diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index 67638e19b92..afff26071ea 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ from ansible.module_common import ModuleReplacer
 from ansible.module_utils.splitter import split_args
 from ansible.cache import FactCache
 from ansible.utils import update_hash
-from ansible.utils import OMIT_PLACE_HOLDER
 
 module_replacer = ModuleReplacer(strip_comments=False)
 
@@ -629,13 +628,8 @@ class Runner(object):
         inject['vars']        = self.module_vars
         inject['defaults']    = self.default_vars
         inject['environment'] = self.environment
-<<<<<<< HEAD
         inject['playbook_dir'] = os.path.abspath(self.basedir)
-        inject['omit']        = OMIT_PLACE_HOLDER
-=======
-        inject['playbook_dir'] = self.basedir
         inject['omit']        = self.omit_token
->>>>>>> Additional fixes for the new omit parameter variable
 
         # template this one is available, callbacks use this
         delegate_to = self.module_vars.get('delegate_to')
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
index a2500c407df..aa0a1b8ee71 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
@@ -545,6 +545,18 @@ def parse_json(raw_data, from_remote=False, from_inventory=False):
 
     return results
 
+def serialize_args(args):
+    '''
+    Flattens a dictionary args to a k=v string
+    '''
+    module_args = ""
+    for (k,v) in args.iteritems():
+        if isinstance(v, basestring):
+            module_args = "%s=%s %s" % (k, pipes.quote(v), module_args)
+        elif isinstance(v, bool):
+            module_args = "%s=%s %s" % (k, str(v), module_args)
+    return module_args.strip()
+
 def merge_module_args(current_args, new_args):
     '''
     merges either a dictionary or string of k=v pairs with another string of k=v pairs,
@@ -559,14 +571,7 @@ def merge_module_args(current_args, new_args):
     elif isinstance(new_args, basestring):
         new_args_kv = parse_kv(new_args)
         final_args.update(new_args_kv)
-    # then we re-assemble into a string
-    module_args = ""
-    for (k,v) in final_args.iteritems():
-        if isinstance(v, basestring):
-            module_args = "%s=%s %s" % (k, pipes.quote(v), module_args)
-        elif isinstance(v, bool):
-            module_args = "%s=%s %s" % (k, str(v), module_args)
-    return module_args.strip()
+    return serialize_args(final_args)
 
 def parse_yaml(data, path_hint=None):
     ''' convert a yaml string to a data structure.  Also supports JSON, ssssssh!!!'''