diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils.py b/lib/ansible/utils.py
index 3ebf5b3846..6fefd09164 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils.py
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ def varReplace(raw, vars):
 
     return ''.join(done)
 
-_FILEPIPECRE = re.compile(r"\$(?P<special>FILE|PIPE)\{([^\}]+)\}")
+_FILEPIPECRE = re.compile(r"\$(?P<special>FILE|PIPE)\(([^\}]+)\)")
 def varReplaceFilesAndPipes(basedir, raw):
     done = [] # Completed chunks to return
 
diff --git a/test/TestUtils.py b/test/TestUtils.py
index 1f5c9b6e74..432f56f62d 100644
--- a/test/TestUtils.py
+++ b/test/TestUtils.py
@@ -214,14 +214,14 @@ class TestUtils(unittest.TestCase):
         assert res == u'hello oh great one'
 
     def test_varReplace_include(self):
-        template = 'hello $FILE{world}'
+        template = 'hello $FILE(world)'
 
         res = ansible.utils.template("test", template, {})
 
         assert res == u'hello world\n'
 
     def test_varReplace_include_script(self):
-        template = 'hello $PIPE{echo world}'
+        template = 'hello $PIPE(echo world)'
 
         res = ansible.utils.template("test", template, {})