diff --git a/tests/base.py b/tests/base.py
index 70889bb..96491f9 100755
--- a/tests/base.py
+++ b/tests/base.py
@@ -1325,7 +1325,7 @@
                 host['host_vars']['ansible_connection'] = 'local'
 
         hosts.append(dict(
-            name=['localhost'],
+            name='localhost',
             host_vars=dict(ansible_connection='local'),
             host_keys=[]))
         return hosts
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-hostvars.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-hostvars.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36e0eca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/playbooks/check-hostvars.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+- hosts: host1
+  tasks:
+    - name: Assert hostvar is present.
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - allvar == 'all'
+          - hostvar == 'host'
+          - groupvar is not defined
+
+- hosts: host2
+  tasks:
+    - name: Assert groupvar is present.
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - allvar == 'all'
+          - hostvar is not defined
+          - groupvar == 'group'
+
+- hosts: host3
+  tasks:
+    - name: Assert groupvar is present.
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - allvar == 'all'
+          - hostvar is not defined
+          - groupvar == 'group'
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/zuul.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/zuul.yaml
index d0a8f7b..7637a08 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/zuul.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/common-config/zuul.yaml
@@ -115,6 +115,32 @@
 
 - job:
     parent: python27
+    name: check-hostvars
+    run: playbooks/check-hostvars.yaml
+    nodeset:
+      nodes:
+        - name: host1
+          label: ubuntu-xenial
+        - name: host2
+          label: ubuntu-xenial
+        - name: host3
+          label: ubuntu-xenial
+      groups:
+        - name: group1
+          nodes:
+            - host2
+            - host3
+    vars:
+      allvar: all
+    host_vars:
+      host1:
+        hostvar: host
+    group_vars:
+      group1:
+        groupvar: group
+
+- job:
+    parent: python27
     name: check-secret-names
     run: playbooks/check-secret-names.yaml
     nodeset:
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/org_project/.zuul.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/org_project/.zuul.yaml
index 447f6cd..142625f 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/org_project/.zuul.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/ansible/git/org_project/.zuul.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
         - python27
         - faillocal
         - check-vars
+        - check-hostvars
         - check-secret-names
         - timeout
         - hello-world
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_executor.py b/tests/unit/test_executor.py
index 46e1d99..c67eb55 100755
--- a/tests/unit/test_executor.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_executor.py
@@ -425,12 +425,14 @@
         node = {'name': 'fake-host',
                 'host_keys': ['fake-host-key'],
                 'interface_ip': 'localhost'}
-        keys = self.test_job.getHostList({'nodes': [node]})[0]['host_keys']
+        keys = self.test_job.getHostList({'nodes': [node],
+                                          'host_vars': {}})[0]['host_keys']
         self.assertEqual(keys[0], 'localhost fake-host-key')
 
         # Test with custom connection_port set
         node['connection_port'] = 22022
-        keys = self.test_job.getHostList({'nodes': [node]})[0]['host_keys']
+        keys = self.test_job.getHostList({'nodes': [node],
+                                          'host_vars': {}})[0]['host_keys']
         self.assertEqual(keys[0], '[localhost]:22022 fake-host-key')