DECLARE @OPENQUERY nvarchar(4000), @TSQL nvarchar(4000), @LinkedServer nvarchar(4000)SET @LinkedServer = 'MyLinkedServer'SET @OPENQUERY = 'SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY('+ @LinkedServer + ','''SET @TSQL = 'SELECT au_lname, au_id FROM pubs..authors'')' EXEC (@OPENQUERY+@TSQL)