diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py b/lib/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py
index 2b127bb429e..3be27c47dd3 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py
@@ -88,14 +88,10 @@ class PlaybookExecutor:
 
                     if play.vars_prompt:
                         for var in play.vars_prompt:
-                            if 'name' not in var:
-                                raise AnsibleError("'vars_prompt' item is missing 'name:'", obj=play._ds)
-
                             vname     = var['name']
                             prompt    = var.get("prompt", vname)
                             default   = var.get("default", None)
                             private   = var.get("private", True)
-
                             confirm   = var.get("confirm", False)
                             encrypt   = var.get("encrypt", None)
                             salt_size = var.get("salt_size", None)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index 01847b0a5d5..53246776519 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -31,10 +31,18 @@ from ansible.playbook.helpers import load_list_of_blocks, load_list_of_roles
 from ansible.playbook.role import Role
 from ansible.playbook.taggable import Taggable
 from ansible.playbook.task import Task
+from ansible.vars import preprocess_vars
 
 
 __all__ = ['Play']
 
+try:
+    from __main__ import display
+    display = display
+except ImportError:
+    from ansible.utils.display import Display
+    display = Display()
+
 
 class Play(Base, Taggable, Become):
 
@@ -120,9 +128,6 @@ class Play(Base, Taggable, Become):
             ds['remote_user'] = ds['user']
             del ds['user']
 
-        if 'vars_prompt' in ds and not isinstance(ds['vars_prompt'], list):
-            ds['vars_prompt'] = [ ds['vars_prompt'] ]
-
         return super(Play, self).preprocess_data(ds)
 
     def _load_hosts(self, attr, ds):
@@ -191,8 +196,28 @@ class Play(Base, Taggable, Become):
             roles.append(Role.load(ri, play=self))
         return roles
 
-    # FIXME: post_validation needs to ensure that become/su/sudo have only 1 set
+    def _load_vars_prompt(self, attr, ds):
+        new_ds = preprocess_vars(ds)
+        vars_prompts = []
+        for prompt_data in new_ds:
+            if 'name' not in prompt_data:
+                self._display.deprecated("Using the 'short form' for vars_prompt has been deprecated")
+                for vname, prompt in prompt_data.iteritems():
+                    vars_prompts.append(dict(
+                        name      = vname,
+                        prompt    = prompt,
+                        default   = None,
+                        private   = None,
+                        confirm   = None,
+                        encrypt   = None,
+                        salt_size = None,
+                        salt      = None,
+                    ))
+            else:
+                vars_prompts.append(prompt_data)
+        return vars_prompts
 
+    # FIXME: post_validation needs to ensure that become/su/sudo have only 1 set
     def _compile_roles(self):
         '''
         Handles the role compilation step, returning a flat list of tasks
diff --git a/lib/ansible/vars/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/vars/__init__.py
index 0fe4b3fdb39..491b99a8046 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/vars/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/vars/__init__.py
@@ -44,6 +44,26 @@ from ansible.vars.unsafe_proxy import UnsafeProxy
 
 CACHED_VARS = dict()
 
+def preprocess_vars(a):
+    '''
+    Ensures that vars contained in the parameter passed in are
+    returned as a list of dictionaries, to ensure for instance
+    that vars loaded from a file conform to an expected state.
+    '''
+
+    if a is None:
+        return None
+    elif not isinstance(a, list):
+        data = [ a ]
+    else:
+        data = a
+
+    for item in data:
+        if not isinstance(item, MutableMapping):
+            raise AnsibleError("variable files must contain either a dictionary of variables, or a list of dictionaries. Got: %s (%s)" % (a, type(a)))
+
+    return data
+
 class VariableManager:
 
     def __init__(self):
@@ -157,14 +177,14 @@ class VariableManager:
 
             # then we merge in the special 'all' group_vars first, if they exist
             if 'all' in self._group_vars_files:
-                data = self._preprocess_vars(self._group_vars_files['all'])
+                data = preprocess_vars(self._group_vars_files['all'])
                 for item in data:
                     all_vars = combine_vars(all_vars, item)
 
             for group in host.get_groups():
                 if group.name in self._group_vars_files and group.name != 'all':
                     for data in self._group_vars_files[group.name]:
-                        data = self._preprocess_vars(data)
+                        data = preprocess_vars(data)
                         for item in data:
                             all_vars = combine_vars(all_vars, item)
 
@@ -175,7 +195,7 @@ class VariableManager:
             host_name = host.get_name()
             if host_name in self._host_vars_files:
                 for data in self._host_vars_files[host_name]:
-                    data = self._preprocess_vars(data)
+                    data = preprocess_vars(data)
                     for item in data:
                         all_vars = combine_vars(all_vars, item)
 
@@ -211,7 +231,7 @@ class VariableManager:
                     # as soon as we read one from the list. If none are found, we
                     # raise an error, which is silently ignored at this point.
                     for vars_file in vars_file_list:
-                        data = self._preprocess_vars(loader.load_from_file(vars_file))
+                        data = preprocess_vars(loader.load_from_file(vars_file))
                         if data is not None:
                             for item in data:
                                 all_vars = combine_vars(all_vars, item)