I agree. There is no reason to think this should not work. I have been down this road myself in wished it did.

From: Emacs-orgmode <emacs-orgmode-bounces+mec=stowers.org@gnu.org> On Behalf Of Ihor Radchenko
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2022 9:41 AM
To: Eros Zaupa <eroszaupa@gmail.com>
Cc: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
Subject: Re: [BUG] org-mode #+SETUPFILE not working with properties [9.5.2 (release_9.5.2-378-g98588e @ /home/eros/src/org-mode/lisp/)]

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Eros Zaupa <eroszaupa@gmail.com> writes:

> I would like to move the properties drawer to a separate file and import it
> into the main one. To do so I'm using the `#SETUPFILE` property suggested
> [here][1], but this doesn't seem to work.

Confirmed.
Though I am not 100% sure.

Org is indeed ignoring top-level property drawer when parsing
#+SETUPFILE.

Dear All,
I think that parsing top-level property drawer is simply an omission
from the time we introduced top-level property drawers into syntax.

We may either implement this support or leave things as is and document
the current behaviour.

I would be in favour of implementing top-level drawer support in
SETUPFILE, but there might be alternative opinions. WDYT?

Dear Eros Zaupa,

> ***main.org***
>
> #+SETUPFILE: test.org
>
> #+begin_src sh
> echo ${A}
> #+end_src
>
> #+RESULTS:
>
> ***test.org***
>
> :PROPERTIES:
> :header-args:sh: :var A="this is a"
> :END:

To work around your issue, you can use keyword property syntax:

***test.org***

#+PROPERTY: header-args:sh :var A="this is a"

Best,
Ihor