diff --git a/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go b/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
index 74824483a..9fcf9f835 100644
--- a/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
+++ b/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
@@ -39,11 +39,13 @@ type Config struct {
 	ExtraArguments []string `mapstructure:"extra_arguments"`
 
 	// The main playbook file to execute.
-	PlaybookFile         string `mapstructure:"playbook_file"`
-	LocalPort            string `mapstructure:"local_port"`
-	SSHHostKeyFile       string `mapstructure:"ssh_host_key_file"`
-	SSHAuthorizedKeyFile string `mapstructure:"ssh_authorized_key_file"`
-	SFTPCmd              string `mapstructure:"sftp_command"`
+	PlaybookFile         string   `mapstructure:"playbook_file"`
+	Groups               []string `mapstructure:"groups"`
+	HostAlias            string   `mapstructure:"host_alias"`
+	LocalPort            string   `mapstructure:"local_port"`
+	SSHHostKeyFile       string   `mapstructure:"ssh_host_key_file"`
+	SSHAuthorizedKeyFile string   `mapstructure:"ssh_authorized_key_file"`
+	SFTPCmd              string   `mapstructure:"sftp_command"`
 	inventoryFile        string
 }
 
@@ -72,6 +74,10 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 		p.config.Command = "ansible-playbook"
 	}
 
+	if p.config.HostAlias == "" {
+		p.config.HostAlias = "default"
+	}
+
 	var errs *packer.MultiError
 	err = validateFileConfig(p.config.PlaybookFile, "playbook_file", true)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -196,9 +202,16 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Provision(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Error preparing inventory file: %s", err)
 		}
 		defer os.Remove(tf.Name())
-		inv := fmt.Sprintf("default ansible_ssh_host=127.0.0.1 ansible_ssh_user=packer-ansible ansible_ssh_port=%s", p.config.LocalPort)
-		_, err = tf.Write([]byte(inv))
-		if err != nil {
+
+		host := fmt.Sprintf("%s ansible_ssh_host=127.0.0.1 ansible_ssh_user=packer-ansible ansible_ssh_port=%s\n", p.config.HostAlias, p.config.LocalPort)
+
+		w := bufio.NewWriter(tf)
+		w.WriteString(host)
+		for _, group := range p.config.Groups {
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "[%s]\n%s", group, host)
+		}
+
+		if err := w.Flush(); err != nil {
 			tf.Close()
 			return fmt.Errorf("Error preparing inventory file: %s", err)
 		}
@@ -214,7 +227,6 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Provision(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) error {
 	}
 
 	return nil
-
 }
 
 func (p *Provisioner) Cancel() {
diff --git a/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.markdown
index 5b8127508..d4606bf1f 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.markdown
@@ -47,6 +47,13 @@ Required Parameters:
 
 Optional Parameters:
 
+- `groups` (array of strings) - The groups into which the Ansible host
+	should be placed. When unspecified, the host is not associated with any
+	groups.
+
+- `host_alias` (string) - The alias by which the Ansible host should be known.
+	Defaults to `default`.
+
 - `ssh_host_key_file` (string) - The SSH key that will be used to run the SSH
   server on the host machine to forward commands to the target machine. Ansible
   connects to this server and will validate the identity of the server using
@@ -71,7 +78,7 @@ Optional Parameters:
   should read and write on stdin and stdout, respectively. Defaults to
   `/usr/lib/sftp-server -e`.
 
-- `extra_arguments` (string) - Extra arguments to pass to Ansible.
+- `extra_arguments` (array of strings) - Extra arguments to pass to Ansible.
 
 ## Limitations