diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook.py b/lib/ansible/playbook.py
index 282f2828ef..333e2278a9 100755
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ from ansible import errors
 import yaml
 import shlex
 import os
-import jinja2
 import time
 
 # used to transfer variables to Runner
@@ -111,19 +110,15 @@ class PlayBook(object):
             if x.find("=") != -1:
                 (k,v) = x.split("=")
                 inject_vars[k] = v
-            included = file(path).read()
-            template = jinja2.Template(included)
-            included = template.render(inject_vars)
+            included = utils.template_from_file(path, inject_vars)
             included = yaml.load(included)
             for x in included:
                 new_tasks.append(x)
 
     def _include_handlers(self, play, handler, dirname, new_handlers):
         path = utils.path_dwim(dirname, handler['include'])
-        included = file(path).read()
         inject_vars = self._get_vars(play, dirname)
-        template = jinja2.Template(included)
-        included = template.render(inject_vars)
+        included = utils.template_from_file(path, inject_vars)
         included = yaml.load(included)
         for x in included:
             new_handlers.append(x)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner.py b/lib/ansible/runner.py
index f423ac2680..6698aa569f 100755
--- a/lib/ansible/runner.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import signal
 import os
 import Queue
 import random
-import jinja2
 import traceback
 import tempfile
 import subprocess
@@ -326,8 +325,7 @@ class Runner(object):
             else:
                 args = "%s metadata=~/.ansible/setup" % args
 
-        template = jinja2.Template(args)
-        args = template.render(inject_vars)
+        args = utils.template(args, inject_vars)
 
         argsfile = self._transfer_argsfile(conn, tmp, args)
         if async_jid is None:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils.py b/lib/ansible/utils.py
index 993762e6e7..396f63298d 100755
--- a/lib/ansible/utils.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils.py
@@ -20,13 +20,15 @@
 import sys
 import os
 import shlex
-from ansible import errors
+import jinja2
 
 try:
     import json
 except ImportError:
     import simplejson as json
 
+from ansible import errors
+
 ###############################################################
 # UTILITY FUNCTIONS FOR COMMAND LINE TOOLS
 ###############################################################
@@ -222,4 +224,15 @@ def parse_json(data):
             return { "failed" : True, "parsed" : False, "msg" : data }
         return results
 
+def template(text, vars):
+    ''' run a text buffer through the templating engine '''
+    template = jinja2.Template(text)
+    return template.render(vars)
+
+def template_from_file(path, vars):
+    ''' run a file through the templating engine '''
+    data = file(path).read()
+    return template(data, vars)
+  
+