diff --git a/homeassistant/components/notify/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/notify/__init__.py
index c779c78d15e..b30777a0cf2 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/notify/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/notify/__init__.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def setup(hass, config):
 
             if targets.get(call.service) is not None:
                 kwargs[ATTR_TARGET] = [targets[call.service]]
-            else:
+            elif call.data.get(ATTR_TARGET) is not None:
                 kwargs[ATTR_TARGET] = call.data.get(ATTR_TARGET)
 
             message.hass = hass
diff --git a/tests/components/notify/test_demo.py b/tests/components/notify/test_demo.py
index 0d41f0606e5..a0d9f28fe1a 100644
--- a/tests/components/notify/test_demo.py
+++ b/tests/components/notify/test_demo.py
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ class TestNotifyDemo(unittest.TestCase):
         data = self.events[0].data
         assert {
             'message': 'my message',
-            'target': None,
             'title': 'my title',
             'data': {'hello': 'world'}
         } == data
@@ -92,7 +91,6 @@ data_template:
         self.assertTrue(len(self.events) == 1)
         assert {
             'message': 'Test 123 4',
-            'target': None,
             'data': {
                 'push': {
                     'sound':
@@ -124,7 +122,6 @@ data_template:
         assert {
             'message': 'Test 123 4',
             'title': 'Test',
-            'target': None,
             'data': {
                 'push': {
                     'sound':