diff --git a/homeassistant/components/automation/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/automation/__init__.py
index 2f510fd33d6db1640aec750a94ca7ce7ca43b03f..2a7a3887b347bbb7d2e20f418c94ed914cdb9094 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/automation/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/automation/__init__.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ SERVICE_SCHEMA = vol.Schema({
 })
 
 TRIGGER_SERVICE_SCHEMA = vol.Schema({
-    vol.Optional(ATTR_ENTITY_ID): cv.entity_ids,
+    vol.Required(ATTR_ENTITY_ID): cv.entity_ids,
     vol.Optional(ATTR_VARIABLES, default={}): dict,
 })
 
diff --git a/tests/components/automation/test_init.py b/tests/components/automation/test_init.py
index 7a8c097a730e8209121895ae37e6269b9886cd10..33f1a7aa704c33665f91cb7b621b744c12b507e9 100644
--- a/tests/components/automation/test_init.py
+++ b/tests/components/automation/test_init.py
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ class TestAutomation(unittest.TestCase):
         """Test triggers."""
         assert setup_component(self.hass, automation.DOMAIN, {
             automation.DOMAIN: {
+                'alias': 'test',
                 'trigger': [
                     {
                         'platform': 'event',
@@ -228,7 +229,9 @@ class TestAutomation(unittest.TestCase):
         self.hass.block_till_done()
         assert len(self.calls) == 0
 
-        self.hass.services.call('automation', 'trigger', blocking=True)
+        self.hass.services.call('automation', 'trigger',
+                                {'entity_id': 'automation.test'},
+                                blocking=True)
         self.hass.block_till_done()
         assert len(self.calls) == 1