diff --git a/homeassistant/components/script.py b/homeassistant/components/script.py
index 6a07665d372..3dde6f1690e 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/script.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/script.py
@@ -67,20 +67,29 @@ def _alias_stripper(validator):
     return validate
 
 
-_DELAY_SCHEMA = {
-    vol.Required(CONF_DELAY): vol.All({
-        CONF_ALIAS: cv.string,
-        'days': vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0)),
-        'seconds': vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0)),
-        'microseconds': vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0)),
-        'milliseconds': vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0)),
-        'minutes': vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0)),
-        'hours': vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0)),
-        'weeks': vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0)),
-    }, cv.has_at_least_one_key(
-        'days', 'seconds', 'microseconds', 'milliseconds', 'minutes', 'hours',
-        'weeks'))
-}
+_TIMESPEC = vol.Schema({
+    'days': cv.positive_int,
+    'hours': cv.positive_int,
+    'minutes': cv.positive_int,
+    'seconds': cv.positive_int,
+    'milliseconds': cv.positive_int,
+})
+_TIMESPEC_REQ = cv.has_at_least_one_key(
+    'days', 'hours', 'minutes', 'seconds', 'milliseconds',
+)
+
+_DELAY_SCHEMA = vol.Any(
+    vol.Schema({
+        vol.Required(CONF_DELAY): vol.All(_TIMESPEC.extend({
+            vol.Optional(CONF_ALIAS): cv.string
+        }), _TIMESPEC_REQ)
+    }),
+    # Alternative format in case people forgot to indent after 'delay:'
+    vol.All(_TIMESPEC.extend({
+        vol.Required(CONF_DELAY): None,
+        vol.Optional(CONF_ALIAS): cv.string,
+    }), _TIMESPEC_REQ)
+)
 
 _EVENT_SCHEMA = cv.EVENT_SCHEMA.extend({
     CONF_ALIAS: cv.string,
@@ -234,7 +243,9 @@ class Script(ToggleEntity):
                         self._listener = None
                         self.turn_on()
 
-                    delay = timedelta(**action[CONF_DELAY])
+                    timespec = action[CONF_DELAY] or action.copy()
+                    timespec.pop(CONF_DELAY, None)
+                    delay = timedelta(**timespec)
                     self._listener = track_point_in_utc_time(
                         self.hass, script_delay, date_util.utcnow() + delay)
                     self._cur = cur + 1
diff --git a/homeassistant/helpers/config_validation.py b/homeassistant/helpers/config_validation.py
index ef363d2b392..44a05f926ff 100644
--- a/homeassistant/helpers/config_validation.py
+++ b/homeassistant/helpers/config_validation.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from homeassistant.util import slugify
 # Home Assistant types
 byte = vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0, max=255))
 small_float = vol.All(vol.Coerce(float), vol.Range(min=0, max=1))
+positive_int = vol.All(vol.Coerce(int), vol.Range(min=0))
 latitude = vol.All(vol.Coerce(float), vol.Range(min=-90, max=90),
                    msg='invalid latitude')
 longitude = vol.All(vol.Coerce(float), vol.Range(min=-180, max=180),
diff --git a/tests/components/test_script.py b/tests/components/test_script.py
index 74b3ce28af6..4f912dc77a0 100644
--- a/tests/components/test_script.py
+++ b/tests/components/test_script.py
@@ -206,6 +206,45 @@ class TestScript(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(2, len(calls))
 
+    def test_alt_delay(self):
+        """Test alternative delay config format."""
+        event = 'test_event'
+        calls = []
+
+        def record_event(event):
+            """Add recorded event to set."""
+            calls.append(event)
+
+        self.hass.bus.listen(event, record_event)
+
+        assert _setup_component(self.hass, 'script', {
+            'script': {
+                'test': {
+                    'sequence': [{
+                        'event': event,
+                    }, {
+                        'delay': None,
+                        'seconds': 5
+                    }, {
+                        'event': event,
+                    }]
+                }
+            }
+        })
+
+        script.turn_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID)
+        self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
+
+        self.assertTrue(script.is_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID))
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(calls))
+
+        future = dt_util.utcnow() + timedelta(seconds=5)
+        fire_time_changed(self.hass, future)
+        self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
+
+        self.assertFalse(script.is_on(self.hass, ENTITY_ID))
+        self.assertEqual(2, len(calls))
+
     def test_cancel_while_delay(self):
         """Test the cancelling while the delay is present."""
         event = 'test_event'