diff --git a/lib/floe/workflow/choice_rule/data.rb b/lib/floe/workflow/choice_rule/data.rb
index 699a9eed..9ae8749d 100644
--- a/lib/floe/workflow/choice_rule/data.rb
+++ b/lib/floe/workflow/choice_rule/data.rb
@@ -11,8 +11,13 @@ class Data < Floe::Workflow::ChoiceRule
         def initialize(*)
           super
           @compare_key = payload.keys.detect { |key| key.match?(/^(#{COMPARE_KEYS.join("|")})/) }
-
           raise Floe::InvalidWorkflowError, "Data-test Expression Choice Rule must have a compare key" if @compare_key.nil?
+
+          if @compare_key&.end_with?("Path")
+            @ref_path = payload[compare_key]
+          else
+            @ref = payload[compare_key]
+          end
         end
 
         def true?(context, input)
@@ -91,7 +96,7 @@ def is_timestamp?(value) # rubocop:disable Naming/PredicateName
         end
 
         def compare_value(context, input)
-          compare_key.end_with?("Path") ? Path.value(payload[compare_key], context, input) : payload[compare_key]
+          @ref_path ? Path.value(@ref_path, context, input) : @ref
         end
       end
     end