diff --git a/lisp/ob-shell.el b/lisp/ob-shell.el
index 3ede701..0a691e2 100644
--- a/lisp/ob-shell.el
+++ b/lisp/ob-shell.el
@@ -106,6 +106,30 @@ This function is called by `org-babel-execute-src-block'."
 
 ;; helper functions
 
+(defun org-babel-variable-assignments:bash_array (varname values &optional sep hline)
+  "Returns a list of statements declaring the values as a bash array."
+  (format "declare -a %s=( \"%s\" )"
+     varname
+     (mapconcat 'identity
+       (mapcar
+         (lambda (value) (org-babel-sh-var-to-sh value sep hline))
+         values)
+       "\" \"")))
+
+(defun org-babel-variable-assignments:bash_associative (varname values &optional sep hline)
+  "Returns a list of statements declaring the values as bash associative array."
+  (format "declare -A %s\n%s"
+    varname
+    (mapconcat 'identity
+      (mapcar
+        (lambda (items)
+          (format "%s[\"%s\"]=%s"
+            varname
+            (org-babel-sh-var-to-sh (car items) sep hline)
+            (org-babel-sh-var-to-sh (cdr items) sep hline)))
+        values)
+      "\n")))
+
 (defun org-babel-variable-assignments:sh (params)
   "Return list of shell statements assigning the block's variables."
   (let ((sep (cdr (assoc :separator params)))
@@ -114,9 +138,17 @@ This function is called by `org-babel-execute-src-block'."
 		     "hline"))))
     (mapcar
      (lambda (pair)
-       (format "%s=%s"
-	       (car pair)
-	       (org-babel-sh-var-to-sh (cdr pair) sep hline)))
+       (if (and (string= org-babel-sh-command "bash") (listp (cdr pair)))
+         (if (listp (car (cdr pair)))
+           (org-babel-variable-assignments:bash_associative
+	      (car pair) (cdr pair) sep hline)
+           (org-babel-variable-assignments:bash_array
+	      (car pair) (cdr pair) sep) hline)
+         (format "%s=%s"
+	    (car pair)
+	    (org-babel-sh-var-to-sh (cdr pair) sep hline))
+       )
+     )
      (mapcar #'cdr (org-babel-get-header params :var)))))
 
 (defun org-babel-sh-var-to-sh (var &optional sep hline)