diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/add_host.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/add_host.py
index 2fcea6cd5c..72172fcaec 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/add_host.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/add_host.py
@@ -69,12 +69,6 @@ class ActionModule(object):
             inventory._hosts_cache[new_name] = new_host
             allgroup.add_host(new_host)
 
-        # Add any variables to the new_host
-        for k in args.keys():
-            if not k in [ 'name', 'hostname', 'groupname', 'groups' ]:
-                new_host.set_variable(k, args[k])
-
-
         groupnames = args.get('groupname', args.get('groups', args.get('group', '')))
         # add it to the group if that was specified
         if groupnames:
@@ -100,6 +94,11 @@ class ActionModule(object):
         # actually load host vars
         new_host.vars = inventory.get_host_variables(new_name, update_cached=True, vault_password=inventory._vault_password)
 
+        # Add any passed variables to the new_host
+        for k in args.keys():
+            if not k in [ 'name', 'hostname', 'groupname', 'groups' ]:
+                new_host.set_variable(k, args[k])
+
         result['new_host'] = new_name
 
         # clear pattern caching completely since it's unpredictable what
diff --git a/test/integration/unicode.yml b/test/integration/unicode.yml
index 2889155055..6dca7fe490 100644
--- a/test/integration/unicode.yml
+++ b/test/integration/unicode.yml
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@
       debug: var=unicode_host_var
 
 
+- name: 'A play for hosts in group: ĪīĬĭ'
+  hosts: 'ĪīĬĭ'
+  gather_facts: false
+  tasks:
+    - debug: var=hostvars[inventory_hostname]
+
 - name: 'A play for hosts in group: ĪīĬĭ'
   hosts: 'ĪīĬĭ'
   gather_facts: true