diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index 15845c6929a..69c062e205b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -673,12 +673,11 @@ class Runner(object):
 
         # Then we selectively merge some variable dictionaries down to a
         # single dictionary, used to template the HostVars for this host
-        temp_vars = self.inventory.get_variables(host, vault_password=self.vault_pass)
-        temp_vars = utils.combine_vars(temp_vars, inject['combined_cache'])
+        temp_vars = inject['combined_cache']
+        temp_vars = utils.combine_vars(temp_vars, {'groups': inject['groups']})
         temp_vars = utils.combine_vars(temp_vars, self.play_vars)
         temp_vars = utils.combine_vars(temp_vars, self.play_file_vars)
         temp_vars = utils.combine_vars(temp_vars, self.extra_vars)
-        temp_vars = utils.combine_vars(temp_vars, {'groups': inject['groups']})
 
         hostvars = HostVars(temp_vars, self.inventory, vault_password=self.vault_pass)