diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/debug.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/debug.py
index d2c0a980ab..9882095657 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/debug.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/debug.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
                 result = dict(failed=True, msg=args['msg'])
             else:
                 result = dict(msg=args['msg'])
-        elif 'var' in args:
+        elif 'var' in args and not utils.LOOKUP_REGEX.search(args['var']):
             results = template.template(self.basedir, "{{ %s }}" % args['var'], inject)
             result[args['var']] = results
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
index 83b80ab885..5da39acab7 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
@@ -1257,7 +1257,10 @@ def listify_lookup_plugin_terms(terms, basedir, inject):
         #    with_items: {{ alist }}
 
         stripped = terms.strip()
-        if not (stripped.startswith('{') or stripped.startswith('[')) and not stripped.startswith("/") and not stripped.startswith('set(['):
+        if not (stripped.startswith('{') or stripped.startswith('[')) and \
+           not stripped.startswith("/") and \
+           not stripped.startswith('set([') and \
+           not LOOKUP_REGEX.search(terms):
             # if not already a list, get ready to evaluate with Jinja2
             # not sure why the "/" is in above code :)
             try: