diff --git a/awx/api/templates/api/system_job_template_launch.md b/awx/api/templates/api/system_job_template_launch.md
index a50e3fdae3..3a5d2d3b7a 100644
--- a/awx/api/templates/api/system_job_template_launch.md
+++ b/awx/api/templates/api/system_job_template_launch.md
@@ -8,16 +8,20 @@ on the host system via the `tower-manage` command.
 
 For example on `cleanup_jobs` and `cleanup_activitystream`:
 
-`{"days": 30}`
+`{"extra_vars": {"days": 30}}`
 
 Which will act on data older than 30 days.
 
 For `cleanup_facts`:
 
-`{"older_than": "4w", "granularity": "3d"}`
+`{"extra_vars": {"older_than": "4w", "granularity": "3d"}}`
 
 Which will reduce the granularity of scan data to one scan per 3 days when the data is older than 4w.
 
+For `cleanup_activitystream` and `cleanup_jobs` commands, providing
+`"dry_run": true` inside of `extra_vars` will show items that will be
+removed without deleting them.
+
 Each individual system job task has its own default values, which are
 applicable either when running it from the command line or launching its
 system job template with empty `extra_vars`.
diff --git a/awx/main/tasks.py b/awx/main/tasks.py
index e9205f4187..194cc3c837 100644
--- a/awx/main/tasks.py
+++ b/awx/main/tasks.py
@@ -1914,6 +1914,8 @@ class RunSystemJob(BaseTask):
             json_vars = json.loads(system_job.extra_vars)
             if 'days' in json_vars and system_job.job_type != 'cleanup_facts':
                 args.extend(['--days', str(json_vars.get('days', 60))])
+            if 'dry_run' in json_vars and json_vars['dry_run'] and system_job.job_type != 'cleanup_facts':
+                args.extend(['--dry-run'])
             if system_job.job_type == 'cleanup_jobs':
                 args.extend(['--jobs', '--project-updates', '--inventory-updates',
                              '--management-jobs', '--ad-hoc-commands', '--workflow-jobs',