diff --git a/homeassistant/helpers/config_validation.py b/homeassistant/helpers/config_validation.py
index 923d071231a..51684e5f1cd 100644
--- a/homeassistant/helpers/config_validation.py
+++ b/homeassistant/helpers/config_validation.py
@@ -231,8 +231,8 @@ EVENT_SCHEMA = vol.Schema({
 
 SERVICE_SCHEMA = vol.All(vol.Schema({
     vol.Exclusive('service', 'service name'): service,
-    vol.Exclusive('service_template', 'service name'): string,
-    vol.Exclusive('data', 'service data'): dict,
-    vol.Exclusive('data_template', 'service data'): {match_all: template},
-    'entity_id': entity_ids,
+    vol.Exclusive('service_template', 'service name'): template,
+    vol.Optional('data'): dict,
+    vol.Optional('data_template'): {match_all: template},
+    vol.Optional('entity_id'): entity_ids,
 }), has_at_least_one_key('service', 'service_template'))
diff --git a/homeassistant/helpers/service.py b/homeassistant/helpers/service.py
index 8f366352532..8b89d856c50 100644
--- a/homeassistant/helpers/service.py
+++ b/homeassistant/helpers/service.py
@@ -2,9 +2,13 @@
 import functools
 import logging
 
+import voluptuous as vol
+
 from homeassistant.const import ATTR_ENTITY_ID
+from homeassistant.exceptions import TemplateError
 from homeassistant.helpers import template
 from homeassistant.loader import get_component
+import homeassistant.helpers.config_validation as cv
 
 HASS = None
 
@@ -28,47 +32,38 @@ def service(domain, service_name):
     return register_service_decorator
 
 
-def call_from_config(hass, config, blocking=False):
+def call_from_config(hass, config, blocking=False, variables=None):
     """Call a service based on a config hash."""
-    validation_error = validate_service_call(config)
-    if validation_error:
-        _LOGGER.error(validation_error)
-        return
-
-    domain_service = (
-        config[CONF_SERVICE]
-        if CONF_SERVICE in config
-        else template.render(hass, config[CONF_SERVICE_TEMPLATE]))
-
     try:
-        domain, service_name = domain_service.split('.', 1)
-    except ValueError:
-        _LOGGER.error('Invalid service specified: %s', domain_service)
+        config = cv.SERVICE_SCHEMA(config)
+    except vol.Invalid as ex:
+        _LOGGER.error("Invalid config for calling service: %s", ex)
         return
 
-    service_data = config.get(CONF_SERVICE_DATA)
-
-    if service_data is None:
-        service_data = {}
-    elif isinstance(service_data, dict):
-        service_data = dict(service_data)
+    if CONF_SERVICE in config:
+        domain_service = config[CONF_SERVICE]
     else:
-        _LOGGER.error("%s should be a dictionary", CONF_SERVICE_DATA)
-        service_data = {}
+        try:
+            domain_service = template.render(
+                hass, config[CONF_SERVICE_TEMPLATE], variables)
+            domain_service = cv.service(domain_service)
+        except TemplateError as ex:
+            _LOGGER.error('Error rendering service name template: %s', ex)
+            return
+        except vol.Invalid as ex:
+            _LOGGER.error('Template rendered invalid service: %s',
+                          domain_service)
+            return
 
-    service_data_template = config.get(CONF_SERVICE_DATA_TEMPLATE)
-    if service_data_template and isinstance(service_data_template, dict):
-        for key, value in service_data_template.items():
-            service_data[key] = template.render(hass, value)
-    elif service_data_template:
-        _LOGGER.error("%s should be a dictionary", CONF_SERVICE_DATA)
+    domain, service_name = domain_service.split('.', 1)
+    service_data = dict(config.get(CONF_SERVICE_DATA, {}))
 
-    entity_id = config.get(CONF_SERVICE_ENTITY_ID)
-    if isinstance(entity_id, str):
-        service_data[ATTR_ENTITY_ID] = [ent.strip() for ent in
-                                        entity_id.split(",")]
-    elif entity_id is not None:
-        service_data[ATTR_ENTITY_ID] = entity_id
+    if CONF_SERVICE_DATA_TEMPLATE in config:
+        for key, value in config[CONF_SERVICE_DATA_TEMPLATE].items():
+            service_data[key] = template.render(hass, value, variables)
+
+    if CONF_SERVICE_ENTITY_ID in config:
+        service_data[ATTR_ENTITY_ID] = config[CONF_SERVICE_ENTITY_ID]
 
     hass.services.call(domain, service_name, service_data, blocking)
 
@@ -98,11 +93,8 @@ def validate_service_call(config):
     Helper method to validate that a configuration is a valid service call.
     Returns None if validation succeeds, else an error description
     """
-    if not isinstance(config, dict):
-        return 'Invalid configuration {}'.format(config)
-    if CONF_SERVICE not in config and CONF_SERVICE_TEMPLATE not in config:
-        return 'Missing key {} or {}: {}'.format(
-            CONF_SERVICE,
-            CONF_SERVICE_TEMPLATE,
-            config)
-    return None
+    try:
+        cv.SERVICE_SCHEMA(config)
+        return None
+    except vol.Invalid as ex:
+        return str(ex)
diff --git a/tests/helpers/test_service.py b/tests/helpers/test_service.py
index be224b51ff0..59ba1781ab2 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/test_service.py
+++ b/tests/helpers/test_service.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import unittest
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
+import homeassistant.components  # noqa - to prevent circular import
 from homeassistant import core as ha, loader
 from homeassistant.const import STATE_ON, STATE_OFF, ATTR_ENTITY_ID
 from homeassistant.helpers import service
@@ -53,6 +54,27 @@ class TestServiceHelpers(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual('goodbye', runs[0].data['hello'])
 
+    def test_passing_variables_to_templates(self):
+        config = {
+            'service_template': '{{ var_service }}',
+            'entity_id': 'hello.world',
+            'data_template': {
+                'hello': '{{ var_data }}',
+            },
+        }
+        runs = []
+
+        decor = service.service('test_domain', 'test_service')
+        decor(lambda x, y: runs.append(y))
+
+        service.call_from_config(self.hass, config, variables={
+            'var_service': 'test_domain.test_service',
+            'var_data': 'goodbye',
+        })
+        self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
+
+        self.assertEqual('goodbye', runs[0].data['hello'])
+
     def test_split_entity_string(self):
         """Test splitting of entity string."""
         service.call_from_config(self.hass, {