diff --git a/lib/ansible/host.py b/lib/ansible/host.py
index 5b7efea1509..ad385c0e0e5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/host.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/host.py
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ class Host(object):
         results.update(self.vars)
         results['inventory_hostname'] = self.name
         groups = self.get_groups()
-        results['group_names'] = [ g.name for g in groups if g.name != 'all']
+        results['group_names'] = sorted([ g.name for g in groups if g.name != 'all'])
         return results
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/inventory.py b/lib/ansible/inventory.py
index 7372c8b9b0d..21e11a1b47c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/inventory.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/inventory.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class Inventory(object):
             results = utils.parse_json(out)
             results['inventory_hostname'] = hostname
             groups = [ g.name for g in host.get_groups() if g.name != 'all' ]
-            results['group_names'] = groups
+            results['group_names'] = sorted(groups)
             return results
 
         host = self.get_host(hostname)
diff --git a/test/TestInventory.py b/test/TestInventory.py
index 58650cecd17..2a8930277c7 100644
--- a/test/TestInventory.py
+++ b/test/TestInventory.py
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@ class TestInventory(unittest.TestCase):
         self.cwd = os.getcwd()
         self.test_dir = os.path.join(self.cwd, 'test')
 
-        self.inventory_file = os.path.join(self.test_dir, 'simple_hosts')
-        self.inventory_script = os.path.join(self.test_dir, 'inventory_api.py')
-        self.inventory_yaml = os.path.join(self.test_dir, 'yaml_hosts')
+        self.inventory_file         = os.path.join(self.test_dir, 'simple_hosts')
+        self.complex_inventory_file = os.path.join(self.test_dir, 'complex_hosts')
+        self.inventory_script       = os.path.join(self.test_dir, 'inventory_api.py')
+        self.inventory_yaml         = os.path.join(self.test_dir, 'yaml_hosts')
 
         os.chmod(self.inventory_script, 0755)
 
@@ -28,16 +29,20 @@ class TestInventory(unittest.TestCase):
         assert left == right
 
 
-    ### Simple inventory format tests
-
     def simple_inventory(self):
-        return Inventory( self.inventory_file )
+        return Inventory(self.inventory_file)
 
     def script_inventory(self):
-        return Inventory( self.inventory_script )
+        return Inventory(self.inventory_script)
 
     def yaml_inventory(self):
-        return Inventory( self.inventory_yaml )
+        return Inventory(self.inventory_yaml)
+
+    def complex_inventory(self):
+        return Inventory(self.complex_inventory_file)
+
+    #####################################
+    ### Simple inventory format tests
 
     def test_simple(self):
         inventory = self.simple_inventory()
@@ -113,6 +118,27 @@ class TestInventory(unittest.TestCase):
         print expected
         assert vars == expected
 
+    ###################################################
+    ### INI file advanced tests
+
+    def test_complex_vars(self):
+        inventory = self.complex_inventory()
+
+        vars = inventory.get_variables('rtp_a')
+        print vars
+
+        expected = dict(
+            a='1', b='2', c='3', d='100002', 
+            inventory_hostname='rtp_a', 
+            group_names=[ 'eastcoast', 'nc', 'rtp', 'us' ]
+        )
+        print vars
+        print expected
+        assert vars == expected
+
+
+
+    ###################################################
     ### Inventory API tests
 
     def test_script(self):
diff --git a/test/complex_hosts b/test/complex_hosts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..24bdbf1b966
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/complex_hosts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+# order of groups, children, and vars is not signficant
+# so this example mixes them up for maximum testing
+
+[nc:children]
+rtp
+triangle
+
+[eastcoast:children]
+nc
+florida
+
+[us:children]
+eastcoast
+
+[nc:vars]
+b=10000
+c=10001
+d=10002
+
+[rtp]
+rtp_a
+rtp_b
+rtb_c
+
+[rtp:vars]
+a=1
+b=2
+c=3
+
+[triangle]
+tri_a
+tri_b
+tri_c
+
+[triangle:vars]
+a=11
+b=12
+c=13
+
+[florida]
+orlando
+miami
+
+[florida:vars]
+a=100
+b=101
+c=102
+
+
+[eastcoast:vars]
+b=100000
+c=100001
+d=100002
+
+[us:vars]
+c=1000000
+
+