diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
index 1fb7b6f9e6d..dadf4d57820 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
@@ -254,6 +254,28 @@ def parse_json(raw_data):
             return { "failed" : True, "parsed" : False, "msg" : orig_data }
         return results
 
+def preprocess_yaml(data):
+
+    # allow the following casual user error:
+    #    bar: {{ baz }}
+    # instead of bar: '{{ baz }}'
+    # (commander-API should auto-quote these in similar ways on save/load)
+
+    new_lines = []
+    lines = data.split("\n")
+    for line in lines:
+        if line.find("{{") != -1 and line.find(":") != -1:
+            tokens = line.split(":",1)
+            if tokens[1].strip().startswith("{{"):
+                new_line = "%s: '%s'" % (tokens[0], tokens[1])
+            else:
+                new_line = line                  
+            new_lines.append(new_line)
+        else:
+            new_lines.append(line)
+    result = "\n".join(new_lines)
+    return result
+
 def parse_yaml(data):
     ''' convert a yaml string to a data structure '''
     return yaml.safe_load(data)
@@ -288,6 +310,7 @@ def parse_yaml_from_file(path):
 
     try:
         data = file(path).read()
+        data = preprocess_yaml(data)
         return parse_yaml(data)
     except IOError:
         raise errors.AnsibleError("file not found: %s" % path)