diff --git a/homeassistant/components/script.py b/homeassistant/components/script.py
index 3557179c6eb..5f1e63f5d00 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/script.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/script.py
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ DEPENDENCIES = ["group"]
 
 CONF_SEQUENCE = "sequence"
 
+ATTR_VARIABLES = 'variables'
 ATTR_LAST_ACTION = 'last_action'
 ATTR_CAN_CANCEL = 'can_cancel'
 
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-
 _SCRIPT_ENTRY_SCHEMA = vol.Schema({
     CONF_ALIAS: cv.string,
     vol.Required(CONF_SEQUENCE): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
@@ -41,9 +41,10 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = vol.Schema({
     vol.Required(DOMAIN): {cv.slug: _SCRIPT_ENTRY_SCHEMA}
 }, extra=vol.ALLOW_EXTRA)
 
-SCRIPT_SERVICE_SCHEMA = vol.Schema({})
+SCRIPT_SERVICE_SCHEMA = vol.Schema(dict)
 SCRIPT_TURN_ONOFF_SCHEMA = vol.Schema({
     vol.Optional(ATTR_ENTITY_ID): cv.entity_ids,
+    vol.Optional(ATTR_VARIABLES): dict,
 })
 
 
@@ -52,11 +53,11 @@ def is_on(hass, entity_id):
     return hass.states.is_state(entity_id, STATE_ON)
 
 
-def turn_on(hass, entity_id):
+def turn_on(hass, entity_id, variables=None):
     """Turn script on."""
     _, object_id = split_entity_id(entity_id)
 
-    hass.services.call(DOMAIN, object_id)
+    hass.services.call(DOMAIN, object_id, variables)
 
 
 def turn_off(hass, entity_id):
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ def setup(hass, config):
         if script.is_on:
             _LOGGER.warning("Script %s already running.", entity_id)
             return
-        script.turn_on()
+        script.turn_on(variables=service.data)
 
     for object_id, cfg in config[DOMAIN].items():
         alias = cfg.get(CONF_ALIAS, object_id)
@@ -92,9 +93,9 @@ def setup(hass, config):
     def turn_on_service(service):
         """Call a service to turn script on."""
         # We could turn on script directly here, but we only want to offer
-        # one way to do it. Otherwise no easy way to call invocations.
+        # one way to do it. Otherwise no easy way to detect invocations.
         for script in component.extract_from_service(service):
-            turn_on(hass, script.entity_id)
+            turn_on(hass, script.entity_id, service.data.get(ATTR_VARIABLES))
 
     def turn_off_service(service):
         """Cancel a script."""
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ class ScriptEntity(ToggleEntity):
 
     def turn_on(self, **kwargs):
         """Turn the entity on."""
-        self.script.run()
+        self.script.run(kwargs.get(ATTR_VARIABLES))
 
     def turn_off(self, **kwargs):
         """Turn script off."""
diff --git a/tests/components/test_script.py b/tests/components/test_script.py
index 90165ada294..30cf69d7922 100644
--- a/tests/components/test_script.py
+++ b/tests/components/test_script.py
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ class TestScriptComponent(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_turn_on_service(self):
         """Verify that the turn_on service."""
         event = 'test_event'
-        calls = []
+        events = []
 
         def record_event(event):
             """Add recorded event to set."""
-            calls.append(event)
+            events.append(event)
 
         self.hass.bus.listen(event, record_event)
 
@@ -75,21 +75,21 @@ class TestScriptComponent(unittest.TestCase):
         script.turn_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID)
         self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
         self.assertTrue(script.is_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID))
-        self.assertEqual(0, len(calls))
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(events))
 
         # Calling turn_on a second time should not advance the script
         script.turn_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID)
         self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
-        self.assertEqual(0, len(calls))
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(events))
 
     def test_toggle_service(self):
         """Test the toggling of a service."""
         event = 'test_event'
-        calls = []
+        events = []
 
         def record_event(event):
             """Add recorded event to set."""
-            calls.append(event)
+            events.append(event)
 
         self.hass.bus.listen(event, record_event)
 
@@ -110,9 +110,50 @@ class TestScriptComponent(unittest.TestCase):
         script.toggle(self.hass, ENTITY_ID)
         self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
         self.assertTrue(script.is_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID))
-        self.assertEqual(0, len(calls))
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(events))
 
         script.toggle(self.hass, ENTITY_ID)
         self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
         self.assertFalse(script.is_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID))
-        self.assertEqual(0, len(calls))
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(events))
+
+    def test_passing_variables(self):
+        """Test different ways of passing in variables."""
+        calls = []
+
+        def record_call(service):
+            """Add recorded event to set."""
+            calls.append(service)
+
+        self.hass.services.register('test', 'script', record_call)
+
+        assert _setup_component(self.hass, 'script', {
+            'script': {
+                'test': {
+                    'sequence': {
+                        'service': 'test.script',
+                        'data_template': {
+                            'hello': '{{ greeting }}',
+                        },
+                    },
+                },
+            },
+        })
+
+        script.turn_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID, {
+            'greeting': 'world'
+        })
+
+        self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
+
+        assert len(calls) == 1
+        assert calls[-1].data['hello'] == 'world'
+
+        self.hass.services.call('script', 'test', {
+            'greeting': 'universe',
+        })
+
+        self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
+
+        assert len(calls) == 2
+        assert calls[-1].data['hello'] == 'universe'