diff --git a/lib/ansible/inventory.py b/lib/ansible/inventory.py
index 46a5edb589a..05f8001fb12 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/inventory.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/inventory.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class Inventory(object):
         """ Return the variables associated with this host. """
 
         if host in self._variables:
-            return self._variables[host]
+            return self._variables[host].copy()
 
         if not self._is_script:
             return {}
diff --git a/test/TestInventory.py b/test/TestInventory.py
index 21cccf5fe89..4f48db14f65 100644
--- a/test/TestInventory.py
+++ b/test/TestInventory.py
@@ -219,6 +219,15 @@ class TestInventory(unittest.TestCase):
 
         assert vars == {"hammer":True}
 
+    def test_yaml_change_vars(self):
+        inventory = self.yaml_inventory()
+        vars = inventory.get_variables('thor')
+
+        vars["hammer"] = False
+
+        vars = inventory.get_variables('thor')
+        assert vars == {"hammer":True}
+
     def test_yaml_host_vars(self):
         inventory = self.yaml_inventory()
         vars = inventory.get_variables('saturn')