diff --git a/v2/ansible/parsing/__init__.py b/v2/ansible/parsing/__init__.py
index 69b4aacd2cc..bc2a000f8b3 100644
--- a/v2/ansible/parsing/__init__.py
+++ b/v2/ansible/parsing/__init__.py
@@ -23,23 +23,23 @@ import json
 
 from yaml import YAMLError
 
-from ansible.errors import AnsibleError, AnsibleInternalError
+from ansible.errors import AnsibleParserError, AnsibleInternalError
 from ansible.parsing.vault import VaultLib
 from ansible.parsing.yaml import safe_load
 
-
 def load(data):
 
-    if isinstance(data, file):
-        fd = open(f)
-        data = fd.read()
-        fd.close()
+    if hasattr(data, 'read') and hasattr(data.read, '__call__'):
+        data = data.read()
 
     if isinstance(data, basestring):
         try:
-            return json.loads(data)
+            try:
+                return json.loads(data)
+            except:
+                return safe_load(data)
         except:
-            return safe_load(data)
+            raise AnsibleParserError("data was not valid yaml")
 
     raise AnsibleInternalError("expected file or string, got %s" % type(data))
 
diff --git a/v2/test/parsing/test_general.py b/v2/test/parsing/test_general.py
index 1d1c5ddc227..b06038a5884 100644
--- a/v2/test/parsing/test_general.py
+++ b/v2/test/parsing/test_general.py
@@ -20,10 +20,11 @@ from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
 from ansible.compat.tests import unittest
-from ansible.errors import AnsibleParserError
+from ansible.errors import AnsibleInternalError, AnsibleParserError
 from ansible.parsing import load
 
 import json
+import yaml
 
 from io import FileIO
 
@@ -34,13 +35,14 @@ class MockFile(FileIO):
         self.method = method
 
     def read(self):
-        if method == 'json':
-            return json.dumps(ds)
-        elif method == 'yaml':
-            return yaml.dumps(ds)
-        elif method == 'fail':
+        if self.method == 'json':
+            return json.dumps(self.ds)
+        elif self.method == 'yaml':
+            return yaml.dump(self.ds)
+        elif self.method == 'fail':
             return """
-            AAARGGGGH
+            AAARGGGGH:
+                *****
                THIS WON'T PARSE !!!
                   NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
             """
@@ -51,56 +53,52 @@ class MockFile(FileIO):
         pass
 
 class TestGeneralParsing(unittest.TestCase):
-
-    def __init__(self):
-        pass
-
     def setUp(self):
         pass
 
     def tearDown(self):
         pass
 
-    def parse_json_from_string(self):
-        input = """
+    def test_parse_json_from_string(self):
+        data = """
         {
             "asdf" : "1234",
             "jkl" : 5678
         }
         """
-        output = load_data(input)
+        output = load(data)
         self.assertEqual(output['asdf'], '1234')
         self.assertEqual(output['jkl'], 5678)
 
-    def parse_json_from_file(self):
-        output = load_data(MockFile(dict(a=1,b=2,c=3)),'json')
-        self.assertEqual(ouput, dict(a=1,b=2,c=3))
+    def test_parse_json_from_file(self):
+        output = load(MockFile(dict(a=1,b=2,c=3), 'json'))
+        self.assertEqual(output, dict(a=1,b=2,c=3))
 
-    def parse_yaml_from_dict(self):
-        input = """
+    def test_parse_yaml_from_dict(self):
+        data = """
         asdf: '1234'
         jkl: 5678
         """
-        output = load_data(input)
+        output = load(data)
         self.assertEqual(output['asdf'], '1234')
         self.assertEqual(output['jkl'], 5678)
 
-    def parse_yaml_from_file(self):
-        output = load_data(MockFile(dict(a=1,b=2,c=3),'yaml'))
+    def test_parse_yaml_from_file(self):
+        output = load(MockFile(dict(a=1,b=2,c=3),'yaml'))
         self.assertEqual(output, dict(a=1,b=2,c=3))
 
-    def parse_fail(self):
-        input = """
-        TEXT
+    def test_parse_fail(self):
+        data = """
+        TEXT:
             ***
                NOT VALID
         """
-        self.assertRaises(load_data(input), AnsibleParserError)
+        self.assertRaises(AnsibleParserError, load, data)
 
-    def parse_fail_from_file(self):
-        self.assertRaises(load_data(MockFile(None,'fail')), AnsibleParserError)
+    def test_parse_fail_from_file(self):
+        self.assertRaises(AnsibleParserError, load, MockFile(None,'fail'))
 
-    def parse_fail_invalid_type(self):
-        self.assertRaises(3000, AnsibleParsingError)
-        self.assertRaises(dict(a=1,b=2,c=3), AnsibleParserError)
+    def test_parse_fail_invalid_type(self):
+        self.assertRaises(AnsibleInternalError, load, 3000)
+        self.assertRaises(AnsibleInternalError, load, dict(a=1,b=2,c=3))