diff --git a/examples/playbooks/tags.yml b/examples/playbooks/tags.yml
index 95725bc259..7322f25c77 100644
--- a/examples/playbooks/tags.yml
+++ b/examples/playbooks/tags.yml
@@ -6,14 +6,27 @@
 # try this with:
 #    --tags foo
 #    --tags bar
+#    --tags extra
 #
-# note the include syntax to tag all tasks included below
-# it is a short hand over adding "tag:" to each task entry
+# the value of a 'tags:' element can be a string or list
+# of tag names.  Variables are not usable in tag names.
 
 - name: example play one
   hosts: all
   user: root
+
+  # any tags applied to the play are shorthand to applying
+  # the tag to all tasks in it.  Here, each task is given
+  # the tag extra
+
+  tags: 
+     - extra
+
   tasks:
+
+  # this task will run if you don't specify any tags,
+  # if you specify 'foo' or if you specify 'extra'
+
   - name: hi
     tags: foo
     action: shell echo "first task ran"
@@ -23,7 +36,9 @@
   user: root
   tasks:
   - name: hi
-    tags: bar
+    tags: 
+       - bar
     action: shell echo "second task ran"
   - include: tasks/base.yml tags=base
 
+
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index 9a69df9d2a..c14fabd6d4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Play(object):
        'hosts', 'name', 'vars', 'vars_prompt', 'vars_files', 
        'handlers', 'remote_user', 'remote_port',
        'sudo', 'sudo_user', 'transport', 'playbook', 
-       '_ds', '_handlers', '_tasks'
+       'tags', '_ds', '_handlers', '_tasks'
     ]
 
     # *************************************************
@@ -62,9 +62,17 @@ class Play(object):
         self.sudo        = ds.get('sudo', self.playbook.sudo)
         self.sudo_user   = ds.get('sudo_user', self.playbook.sudo_user)
         self.transport   = ds.get('connection', self.playbook.transport)
+        self.tags        = ds.get('tags', None)
         self._tasks      = self._load_tasks(self._ds, 'tasks')
         self._handlers   = self._load_tasks(self._ds, 'handlers')
 
+        if self.tags is None:
+            self.tags = []
+        elif type(self.tags) in [ str, unicode ]:
+            self.tags = [ self.tags ]
+        elif type(self.tags) != list:
+            self.tags = []
+
         if self.sudo_user != 'root':
             self.sudo = True
 
@@ -99,6 +107,11 @@ class Play(object):
                     mv = task_vars.copy()
                     mv['item'] = item
                     results.append(Task(self,y,module_vars=mv))
+
+        for x in results:
+            if self.tags is not None:
+                x.tags.extend(self.tags)
+
         return results
 
     # *************************************************