diff --git a/homeassistant/components/media_player/universal.py b/homeassistant/components/media_player/universal.py
index 32b6cc1a990..8bf689d3fd8 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/media_player/universal.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/media_player/universal.py
@@ -130,7 +130,10 @@ def validate_attributes(config):
         config[CONF_ATTRS] = {}
 
     for key, val in config[CONF_ATTRS].items():
-        config[CONF_ATTRS][key] = val.split('|', 1)
+        attr = val.split('|', 1)
+        if len(attr) == 1:
+            attr.append(None)
+        config[CONF_ATTRS][key] = attr
 
 
 class UniversalMediaPlayer(MediaPlayerDevice):
@@ -152,11 +155,8 @@ class UniversalMediaPlayer(MediaPlayerDevice):
 
         track_state_change(hass, depend, self.update_state)
 
-    def _entity_lkp(self, entity_id=None, state_attr=None):
+    def _entity_lkp(self, entity_id, state_attr=None):
         """ Looks up an entity state from hass """
-        if entity_id is None:
-            return
-
         state_obj = self.hass.states.get(entity_id)
 
         if state_obj is None:
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@ class UniversalMediaPlayer(MediaPlayerDevice):
     def _override_or_child_attr(self, attr_name):
         """ returns either the override or the active child for attr_name """
         if attr_name in self._attrs:
-            return self._entity_lkp(*self._attrs[attr_name])
+            return self._entity_lkp(self._attrs[attr_name][0],
+                                    self._attrs[attr_name][1])
 
         return self._child_attr(attr_name)
 
@@ -204,7 +205,8 @@ class UniversalMediaPlayer(MediaPlayerDevice):
     def master_state(self):
         """ gets the master state from entity or none """
         if CONF_STATE in self._attrs:
-            master_state = self._entity_lkp(*self._attrs[CONF_STATE])
+            master_state = self._entity_lkp(self._attrs[CONF_STATE][0],
+                                            self._attrs[CONF_STATE][1])
             return master_state if master_state else STATE_OFF
         else:
             return None