diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 77278c2..0180d86 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ classifiers = [
 requires-python = ">=3.9"
 dependencies = [
   "aiohttp[speedups]~=3.8",
-  "gql[aiohttp,requests]>=3.5.1,<5",
+  "gql[aiohttp,requests]>=4,<5",
   "pyjwt[crypto]~=2.8",
   "requests~=2.31",
 ]
diff --git a/src/simple_github/client.py b/src/simple_github/client.py
index d2e1d5c..13b59f8 100644
--- a/src/simple_github/client.py
+++ b/src/simple_github/client.py
@@ -208,7 +208,9 @@ def execute(self, query: str, variables: RequestData = None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             Dict: The result of the executed query.
         """
         session = self._get_gql_session()
-        return session.execute(gql(query), variable_values=variables)
+        gql_query = gql(query)
+        gql_query.variable_values = variables
+        return session.execute(gql_query)
 
 
 class AsyncClient(Client):
@@ -350,4 +352,6 @@ async def execute(
             Dict: The result of the executed query.
         """
         session = await self._get_gql_session()
-        return await session.execute(gql(query), variable_values=variables)
+        gql_query = gql(query)
+        gql_query.variable_values = variables
+        return await session.execute(gql_query)
diff --git a/test/test_client.py b/test/test_client.py
index d163964..3c372f3 100644
--- a/test/test_client.py
+++ b/test/test_client.py
@@ -219,17 +219,41 @@ def test_sync_client_rest_with_text(responses, sync_client):
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_async_client_graphql(aioresponses, async_client):
     client = async_client
+
     aioresponses.post(
-        GITHUB_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT, status=200, payload={"data": {"foo": "bar"}}
+        GITHUB_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT,
+        status=200,
+        payload={"data": {"foo": "bar"}},
     )
     query = "query { viewer { login }}"
     result = await client.execute(query)
     assert result == {"foo": "bar"}
 
+    aioresponses.post(
+        GITHUB_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT,
+        status=200,
+        payload={"data": {"user": {"email": "octocat@github.com"}}},
+    )
+    query = "query($user:String!) { user(login: $user) { email }}"
+    variables = {"user": "octocat"}
+    result = await client.execute(query, variables)
+    assert result == {"user": {"email": "octocat@github.com"}}
+
 
 def test_sync_client_graphql(responses, sync_client):
     client = sync_client
+
     responses.post(GITHUB_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT, status=200, json={"data": {"foo": "bar"}})
     query = "query { viewer { login }}"
     result = client.execute(query)
     assert result == {"foo": "bar"}
+
+    responses.post(
+        GITHUB_GRAPHQL_ENDPOINT,
+        status=200,
+        json={"data": {"user": {"email": "octocat@github.com"}}},
+    )
+    query = "query($user:String!) { user(login: $user) { email }}"
+    variables = {"user": "octocat"}
+    result = client.execute(query, variables)
+    assert result == {"user": {"email": "octocat@github.com"}}
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 3d625d7..ef3de5e 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -1616,7 +1616,7 @@ dev = [
 [package.metadata]
 requires-dist = [
     { name = "aiohttp", extras = ["speedups"], specifier = "~=3.8" },
-    { name = "gql", extras = ["aiohttp", "requests"], specifier = ">=3.5.1,<5" },
+    { name = "gql", extras = ["aiohttp", "requests"], specifier = ">=4,<5" },
     { name = "pyjwt", extras = ["crypto"], specifier = "~=2.8" },
     { name = "requests", specifier = "~=2.31" },
 ]