diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/file.py b/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/file.py
index df4a556115..aed322ccb1 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/file.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/file.py
@@ -24,13 +24,21 @@ class LookupModule(object):
     def __init__(self, basedir=None, **kwargs):
         self.basedir = basedir
 
-    def run(self, terms, **kwargs):
-        if isinstance(terms, basestring):
-            terms = [ terms ]
+    def run(self, terms, inject=None, **kwargs):
+        terms = utils.listify_lookup_plugin_terms(terms, self.basedir, inject)
         ret = []
+
+        # this can happen if the variable contains a string, strictly not desired for lookup
+        # plugins, but users may try it, so make it work.
+        if not isinstance(terms, list):
+            terms = [ terms ]
+
         for term in terms:
             path = utils.path_dwim(self.basedir, term)
             if not os.path.exists(path):
                 raise errors.AnsibleError("%s does not exist" % path)
+
             ret.append(codecs.open(path, encoding="utf8").read().rstrip())
+
+
         return ret
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/fileglob.py b/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/fileglob.py
index 70d202c987..2dd2342d26 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/fileglob.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/fileglob.py
@@ -24,18 +24,16 @@ class LookupModule(object):
     def __init__(self, basedir=None, **kwargs):
         self.basedir = basedir
 
-    def run(self, terms, **kwargs):
-        if isinstance(terms, basestring):
-            terms = [ terms ]
+    def run(self, terms, inject=None, **kwargs):
+
+        utils.listify_lookup_plugin_terms(terms, self.basedir, inject)
+
         ret = []
+
         for term in terms:
-            dwimterms = utils.path_dwim(self.basedir, term)
-            # This skips whatever prefix the dwim added, leaving just the filename for the item
-            i = -1
-            while dwimterms[i] == term[i] and -i < len(term) and -i < len(dwimterms):
-                i = i - 1
-            orig_prefix_len = i + 1
-            dwim_prefix_len = len(dwimterms) + i + 1
-            ret.extend([ term[:orig_prefix_len] + f[dwim_prefix_len:]
-                         for f in glob.glob(dwimterms) if os.path.isfile(f) ])
+
+            dwimmed = utils.path_dwim(self.basedir, term)
+            globbed = glob.glob(dwimmed)
+            ret.extend(os.path.basename(g) for g in globbed if os.path.isfile(g))
+
         return ret
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/items.py b/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/items.py
index eaf41a6719..c217521129 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/items.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/items.py
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 # along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 from ansible.utils import safe_eval
-import ansible.utils.template as template
+import ansible.utils as utils
+import ansible.errors as errors
 
 def flatten(terms):
     ret = []
@@ -33,20 +34,11 @@ class LookupModule(object):
         self.basedir = basedir
 
     def run(self, terms, inject=None, **kwargs):
-        if isinstance(terms, basestring):
-            # somewhat did:
-            #    with_items: alist
-            # OR
-            #    with_items: {{ alist }}
-            if not '{' in terms and not '[' in terms:
-                terms = '{{ %s }}' % terms
-                terms = template.template(self.basedir, terms, inject)
-            if '{' or '[' in terms:
-                # Jinja2 already evaluated a variable to a list.
-                # Jinja2-ified list needs to be converted back to a real type
-                # TODO: something a bit less heavy than eval
-                terms = safe_eval(terms)
-            terms = [ terms ]
+        terms = utils.listify_lookup_plugin_terms(terms, self.basedir, inject) 
+
+        if not isinstance(terms, list):
+            raise errors.AnsibleError("with_items expects a list")
+
         return flatten(terms)
 
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/nested.py b/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/nested.py
index 70f606adbd..f96a37d4b4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/nested.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/lookup_plugins/nested.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-import ansible.utils.template as template
+import ansible.utils as utils
 from ansible.utils import safe_eval
 import ansible.errors as errors
 
@@ -46,28 +46,13 @@ class LookupModule(object):
 
         # this code is common with 'items.py' consider moving to utils if we need it again
 
-        if isinstance(terms, basestring):
-            # someone did:
-            #    with_items: alist
-            # OR
-            #    with_items: {{ alist }}
-            if not '{' in terms and not '[' in terms:
-                terms = '{{ %s }}' % terms
-                terms = template.template(self.basedir, terms, inject)
-            if '{' or '[' in terms:
-                # Jinja2 already evaluated a variable to a list.
-                # Jinja2-ified list needs to be converted back to a real type
-                # TODO: something a bit less heavy than eval
-                terms = safe_eval(terms)
-
-        if not isinstance(terms, list):
-            raise errors.AnsibleError("a list is required for with_nested")
+        terms = utils.listify_lookup_plugin_terms(terms, self.basedir, inject)
 
         my_list = terms[:]
         my_list.reverse()
         result = []
         if len(my_list) == 0:
-            raise errors.AnsibleError("with_nested requires at least one list")
+            raise errors.AnsibleError("with_nested requires at least one element in the nested list")
         result = my_list.pop()
         while len(my_list) > 0:
             result2 = combine(result, my_list.pop())
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
index 28e1ea34e7..06ae73bf0b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import operator
 from ansible import errors
 from ansible import __version__
 from ansible.utils.plugins import *
+from ansible.utils import template
 import ansible.constants as C
 import time
 import StringIO
@@ -713,6 +714,31 @@ def safe_eval(str):
         return str
 
 
+def listify_lookup_plugin_terms(terms, basedir, inject):
+
+    if isinstance(terms, basestring):
+        print "A0"
+        # somewhat did:
+        #    with_items: alist
+        # OR
+        #    with_items: {{ alist }}
+
+        if not '{' in terms and not '[' in terms and not terms.strip().startswith("/"):
+            try:
+                terms = template.template(basedir, "{{ %s }}" % terms, inject)
+            except:
+                pass
+
+        if '{' or '[' in terms:
+            # Jinja2 already evaluated a variable to a list.
+            # Jinja2-ified list needs to be converted back to a real type
+            # TODO: something a bit less heavy than eval
+            return safe_eval(terms)
+
+        if isinstance(terms, basestring):
+            terms = [ terms ]
+
+    return terms
 
 
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/template.py b/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
index 78b6487642..8faa4f344c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ from jinja2.runtime import StrictUndefined
 import yaml
 import json
 from ansible import errors
-import ansible.utils as utils
 import ansible.constants as C
 import time
 import subprocess
@@ -41,6 +40,7 @@ _LISTRE = re.compile(r"(\w+)\[(\d+)\]")
 JINJA2_OVERRIDE='#jinja2:'
 
 def lookup(name, *args, **kwargs):
+    from ansible import utils
     instance = utils.plugins.lookup_loader.get(name.lower(), basedir=kwargs.get('basedir',None))
     if instance is not None:
         return ",".join(instance.run(*args, inject=vars, **kwargs))