diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root.rb
index 251682d13b40107e00e3db546c2b92868b77972f..fc5a6fcd95ab66b0d14697b98f2551c788f2450f 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class Root < ::Gitlab::Config::Entry::Node
             inherit: false,
             default: {}
 
-          def inputs_value
+          def spec_inputs_value
             spec_entry.inputs_value
           end
         end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/access.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/access.rb
index 1a8933c84bf7a0e2a33824d765cbed8104f588ae..5031c5b6de4d5ac134060c00ea47f687600af4ff 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/access.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/access.rb
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def evaluate!
               key = value.to_sym
 
               unless memo.respond_to?(:key?) && memo.key?(key)
-                break @errors.push("unknown input name provided: `#{key}` in `#{@content}`")
+                break @errors.push("unknown interpolation provided: `#{key}` in `#{@content}`")
               end
 
               memo.fetch(key)
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/context.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/context.rb
index 19ea619f7da3758558c79f1015b1e22dfec9f85b..00e924cc6227ded25400052bdd9adff4a3da10d1 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/context.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/context.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class Context
 
           attr_reader :variables
 
-          def initialize(data, variables: [])
+          def initialize(data, variables:)
             @data = data
             @variables = Ci::Variables::Collection.fabricate(variables)
 
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator.rb
index 406234cc5fe6c7927510fc8633fd0326bc06b9e7..9a5ce5b415023cd57cfb9a48288eec96be5ce804 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator.rb
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ module Interpolation
         # Performs CI config file interpolation, and surfaces all possible interpolation errors.
         #
         class Interpolator
-          attr_reader :config, :args, :variables, :errors
+          attr_reader :config, :args, :yaml_context, :errors
 
-          def initialize(config, args, variables)
+          def initialize(config, args, yaml_context)
             @config = config
             @args = args.nil? ? {} : args
-            @variables = variables
+            @yaml_context = yaml_context
             @errors = []
             @interpolated = false
           end
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def content
           end
 
           def spec
-            @spec ||= header.inputs_value
+            @spec ||= header.spec_inputs_value
           end
 
           def inputs
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ def inputs
           end
 
           def context
-            @context ||= Context.new({ inputs: inputs.to_hash }, variables: variables)
+            @context ||= Context.new(
+              { inputs: inputs.to_hash }, variables: yaml_context.variables
+            )
           end
 
           def template
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/loader.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/loader.rb
index 41e38ce193e5cb1bc17dc5a609ec1a3ad5e175b0..6757c4c55e8929621a1a289d4f4a79b9ba0d1a4d 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/loader.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/loader.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class Loader
           AVAILABLE_TAGS = [Config::Yaml::Tags::Reference].freeze
           MAX_DOCUMENTS = 2
 
-          def initialize(content, inputs: {}, context: nil)
+          def initialize(content, inputs: {}, context: Config::Yaml::Context.new)
             @content = content
             @inputs = inputs
             @context = context
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ def load
 
             return yaml_result unless yaml_result.valid?
 
-            variables = context&.variables || []
-            interpolator = Interpolation::Interpolator.new(yaml_result, inputs, variables)
+            interpolator = Interpolation::Interpolator.new(yaml_result, inputs, context)
 
             interpolator.interpolate!
 
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/config/entry/validators.rb b/lib/gitlab/config/entry/validators.rb
index c4ddac1daf8096dc7900a3a54e90f9dcebeddfa7..49be2a8925d7e43c0268bcb4c4824ffb5b781b02 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/config/entry/validators.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/config/entry/validators.rb
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ def validate_each(record, attribute, value)
 
         class AllowedArrayValuesValidator < ActiveModel::EachValidator
           def validate_each(record, attribute, value)
+            return unless value.is_a?(Array)
+
             unknown_values = value - options[:in]
             unless unknown_values.empty?
               record.errors.add(attribute, "contains unknown values: " +
diff --git a/spec/factories/releases.rb b/spec/factories/releases.rb
index c4da8474cb753ce34e9f4f5c5f65997eb621e5d0..f80b1a2ad8e56f26b99283ff8a372f712525c313 100644
--- a/spec/factories/releases.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/releases.rb
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@
         if instance.project&.catalog_resource
           association :ci_catalog_resource_version,
             catalog_resource: instance.project&.catalog_resource,
-            release: instance
+            release: instance,
+            semver: tag
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/base_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/base_spec.rb
index c8122e010a90af8a1bd919fadb7d225389b0f37c..7f467c581bd6122dd406262ad3e87b6090e1de91 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/base_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/file/base_spec.rb
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def initialize(params, ctx)
         it 'surfaces interpolation errors' do
           expect(valid?).to be_falsy
           expect(file.errors)
-            .to include('`some-location.yml`: unknown input name provided: `abcd` in `inputs.abcd`')
+            .to include('`some-location.yml`: unknown interpolation provided: `abcd` in `inputs.abcd`')
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root_spec.rb
index 55f77137619fc583c2b9858ec63b9fb6868638ea..a481d3f2c096217bb7f3ce82735f9805f6d1f954 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/header/root_spec.rb
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
     it_behaves_like 'an invalid header'
   end
 
-  describe '#inputs_value' do
+  describe '#spec_inputs_value' do
     let(:header_hash) do
       {
         spec: {
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
     end
 
     it 'returns the inputs' do
-      expect(config.inputs_value).to eq({
+      expect(config.spec_inputs_value).to eq({
         foo: {},
         bar: { default: 'baz' }
       })
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/access_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/access_spec.rb
index 08b7c27a984e85e0f9280da9025b79006b4b1510..3798c7177dd80986f621d68ad757eba9bd7abf02 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/access_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/access_spec.rb
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
     it 'returns an error' do
       expect(subject).not_to be_valid
-      expect(subject.errors.first).to eq('unknown input name provided: `nonexistent` in `inputs.nonexistent`')
+      expect(subject.errors.first).to eq('unknown interpolation provided: `nonexistent` in `inputs.nonexistent`')
     end
   end
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 
     it 'returns an error' do
       expect(subject).not_to be_valid
-      expect(subject.errors.first).to eq('unknown input name provided: `extra` in `inputs.data.extra`')
+      expect(subject.errors.first).to eq('unknown interpolation provided: `extra` in `inputs.data.extra`')
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/block_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/block_spec.rb
index 2aaff356e69084f36da50635fc3193b144a375ba..6616a7b5fadef6f0084b752bfa246654fa3bd989 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/block_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/block_spec.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 
       it 'returns the access error' do
         expect(subject).not_to be_valid
-        expect(subject.errors.first).to eq('unknown input name provided: `undefined` in `inputs.undefined`')
+        expect(subject.errors.first).to eq('unknown interpolation provided: `undefined` in `inputs.undefined`')
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/context_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/context_spec.rb
index 56a572312ebd52f8fe0f3cdb6751aab81d3b634e..908db21ea6898ee8a7c3e6a823fce0c2d632e97a 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/context_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/context_spec.rb
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
 require 'fast_spec_helper'
 
 RSpec.describe Gitlab::Ci::Config::Interpolation::Context, feature_category: :pipeline_composition do
-  subject { described_class.new(ctx) }
+  subject { described_class.new(ctx, variables: variables) }
 
   let(:ctx) do
     { inputs: { key: 'abc' } }
   end
 
+  let(:variables) { [] }
+
   describe '.fabricate' do
     context 'when given an unexpected object' do
       it 'raises an ArgumentError' do
@@ -41,8 +43,52 @@
     end
 
     it 'raises an exception' do
-      expect { described_class.new(ctx) }
+      expect { described_class.new(ctx, variables: variables) }
         .to raise_error(described_class::ContextTooComplexError)
     end
   end
+
+  context 'when variables are provided' do
+    let(:variables) do
+      [
+        { key: 'VAR1', value: 'value1' },
+        { key: 'VAR2', value: 'value2' }
+      ]
+    end
+
+    it 'stores variables as a Collection' do
+      expect(subject.variables).to be_a(Gitlab::Ci::Variables::Collection)
+      expect(subject.variables.to_hash).to include('VAR1' => 'value1', 'VAR2' => 'value2')
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#fetch' do
+    let(:ctx) do
+      { inputs: { key: 'value' }, component: { name: 'test' } }
+    end
+
+    it 'fetches a field from the context' do
+      expect(subject.fetch(:inputs)).to eq({ key: 'value' })
+      expect(subject.fetch(:component)).to eq({ name: 'test' })
+    end
+
+    it 'raises KeyError when field does not exist' do
+      expect { subject.fetch(:nonexistent) }.to raise_error(KeyError)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#key?' do
+    let(:ctx) do
+      { inputs: { key: 'value' }, component: { name: 'test' } }
+    end
+
+    it 'returns true for existing keys' do
+      expect(subject.key?(:inputs)).to be true
+      expect(subject.key?(:component)).to be true
+    end
+
+    it 'returns false for non-existing keys' do
+      expect(subject.key?(:nonexistent)).to be false
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator_spec.rb
index 45af1c105a90096be8905b3b21c4e0594380aa22..6ed4d70c9abd3831036c9ac571b130fa57304084 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/interpolation/interpolator_spec.rb
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
   let_it_be(:project) { create(:project) }
 
   let(:result) { ::Gitlab::Ci::Config::Yaml::Result.new(config: [header, content]) }
+  let(:yaml_context) { ::Gitlab::Ci::Config::Yaml::Context.new }
 
-  subject { described_class.new(result, arguments, []) }
+  subject { described_class.new(result, arguments, yaml_context) }
 
   context 'when input data is valid' do
     let(:header) do
@@ -144,8 +145,8 @@
       subject.interpolate!
 
       expect(subject).not_to be_valid
-      expect(subject.errors).to include 'unknown input name provided: `abc` in `inputs.abc`'
-      expect(subject.error_message).to eq 'unknown input name provided: `abc` in `inputs.abc`'
+      expect(subject.errors).to include 'unknown interpolation provided: `abc` in `inputs.abc`'
+      expect(subject.error_message).to eq 'unknown interpolation provided: `abc` in `inputs.abc`'
     end
   end
 
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@
 
       expect(subject).not_to be_valid
       expect(subject.error_message)
-        .to eq 'unknown input name provided: `something` in `inputs.something.abc`'
+        .to eq 'unknown interpolation provided: `something` in `inputs.something.abc`'
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/context_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/context_spec.rb
index c755fedfa3b5c1b29196ef0d519dd2bcea52461b..eca928f8bc5f51f923d6276b9cf5c237b0a07d57 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/context_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/yaml/context_spec.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     context 'without variables provided' do
       subject(:context) { described_class.new }
 
-      it 'defaults to empty hash' do
+      it 'defaults to empty array' do
         expect(context.variables).to eq([])
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/ci/catalog/resource_spec.rb b/spec/models/ci/catalog/resource_spec.rb
index b48b6ee422ddfa0c19ec6112ec30c5e3bbba0c35..4e864f85993b62a1220a0255e371caa3c68b88b9 100644
--- a/spec/models/ci/catalog/resource_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ci/catalog/resource_spec.rb
@@ -354,21 +354,13 @@
     let_it_be(:resource) { create(:ci_catalog_resource, project: project) }
 
     let_it_be_with_refind(:january_release) do
-      release = create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: 'v1',
+      create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: '1.0.0',
         released_at: '2023-01-01T00:00:00Z')
-
-      release.catalog_resource_version.update!(semver: '1.0.0')
-
-      release
     end
 
     let_it_be_with_refind(:february_release) do
-      release = create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: 'v2',
+      create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: '2.0.0',
         released_at: '2023-02-01T00:00:00Z')
-
-      release.catalog_resource_version.update!(semver: '2.0.0')
-
-      release
     end
 
     it 'has the expected latest_released_at value' do
@@ -377,11 +369,9 @@
 
     context 'when a new catalog resource version is created' do
       it 'updates the latest_released_at value' do
-        march_release = create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: 'v3',
+        march_release = create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: '3.0.0',
           released_at: '2023-03-01T00:00:00Z')
 
-        march_release.catalog_resource_version.update!(semver: '3.0.0')
-
         expect(resource.reload.latest_released_at).to eq(march_release.released_at)
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/ci/catalog/resources/version_spec.rb b/spec/models/ci/catalog/resources/version_spec.rb
index 5cae116bdafd797883070abb2cb885d1e45ea310..53bb654ef58b86b436713108af29ca7194db6e44 100644
--- a/spec/models/ci/catalog/resources/version_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ci/catalog/resources/version_spec.rb
@@ -214,7 +214,8 @@
     let_it_be(:resource) { create(:ci_catalog_resource, project: project) }
 
     let_it_be_with_reload(:release) do
-      create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: 'v1', released_at: '2023-01-01T00:00:00Z')
+      create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: '1.2.3',
+        released_at: '2023-01-01T00:00:00Z')
     end
 
     let(:version) { release.catalog_resource_version }
diff --git a/spec/models/release_spec.rb b/spec/models/release_spec.rb
index 21cfbf3b8496c20d0c2bbf0e48b55165fcc34c81..49c2d4f3c7984fcee93479e49a29eecd27855d14 100644
--- a/spec/models/release_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/release_spec.rb
@@ -380,7 +380,8 @@
     let_it_be(:resource) { create(:ci_catalog_resource, project: project) }
 
     let_it_be_with_reload(:release) do
-      create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: 'v1', released_at: '2023-01-01T00:00:00Z')
+      create(:release, :with_catalog_resource_version, project: project, tag: 'v1.2.3',
+        released_at: '2023-01-01T00:00:00Z')
     end
 
     let(:version) { release.catalog_resource_version }
diff --git a/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service/including_ci_components_spec.rb b/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service/including_ci_components_spec.rb
index b4f931b11af166ff8f52b78a49f66e020cd707d3..19d9a43d4f21e7e98029a047d8a00d1f61022ce5 100644
--- a/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service/including_ci_components_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/ci/create_pipeline_service/including_ci_components_spec.rb
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
 
         expect(pipeline).to be_persisted
         expect(pipeline.error_messages[0].content)
-          .to include 'unknown input name provided: `suite`'
+          .to include 'unknown interpolation provided: `suite`'
       end
     end