diff --git a/homeassistant/components/automation/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/automation/__init__.py
index 9b3ae7894b1..b734728e59b 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/automation/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/automation/__init__.py
@@ -40,25 +40,45 @@ def setup(hass, config):
     found = 1
 
     while config_key in config:
-        p_config = _migrate_old_config(config[config_key])
+        # check for one block syntax
+        if isinstance(config[config_key], dict):
+            config_block = _migrate_old_config(config[config_key])
+            name = config_block.get(CONF_ALIAS, config_key)
+            _setup_automation(hass, config_block, name, config)
+
+        # check for multiple block syntax
+        elif isinstance(config[config_key], list):
+            for list_no, config_block in enumerate(config[config_key]):
+                name = config_block.get(CONF_ALIAS,
+                                        "{}, {}".format(config_key, list_no))
+                _setup_automation(hass, config_block, name, config)
+
+        # any scalar value is incorrect
+        else:
+            _LOGGER.error('Error in config in section %s.', config_key)
+
         found += 1
         config_key = "{} {}".format(DOMAIN, found)
 
-        name = p_config.get(CONF_ALIAS, config_key)
-        action = _get_action(hass, p_config.get(CONF_ACTION, {}), name)
+    return True
+
+
+def _setup_automation(hass, config_block, name, config):
+    """ Setup one instance of automation """
+
+    action = _get_action(hass, config_block.get(CONF_ACTION, {}), name)
+
+    if action is None:
+        return False
+
+    if CONF_CONDITION in config_block or CONF_CONDITION_TYPE in config_block:
+        action = _process_if(hass, config, config_block, action)
 
         if action is None:
-            continue
-
-        if CONF_CONDITION in p_config or CONF_CONDITION_TYPE in p_config:
-            action = _process_if(hass, config, p_config, action)
-
-            if action is None:
-                continue
-
-        _process_trigger(hass, config, p_config.get(CONF_TRIGGER, []), name,
-                         action)
+            return False
 
+    _process_trigger(hass, config, config_block.get(CONF_TRIGGER, []), name,
+                     action)
     return True
 
 
diff --git a/tests/components/automation/test_init.py b/tests/components/automation/test_init.py
index 2d5329b4624..272a9cb00f5 100644
--- a/tests/components/automation/test_init.py
+++ b/tests/components/automation/test_init.py
@@ -340,3 +340,41 @@ class TestAutomation(unittest.TestCase):
         self.hass.bus.fire('test_event')
         self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
         self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))
+
+    def test_automation_list_setting(self):
+        """ Event is not a valid condition. Will it still work? """
+        automation.setup(self.hass, {
+            automation.DOMAIN: [
+                {
+                    'trigger': [
+                        {
+                            'platform': 'event',
+                            'event_type': 'test_event',
+                        },
+
+                    ],
+                    'action': {
+                        'execute_service': 'test.automation',
+                    }
+                },
+                {
+                    'trigger': [
+                        {
+                            'platform': 'event',
+                            'event_type': 'test_event_2',
+                        },
+                    ],
+                    'action': {
+                        'execute_service': 'test.automation',
+                    }
+                }
+            ]
+        })
+
+        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event')
+        self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(self.calls))
+
+        self.hass.bus.fire('test_event_2')
+        self.hass.pool.block_till_done()
+        self.assertEqual(2, len(self.calls))