diff --git a/pkg/runner/expression.go b/pkg/runner/expression.go
index 487c68c..5f22a38 100644
--- a/pkg/runner/expression.go
+++ b/pkg/runner/expression.go
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
-	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/robertkrimen/otto"
@@ -266,11 +266,35 @@ func vmEndsWith(vm *otto.Otto) {
 }
 
 func vmFormat(vm *otto.Otto) {
-	_ = vm.Set("format", func(s string, vals ...string) string {
-		for i, v := range vals {
-			s = strings.ReplaceAll(s, fmt.Sprintf("{%d}", i), v)
-		}
-		return s
+	_ = vm.Set("format", func(s string, vals ...otto.Value) string {
+		ex := regexp.MustCompile(`(\{[0-9]+\}|\{.?|\}.?)`)
+		return ex.ReplaceAllStringFunc(s, func(seg string) string {
+			switch seg {
+			case "{{":
+				return "{"
+			case "}}":
+				return "}"
+			default:
+				if len(seg) < 3 || !strings.HasPrefix(seg, "{") {
+					log.Errorf("The following format string is invalid: '%v'", s)
+					return ""
+				}
+				_i := seg[1 : len(seg)-1]
+				i, err := strconv.ParseInt(_i, 10, 32)
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Errorf("The following format string is invalid: '%v'. Error: %v", s, err)
+					return ""
+				}
+				if i >= int64(len(vals)) {
+					log.Errorf("The following format string references more arguments than were supplied: '%v'", s)
+					return ""
+				}
+				if vals[i].IsNull() || vals[i].IsUndefined() {
+					return ""
+				}
+				return vals[i].String()
+			}
+		})
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/runner/expression_test.go b/pkg/runner/expression_test.go
index a338187..2e9b47e 100644
--- a/pkg/runner/expression_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runner/expression_test.go
@@ -110,6 +110,14 @@ func TestEvaluate(t *testing.T) {
 		{"env.key", "value", ""},
 		{"secrets.CASE_INSENSITIVE_SECRET", "value", ""},
 		{"secrets.case_insensitive_secret", "value", ""},
+		{"format('{{0}}', 'test')", "{0}", ""},
+		{"format('{{{0}}}', 'test')", "{test}", ""},
+		{"format('}}')", "}", ""},
+		{"format('echo Hello {0} ${{Test}}', 'World')", "echo Hello World ${Test}", ""},
+		{"format('echo Hello {0} ${{Test}}', github.undefined_property)", "echo Hello  ${Test}", ""},
+		{"format('echo Hello {0}{1} ${{Te{0}st}}', github.undefined_property, 'World')", "echo Hello World ${Test}", ""},
+		{"format('{0}', '{1}', 'World')", "{1}", ""},
+		{"format('{{{0}', '{1}', 'World')", "{{1}", ""},
 	}
 
 	for _, table := range tables {