diff --git a/src/modules/Elsa.Workflows.Core/Extensions/VariableExtensions.cs b/src/modules/Elsa.Workflows.Core/Extensions/VariableExtensions.cs
index 05e2ac287..125040e79 100644
--- a/src/modules/Elsa.Workflows.Core/Extensions/VariableExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/modules/Elsa.Workflows.Core/Extensions/VariableExtensions.cs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
 using System.Text.Unicode;
 using Elsa.Expressions.Helpers;
+using Elsa.Expressions.Models;
 using Elsa.Workflows;
 using Elsa.Workflows.Memory;
 using Elsa.Workflows.Serialization.Converters;
@@ -62,6 +63,19 @@ public static class VariableExtensions
         variable.StorageDriverType = storageDriverType;
         return variable;
     }
+    
+    public static void Set(this Variable variable, ActivityExecutionContext context, object? value)
+    {
+        // Validate type compatibility.
+        if (!variable.TryParseValue(value, out var parsedValue))
+        {
+            var variableType = variable.GetVariableType();
+            throw new InvalidCastException($"The value '{value}' is not compatible with the variable '{variable.Name}' of type '{variableType.FullName}'.");
+        }
+        
+        // Set the value.
+        ((MemoryBlockReference)variable).Set(context, parsedValue);
+    }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Converts the specified value into a type that is compatible with the variable.
@@ -73,6 +87,24 @@ public static class VariableExtensions
         var converterOptions = new ObjectConverterOptions(SerializerOptions);
         return genericType == null ? value : value?.ConvertTo(genericType, converterOptions);
     }
+    
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Converts the specified value into a type that is compatible with the variable.
+    /// </summary>
+    [RequiresUnreferencedCode("Calls System.Text.Json.JsonSerializer.Serialize<TValue>(TValue, JsonSerializerOptions)")]
+    public static bool TryParseValue(this Variable variable, object? value, out object? parsedValue)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            parsedValue = variable.ParseValue(value);
+            return true;
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            parsedValue = null;
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Return the type of the variable.
diff --git a/src/modules/Elsa.Workflows.Core/Services/VariablePersistenceManager.cs b/src/modules/Elsa.Workflows.Core/Services/VariablePersistenceManager.cs
index d4e17ce3f..663e0057d 100644
--- a/src/modules/Elsa.Workflows.Core/Services/VariablePersistenceManager.cs
+++ b/src/modules/Elsa.Workflows.Core/Services/VariablePersistenceManager.cs
@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 using Elsa.Expressions.Models;
 using Elsa.Extensions;
 using Elsa.Workflows.Memory;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
 
 namespace Elsa.Workflows;
 
 /// <inheritdoc />
-public class VariablePersistenceManager(IStorageDriverManager storageDriverManager) : IVariablePersistenceManager
+public class VariablePersistenceManager(IStorageDriverManager storageDriverManager, ILogger<VariablePersistenceManager> logger) : IVariablePersistenceManager
 {
     /// <inheritdoc />
-    public async Task LoadVariablesAsync(WorkflowExecutionContext workflowExecutionContext, IEnumerable<string>? excludeTags = default)
+    public async Task LoadVariablesAsync(WorkflowExecutionContext workflowExecutionContext, IEnumerable<string>? excludeTags = null)
     {
         var cancellationToken = workflowExecutionContext.CancellationToken;
         var contexts = workflowExecutionContext.ActivityExecutionContexts.ToList();
+        var excludeTagsList = excludeTags?.ToList();
 
         foreach (var context in contexts)
         {
@@ -34,15 +36,21 @@ public class VariablePersistenceManager(IStorageDriverManager storageDriverManag
                 if (driver == null)
                     continue;
 
-                if (excludeTags != null && driver.Tags.Any(excludeTags!.Contains))
+                if (excludeTagsList != null && driver.Tags.Any(excludeTagsList.Contains))
                     continue;
 
                 var id = GetStateId(variable);
                 var value = await driver.ReadAsync(id, storageDriverContext);
                 if (value == null) continue;
 
-                var parsedValue = variable.ParseValue(value);
                 register.Declare(variable);
+
+                if (!variable.TryParseValue(value, out var parsedValue))
+                {
+                    logger.LogWarning("Failed to parse value for variable {VariableId} of type {VariableType} with value {Value}", variable.Id, variable.GetVariableType().FullName, value);
+                    continue;
+                }
+
                 variable.Set(register, parsedValue);
             }
         }