diff --git a/homeassistant/StateMachine.py b/homeassistant/StateMachine.py
index 3ed8d1f776b..522cb434b66 100644
--- a/homeassistant/StateMachine.py
+++ b/homeassistant/StateMachine.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from threading import RLock
 from datetime import datetime
 
 from homeassistant.EventBus import Event
-from homeassistant.util import matcher
+from homeassistant.util import ensure_list, matcher
 
 EVENT_STATE_CHANGED = "state_changed"
 
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ class StateMachine(object):
 
 def track_state_change(eventbus, category, from_state, to_state, action):
     """ Helper method to track specific state changes. """
-    from_state = list(from_state)
-    to_state = list(to_state)
+    from_state = ensure_list(from_state)
+    to_state = ensure_list(to_state)
 
     def listener(event):
         assert isinstance(event, Event), "event needs to be of Event type"
diff --git a/homeassistant/observer/Timer.py b/homeassistant/observer/Timer.py
index 5273dfc9c55..3aa5c3c9f69 100644
--- a/homeassistant/observer/Timer.py
+++ b/homeassistant/observer/Timer.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import threading
 import time
 
 from homeassistant.EventBus import Event
-from homeassistant.util import matcher
+from homeassistant.util import ensure_list, matcher
 
 TIME_INTERVAL = 10 # seconds
 
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ class Timer(threading.Thread):
 
 
 def track_time_change(eventbus, action, year='*', month='*', day='*', hour='*', minute='*', second='*', point_in_time=None, listen_once=False):
-    year, month, day = list(year), list(month), list(day)
-    hour, minute, second = list(hour), list(minute), list(second)
-
+    year, month, day = ensure_list(year), ensure_list(month), ensure_list(day)
+    hour, minute, second = ensure_list(hour), ensure_list(minute), ensure_list(second)
+    
     def listener(event):
         assert isinstance(event, Event), "event needs to be of Event type"
 
diff --git a/homeassistant/util.py b/homeassistant/util.py
index e1db519b150..de5ccf46f4c 100644
--- a/homeassistant/util.py
+++ b/homeassistant/util.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+def ensure_list(parameter):
+	return parameter if isinstance(parameter, list) else [parameter]
+
 def matcher(subject, pattern):
     """ Returns True if subject matches the pattern.
         Pattern is either a list of allowed subjects or a '*'. """