create.ex
@@ -49,9 +49,13 @@ defmodule Ash.Actions.Create do
       {:ok, %{data: %{commit: %^resource{} = created}} = engine_result} ->
         add_notifications(created, engine_result, return_notifications?)
 
-      {:error, %Ash.Engine.Runner{errors: errors, changeset: runner_changeset}} ->
+      {:error, %Ash.Engine.Runner{errors: errors, changeset: %Ash.Changeset{} = runner_changeset}} ->
         errors = Helpers.process_errors(changeset, errors)
-        {:error, Ash.Error.to_error_class(errors, changeset: runner_changeset || changeset)}
+        {:error, Ash.Error.to_error_class(errors, changeset: runner_changeset)}
+
+      {:error, %Ash.Engine.Runner{errors: errors}} ->
+        errors = Helpers.process_errors(changeset, errors)
+        {:error, Ash.Error.to_error_class(errors, changeset: changeset)}
 
       {:error, error} ->
         error = Helpers.process_errors(changeset, error)
diff --git a/lib/ash/changeset/changeset.ex b/lib/ash/changeset/changeset.ex
index 76b96061..72f472df 100644
--- a/lib/ash/changeset/changeset.ex
+++ b/lib/ash/changeset/changeset.ex
@@ -996,10 +996,13 @@ defmodule Ash.Changeset do
           []
       end
 
+    masked_argument_names = Enum.map(action.arguments, & &1.name)
+
     resource
     |> Ash.Resource.Info.attributes()
     |> Enum.reject(
-      &(&1.allow_nil? || &1.private? || !&1.writable? || &1.generated? || &1.name in belongs_to ||
+      &(&1.allow_nil? || &1.private? || !&1.writable? || &1.generated? ||
+          &1.name in masked_argument_names || &1.name in belongs_to ||
           &1.name in allow_nil_input)
     )
   end
diff --git a/lib/ash/filter/template_helpers.ex b/lib/ash/filter/template_helpers.ex
index a6c7fbc6..f0cf602c 100644
--- a/lib/ash/filter/template_helpers.ex
+++ b/lib/ash/filter/template_helpers.ex
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ defmodule Ash.Filter.TemplateHelpers do
   @doc "A helper for using action arguments in filter templates"
   def arg(name), do: {:_arg, name}
 
+  @doc "A helper for creating a reference"
+  def ref(name), do: {:_ref, [], name}
+
+  @doc "A helper for creating a reference to a related path"
+  def ref(path, name), do: {:_ref, path, name}
+
   @doc """
   A helper for using query context in filter templates
 
diff --git a/lib/ash/query/query.ex b/lib/ash/query/query.ex
index 0c41be0b..404d22eb 100644
--- a/lib/ash/query/query.ex
+++ b/lib/ash/query/query.ex
@@ -407,12 +407,6 @@ defmodule Ash.Query do
     end
   end
 
-  defmacro expr({var, _, context} = binding) when is_atom(var) and is_atom(context) do
-    quote do
-      unquote(binding)
-    end
-  end
-
   defmacro expr(body) do
     if Keyword.keyword?(body) do
       quote do
@@ -431,6 +425,14 @@ defmodule Ash.Query do
 
   defp do_expr(expr, escape? \\ true)
 
+  defp do_expr({op, _, nil}, escape?) when is_atom(op) do
+    soft_escape(%Ash.Query.Ref{relationship_path: [], attribute: op}, escape?)
+  end
+
+  defp do_expr({op, _, Elixir}, escape?) when is_atom(op) do
+    soft_escape(%Ash.Query.Ref{relationship_path: [], attribute: op}, escape?)
+  end
+
   defp do_expr({:^, _, [value]}, _escape?) do
     value
   end
@@ -545,10 +547,6 @@ defmodule Ash.Query do
     end
   end
 
-  defp do_expr({op, _, nil}, escape?) when is_atom(op) do
-    soft_escape(%Ash.Query.Ref{relationship_path: [], attribute: op}, escape?)
-  end
-
   defp do_expr({op, _, args}, escape?) when op in [:and, :or] do
     args = Enum.map(args, &do_expr(&1, false))