diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index 15d103ab63..90435b5807 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class Play(object):
         self._tasks       = ds.get('tasks', [])
         self._handlers    = ds.get('handlers', [])
         self.remote_user  = utils.template(basedir, ds.get('user', self.playbook.remote_user), self.vars)
-        self.remote_port  = utils.template(basedir, ds.get('port', self.playbook.remote_port), self.vars)
+        self.remote_port  = ds.get('port', self.playbook.remote_port)
         self.sudo         = ds.get('sudo', self.playbook.sudo)
         self.sudo_user    = utils.template(basedir, ds.get('sudo_user', self.playbook.sudo_user), self.vars)
         self.transport    = ds.get('connection', self.playbook.transport)
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ class Play(object):
         self.gather_facts = ds.get('gather_facts', None)
         self.serial       = ds.get('serial', 0)
 
+        if self.remote_port is not None:
+            self.remote_port = utils.template(basedir, self.remote_port, self.vars)
+
         self._update_vars_files_for_host(None)
 
         self._tasks      = self._load_tasks(self._ds, 'tasks')