diff --git a/canopen/objectdictionary/__init__.py b/canopen/objectdictionary/__init__.py
index 40ab8fbf..de8a279f 100644
--- a/canopen/objectdictionary/__init__.py
+++ b/canopen/objectdictionary/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import copy
 import logging
 import struct
 from collections.abc import Iterator, Mapping, MutableMapping
@@ -286,10 +287,15 @@ def __getitem__(self, subindex: Union[int, str]) -> ODVariable:
             var = ODVariable(name, self.index, subindex)
             var.parent = self
             for attr in ("data_type", "unit", "factor", "min", "max", "default",
-                         "access_type", "description", "value_descriptions",
-                         "bit_definitions", "storage_location"):
+                         "access_type", "description", "storage_location"):
                 if attr in template.__dict__:
                     var.__dict__[attr] = template.__dict__[attr]
+            # Mutable containers must be copied independently to avoid shared-state
+            # mutations across generated subindex variables and the template.
+            if "value_descriptions" in template.__dict__:
+                var.value_descriptions = template.value_descriptions.copy()
+            if "bit_definitions" in template.__dict__:
+                var.bit_definitions = copy.deepcopy(template.bit_definitions)
         else:
             raise KeyError(f"Could not find subindex {pretty_index(None, subindex)}")
         return var
diff --git a/test/test_od.py b/test/test_od.py
index d6e3e984..4f6d34a0 100644
--- a/test/test_od.py
+++ b/test/test_od.py
@@ -315,6 +315,37 @@ def test_subindexes(self):
         self.assertEqual(array[2].name, "Test Variable 2")
         self.assertEqual(array[3].name, "Test Variable_3")
 
+    def _make_template_array(self):
+        array = od.ODArray("Test Array", 0x1000)
+        sub0 = od.ODVariable("Last subindex", 0x1000, 0)
+        sub0.data_type = od.UNSIGNED8
+        array.add_member(sub0)
+        template = od.ODVariable("Test Variable", 0x1000, 1)
+        template.data_type = od.UNSIGNED32
+        return array, template
+
+    def test_generated_subindex_value_descriptions_independent(self):
+        array, template = self._make_template_array()
+        template.add_value_description(1, "One")
+        array.add_member(template)
+        sub2 = array[2]
+        sub3 = array[3]
+        # Mutating one generated variable must not affect the other or the template
+        sub2.value_descriptions[2] = "Two"
+        self.assertNotIn(2, sub3.value_descriptions)
+        self.assertNotIn(2, template.value_descriptions)
+
+    def test_generated_subindex_bit_definitions_independent(self):
+        array, template = self._make_template_array()
+        template.add_bit_definition("FLAG", [0])
+        array.add_member(template)
+        sub2 = array[2]
+        sub3 = array[3]
+        # Mutating a list inside bit_definitions must not affect others
+        sub2.bit_definitions["FLAG"].append(1)
+        self.assertEqual(sub3.bit_definitions["FLAG"], [0])
+        self.assertEqual(template.bit_definitions["FLAG"], [0])
+
 
 class TestEquality(unittest.TestCase):