diff --git a/provisioner/ansible-local/provisioner.go b/provisioner/ansible-local/provisioner.go
index a25aca36c..9a5c95daa 100644
--- a/provisioner/ansible-local/provisioner.go
+++ b/provisioner/ansible-local/provisioner.go
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 		err = validateFileConfig(p.config.PlaybookFile, "playbook_file", true)
 		if err != nil {
 			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs, err)
+		} else {
+			p.playbookFiles = append(p.playbookFiles, p.config.PlaybookFile)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -197,14 +199,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Provision(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if p.config.PlaybookFile != "" {
-		ui.Message("Uploading main Playbook file...")
-		src := p.config.PlaybookFile
-		dst := filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join(p.config.StagingDir, filepath.Base(src)))
-		if err := p.uploadFile(ui, comm, dst, src); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Error uploading main playbook: %s", err)
-		}
-	} else if err := p.provisionPlaybookFiles(ui, comm); err != nil {
+	if err := p.provisionPlaybookFiles(ui, comm); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -379,13 +374,6 @@ func (p *Provisioner) executeAnsible(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) err
 		}
 	}
 
-	if p.config.PlaybookFile != "" {
-		playbookFile := filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join(p.config.StagingDir, filepath.Base(p.config.PlaybookFile)))
-		if err := p.executeAnsiblePlaybook(ui, comm, playbookFile, extraArgs, inventory); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
 	for _, playbookFile := range p.playbookFiles {
 		playbookFile = filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join(p.config.StagingDir, playbookFile))
 		if err := p.executeAnsiblePlaybook(ui, comm, playbookFile, extraArgs, inventory); err != nil {
diff --git a/provisioner/ansible-local/provisioner_test.go b/provisioner/ansible-local/provisioner_test.go
index 1b4bbe5e7..57abc0e87 100644
--- a/provisioner/ansible-local/provisioner_test.go
+++ b/provisioner/ansible-local/provisioner_test.go
@@ -117,6 +117,58 @@ func TestProvisionerPrepare_PlaybookFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestProvisionerProvision_PlaybookFile(t *testing.T) {
+	var p Provisioner
+	config := testConfig()
+
+	playbook := createTempFile("")
+	defer os.Remove(playbook)
+
+	config["playbook_file"] = playbook
+	err := p.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	comm := &communicatorMock{}
+	if err := p.Provision(&uiStub{}, comm); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	assertPlaybooksUploaded(comm, []string{playbook})
+	assertPlaybooksExecuted(comm, []string{playbook})
+}
+
+func TestProvisionerProvision_PlaybookFileWithPlaybookDir(t *testing.T) {
+	var p Provisioner
+	config := testConfig()
+
+	playbook_dir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to create playbook_dir: %s", err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(playbook_dir)
+	playbook := createTempFile(playbook_dir)
+
+	playbookName := filepath.Base(playbook)
+	playbookInPlaybookDir := strings.TrimPrefix(playbook, playbook_dir)
+
+	config["playbook_file"] = playbook
+	config["playbook_dir"] = playbook_dir
+	err = p.Prepare(config)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	comm := &communicatorMock{}
+	if err := p.Provision(&uiStub{}, comm); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	assertPlaybooksNotUploaded(comm, []string{playbookName})
+	assertPlaybooksExecuted(comm, []string{playbookInPlaybookDir})
+}
+
 func TestProvisionerProvision_PlaybookFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	var p Provisioner
 	config := testConfig()
@@ -337,7 +389,6 @@ func testProvisionerProvisionDockerWithPlaybookFiles(t *testing.T, templateStrin
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Error preparing download: %s", err)
 	}
-	defer os.Remove("hello_world")
 
 	// Add hooks so the provisioners run during the build
 	hooks := map[string][]packer.Hook{}
@@ -357,6 +408,7 @@ func testProvisionerProvisionDockerWithPlaybookFiles(t *testing.T, templateStrin
 		t.Fatalf("Error running build %s", err)
 	}
 	defer artifact.Destroy()
+	defer os.Remove("hello_world")
 
 	actualContent, err := ioutil.ReadFile("hello_world")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -386,7 +438,6 @@ func assertPlaybooksExecuted(comm *communicatorMock, playbooks []string) {
 }
 
 func assertPlaybooksUploaded(comm *communicatorMock, playbooks []string) {
-	fmt.Println(comm.uploadDestination)
 	uploadIndex := 0
 	for _, playbook := range playbooks {
 		playbook = filepath.ToSlash(playbook)