diff --git a/ansible/host_destroy.yml b/ansible/host_destroy.yml
index 173d1c7..aee04ce 100644
--- a/ansible/host_destroy.yml
+++ b/ansible/host_destroy.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-- hosts: '{{ hosts }}'
+- hosts: all
   tasks:
     - name: get running container ids
       shell: docker ps | grep '{{ prefix }}' | awk '{print $1}'
diff --git a/ansible/host_destroy_no_data.yml b/ansible/host_destroy_no_data.yml
index 008568a..4c9e143 100644
--- a/ansible/host_destroy_no_data.yml
+++ b/ansible/host_destroy_no_data.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-- hosts: '{{ hosts }}'
+- hosts: all
   tasks:
     - name: get running non-data container ids
       shell: docker ps | grep '{{ prefix }}' | grep -v '\-data' | awk '{print $1}'
diff --git a/kollacli/api/async.py b/kollacli/api/async.py
index 3baf34d..80ddf3f 100644
--- a/kollacli/api/async.py
+++ b/kollacli/api/async.py
@@ -42,25 +42,23 @@ class AsyncApi(object):
         ansible_job = actions.upgrade(verbose_level)
         return Job(ansible_job)
 
-    def async_host_destroy(self, hostname, destroy_type, verbose_level=1,
+    def async_host_destroy(self, hostnames, destroy_type, verbose_level=1,
                            include_data=False):
         """Destroy Hosts.
 
-        Stops and removes all kolla related docker containers on either the
-        specified host or all hosts if hostname is "all".
+        Stops and removes all kolla related docker containers on the
+        specified hosts.
         """
-        ansible_job = actions.destroy_hosts(hostname, destroy_type,
+        ansible_job = actions.destroy_hosts(hostnames, destroy_type,
                                             verbose_level, include_data)
         return Job(ansible_job)
 
-    def async_host_precheck(self, hostname, verbose_level=1):
-        """Check pre-deployment configuration of host(s).
+    def async_host_precheck(self, hostnames, verbose_level=1):
+        """Check pre-deployment configuration of hosts.
 
         Check if host is ready for a new deployment. This will fail if
-        the host is not configured correctly or if it has already been
-        deployed to.
-
-        If hostname is "all", then check all hosts.
+        any of the hosts are not configured correctly or if they have
+        already been deployed to.
         """
-        ansible_job = actions.precheck(hostname, verbose_level)
+        ansible_job = actions.precheck(hostnames, verbose_level)
         return Job(ansible_job)
diff --git a/kollacli/commands/host.py b/kollacli/commands/host.py
index 82dd064..003e56a 100644
--- a/kollacli/commands/host.py
+++ b/kollacli/commands/host.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import yaml
 import kollacli.i18n as u
 
 from kollacli.api.client import ClientApi
+# TODO(snoyes): remove inventory reference from CLI
 from kollacli.common.inventory import Inventory
 from kollacli.common.utils import convert_to_unicode
 from kollacli.common.utils import get_setup_user
@@ -89,6 +90,14 @@ class HostDestroy(Command):
             hostname = parsed_args.hostname.strip()
             hostname = convert_to_unicode(hostname)
 
+            inventory = Inventory.load()
+            hostnames = [hostname]
+            if hostname == 'all':
+                hostnames = inventory.get_hostnames()
+            else:
+                if not inventory.get_host(hostname):
+                    _host_not_found(hostname)
+
             destroy_type = 'kill'
             if parsed_args.stop:
                 destroy_type = 'stop'
@@ -98,7 +107,7 @@ class HostDestroy(Command):
 
             verbose_level = self.app.options.verbose_level
 
-            job = CLIENT.async_host_destroy(hostname, destroy_type,
+            job = CLIENT.async_host_destroy(hostnames, destroy_type,
                                             verbose_level, include_data)
             status = job.wait()
             if verbose_level > 2:
@@ -195,15 +204,18 @@ class HostCheck(Command):
         try:
             hostname = parsed_args.hostname.strip()
             hostname = convert_to_unicode(hostname)
-            if hostname != 'all':
-                inventory = Inventory.load()
+            inventory = Inventory.load()
+            hostnames = [hostname]
+            if hostname == 'all':
+                hostnames = inventory.get_hostnames()
+            else:
                 if not inventory.get_host(hostname):
                     _host_not_found(hostname)
 
             if parsed_args.predeploy:
                 # run pre-deploy checks
                 verbose_level = self.app.options.verbose_level
-                job = CLIENT.async_host_precheck(hostname, verbose_level)
+                job = CLIENT.async_host_precheck(hostnames, verbose_level)
                 status = job.wait()
                 if verbose_level > 2:
                     LOG.info('\n\n' + 80 * '=')
@@ -216,10 +228,6 @@ class HostCheck(Command):
             else:
                 # run ssh checks
                 all_ok = True
-                hostnames = [hostname]
-                if hostname == 'all':
-                    inventory = Inventory.load()
-                    hostnames = inventory.get_hostnames()
                 summary = inventory.ssh_check_hosts(hostnames)
                 for hostname, info in summary.items():
                     status = 'success'
diff --git a/kollacli/common/ansible/actions.py b/kollacli/common/ansible/actions.py
index b8b84f4..925f8b2 100644
--- a/kollacli/common/ansible/actions.py
+++ b/kollacli/common/ansible/actions.py
@@ -29,14 +29,13 @@ from kollacli.exceptions import CommandError
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def destroy_hosts(hostname, destroy_type, verbose_level=1, include_data=False):
-    '''destroy containers on a host (or all hosts).
+def destroy_hosts(hostnames, destroy_type,
+                  verbose_level=1, include_data=False):
+    '''destroy containers on a set of hosts.
 
-    If hostname == 'all', then containers on all hosts will be
-    stopped. Otherwise, the containers on the specified host
-    will be stopped.
-
-    The destroy type can either be 'stop' or 'kill'.
+    The containers on the specified hosts will be stopped
+    or killed. That will be determined by the destroy_type,
+    which can either be 'stop' or 'kill'.
     '''
     if destroy_type not in ['stop', 'kill']:
         raise CommandError(
@@ -58,9 +57,12 @@ def destroy_hosts(hostname, destroy_type, verbose_level=1, include_data=False):
     playbook = AnsiblePlaybook()
     playbook.playbook_path = os.path.join(kollacli_home,
                                           'ansible/' + playbook_name)
-    playbook.extra_vars = 'hosts=' + hostname + \
-                          ' prefix=' + container_prefix + \
+
+    # 'hosts' is defined as 'all' in the playbook yml code, but inventory
+    # filtering will subset that down to the hosts in playbook.hosts.
+    playbook.extra_vars = 'prefix=' + container_prefix + \
                           ' destroy_type=' + destroy_type
+    playbook.hosts = hostnames
     if verbose_level <= 1:
         playbook.print_output = False
     playbook.verbose_level = verbose_level
@@ -87,18 +89,18 @@ def deploy(hostnames=[], groupnames=[], servicenames=[],
     return job
 
 
-def precheck(hostname, verbose_level=1):
-    '''run check playbooks on a host (or all hosts).
-
-    If hostname == 'all', then checks will be run on all hosts,
-    otherwise the check will only be run on the specified host.
-    '''
+def precheck(hostnames, verbose_level=1):
+    '''run check playbooks on a set of hosts'''
     playbook_name = 'prechecks.yml'
     kolla_home = get_kolla_home()
     playbook = AnsiblePlaybook()
     playbook.playbook_path = os.path.join(kolla_home,
                                           'ansible/' + playbook_name)
-    playbook.extra_vars = 'hosts=' + hostname
+
+    # define 'hosts' to be all, but inventory filtering will subset
+    # that down to the hosts in playbook.hosts.
+    playbook.extra_vars = 'hosts=all'
+    playbook.hosts = hostnames
     playbook.print_output = True
     playbook.verbose_level = verbose_level
     job = playbook.run()