diff --git a/reclass/core.py b/reclass/core.py
index 67b0f92..f35450f 100644
--- a/reclass/core.py
+++ b/reclass/core.py
@@ -172,6 +172,15 @@
         else:
             return Parameters({}, self._settings, '')
 
+    def _get_scalar_parameters(self, node_parameters):
+        if self._settings.scalar_parameters:
+            scalars = node_parameters.as_dict().get(
+                    self._settings.scalar_parameters, {})
+            return Parameters(
+                    {self._settings.scalar_parameters: scalars}, self._settings, '__scalar__')
+        else:
+            return Parameters({}, self._settings, '')
+
     def _get_inventory(self, all_envs, environment, queries):
         '''
             Returns a dictionary of NodeInventory objects, one per matching node. Exports
@@ -229,7 +238,7 @@
         base_entity.merge(self._get_class_mappings_entity(node_entity))
         base_entity.merge(self._get_input_data_entity())
         base_entity.merge_parameters(self._get_automatic_parameters(nodename, node_entity.environment))
-        base_entity.merge_parameters(Parameters(node_entity.parameters, self._settings, ''))
+        base_entity.merge_parameters(self._get_scalar_parameters(node_entity.parameters))
         seen = {}
         merge_base = self._recurse_entity(base_entity, seen=seen, nodename=nodename,
                                           environment=node_entity.environment)
diff --git a/reclass/defaults.py b/reclass/defaults.py
index f50a8ad..7ea797e 100644
--- a/reclass/defaults.py
+++ b/reclass/defaults.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 ESCAPE_CHARACTER = '\\'
 
 AUTOMATIC_RECLASS_PARAMETERS = True
+SCALAR_RECLASS_PARAMETERS = False
 DEFAULT_ENVIRONMENT = 'base'
 
 CLASS_MAPPINGS_MATCH_PATH = False
diff --git a/reclass/settings.py b/reclass/settings.py
index e9e8a36..08fdea5 100644
--- a/reclass/settings.py
+++ b/reclass/settings.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
         'allow_none_override': defaults.OPT_ALLOW_NONE_OVERRIDE,
         'automatic_parameters': defaults.AUTOMATIC_RECLASS_PARAMETERS,
         'class_mappings_match_path': defaults.CLASS_MAPPINGS_MATCH_PATH,
+        'scalar_parameters': defaults.SCALAR_RECLASS_PARAMETERS,
         'default_environment': defaults.DEFAULT_ENVIRONMENT,
         'delimiter': defaults.PARAMETER_INTERPOLATION_DELIMITER,
         'dict_key_override_prefix':