diff --git a/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py b/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
index a52d4e15cb..03d7ccffe9 100644
--- a/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
+++ b/awx/main/management/commands/inventory_import.py
@@ -619,7 +619,13 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
             if group_name in existing_group_names:
                 continue
             mem_group = self.all_group.all_groups[group_name]
-            group = self.inventory.groups.update_or_create(name=group_name, defaults={'variables':json.dumps(mem_group.variables), 'description':'imported'})[0]
+            group = self.inventory.groups.update_or_create(
+                name=group_name,
+                defaults={
+                    'variables':json.dumps(mem_group.variables),
+                    'description':'imported'
+                }
+            )[0]
             logger.info('Group "%s" added', group.name)
             self._batch_add_m2m(self.inventory_source.groups, group)
         self._batch_add_m2m(self.inventory_source.groups, flush=True)
@@ -748,8 +754,7 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
             if self.instance_id_var:
                 instance_id = self._get_instance_id(mem_host.variables)
                 host_attrs['instance_id'] = instance_id
-            db_host = self.inventory.hosts.update_or_create(name=mem_host_name,
-                                                            defaults={'variables':host_attrs['variables'], 'description':host_attrs['description']})[0]
+            db_host = self.inventory.hosts.update_or_create(name=mem_host_name, defaults=host_attrs)[0]
             if enabled is False:
                 logger.info('Host "%s" added (disabled)', mem_host_name)
             else: