diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
index 3f9130e153..b8bc24b059 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/__init__.py
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ class PlayBook(object):
             remote_pass=self.remote_pass, module_path=self.module_path,
             timeout=self.timeout, remote_user=task.play.remote_user,
             remote_port=task.play.remote_port, module_vars=task.module_vars,
-            private_key_file=self.private_key_file,
+            default_vars=task.default_vars, private_key_file=self.private_key_file,
             setup_cache=self.SETUP_CACHE, basedir=task.play.basedir,
             conditional=task.only_if, callbacks=self.runner_callbacks,
             sudo=task.sudo, sudo_user=task.sudo_user,
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ class PlayBook(object):
             remote_pass=self.remote_pass, remote_port=play.remote_port, private_key_file=self.private_key_file,
             setup_cache=self.SETUP_CACHE, callbacks=self.runner_callbacks, sudo=play.sudo, sudo_user=play.sudo_user,
             transport=play.transport, sudo_pass=self.sudo_pass, is_playbook=True, module_vars=play.vars,
-            check=self.check, diff=self.diff
+            default_vars=play.default_vars, check=self.check, diff=self.diff
         ).run()
         self.stats.compute(setup_results, setup=True)
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index d204980b9d..68563d655a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import os
 class Play(object):
 
     __slots__ = [
-       'hosts', 'name', 'vars', 'vars_prompt', 'vars_files',
+       'hosts', 'name', 'vars', 'default_vars', 'vars_prompt', 'vars_files',
        'handlers', 'remote_user', 'remote_port',
        'sudo', 'sudo_user', 'transport', 'playbook',
        'tags', 'gather_facts', 'serial', '_ds', '_handlers', '_tasks',
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class Play(object):
             self.tags = []
 
         ds = self._load_roles(self.roles, ds)
-        self.vars_files       = ds.get('vars_files', [])
+        self.vars_files = ds.get('vars_files', [])
 
         self._update_vars_files_for_host(None)
 
@@ -295,10 +295,7 @@ class Play(object):
         ds['handlers'] = new_handlers
         ds['vars_files'] = new_vars_files
 
-        defaults = self._load_role_defaults(defaults_files)
-        # merge default vars with self.vars, with vars taking precedence.
-        if defaults:
-            self.vars = utils.combine_vars(defaults, self.vars)
+        self.default_vars = self._load_role_defaults(defaults_files)
 
         return ds
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index a4f4911fba..6ff409eab0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class Task(object):
 
     __slots__ = [
         'name', 'meta', 'action', 'only_if', 'when', 'async_seconds', 'async_poll_interval',
-        'notify', 'module_name', 'module_args', 'module_vars',
+        'notify', 'module_name', 'module_args', 'module_vars', 'default_vars',
         'play', 'notified_by', 'tags', 'register',
         'delegate_to', 'first_available_file', 'ignore_errors',
         'local_action', 'transport', 'sudo', 'sudo_user', 'sudo_pass',
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@ class Task(object):
             elif not x in Task.VALID_KEYS:
                 raise errors.AnsibleError("%s is not a legal parameter in an Ansible task or handler" % x)
 
-        self.module_vars = module_vars
-        self.play        = play
+        self.module_vars  = module_vars
+        self.play         = play
+        self.default_vars = play.default_vars
 
         # load various attributes
         self.name         = ds.get('name', None)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index 45e6cb8d07..63e99c7a94 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         sudo=False,                         # whether to run sudo or not
         sudo_user=C.DEFAULT_SUDO_USER,      # ex: 'root'
         module_vars=None,                   # a playbooks internals thing
+        default_vars=None,                  # ditto
         is_playbook=False,                  # running from playbook or not?
         inventory=None,                     # reference to Inventory object
         subset=None,                        # subset pattern
@@ -159,6 +160,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         self.inventory        = utils.default(inventory, lambda: ansible.inventory.Inventory(host_list))
 
         self.module_vars      = utils.default(module_vars, lambda: {})
+        self.default_vars     = utils.default(default_vars, lambda: {})
         self.always_run       = None
         self.connector        = connection.Connection(self)
         self.conditional      = conditional
@@ -405,6 +407,7 @@ class Runner(object):
             port = self.remote_port
 
         inject = {}
+        inject = utils.combine_vars(inject, self.default_vars)
         inject = utils.combine_vars(inject, host_variables)
         inject = utils.combine_vars(inject, self.module_vars)
         inject = utils.combine_vars(inject, self.setup_cache[host])
@@ -413,6 +416,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         inject['group_names'] = host_variables.get('group_names', [])
         inject['groups']      = self.inventory.groups_list()
         inject['vars']        = self.module_vars
+        inject['defaults']    = self.default_vars
         inject['environment'] = self.environment
 
         if self.inventory.basedir() is not None: