"NoneType object has no attribute split" when deriving 'inventory_host_shortname'

[Rob]

Ever since moving from Ansible 1.9.4 to 2.0.0.2 on Ubuntu 14.04, running a local play such as...

ansible-playbook -c local deploy.yml

 

... throws...

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/ansible-playbook", line 85, in <module>
    sys.exit(cli.run())
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.7/ansible/cli/playbook.py", line 150, in run
    results = pbex.run()
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.7/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py", line 148, in run
    result = self._tqm.run(play=play)
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.7/ansible/executor/task_queue_manager.py", line 237, in run
    play_return = strategy.run(iterator, play_context)
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.7/ansible/plugins/strategy/linear.py", line 224, in run
    task_vars = self._variable_manager.get_vars(loader=self._loader, play=iterator._play, host=host, task=task)
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.7/ansible/vars/__init__.py", line 341, in get_vars
    all_vars['ansible_delegated_vars'] = self._get_delegated_vars(loader, play, task, all_vars)
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.7/ansible/vars/__init__.py", line 479, in _get_delegated_vars
    include_hostvars=False,
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.7/ansible/vars/__init__.py", line 245, in get_vars
    all_vars = combine_vars(all_vars, host.get_vars())
  File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.7/ansible/inventory/host.py", line 129, in get_vars
    results['inventory_hostname_short'] = self.name.split('.')[0]
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'split'

The task in question involves a 'composer update' which is the first point in the play that connects to an external source but that's neither here nor there.

I don't have any entries in my /etc/ansible/hosts file as in 1.9.4.

I've tried modifying my local hostname in various formats without luck.

This issue is discussed here but, to be completely honest, I don't understand the conclusion.

I didn't have trouble with this in 1.9.4. Can someone please explain where I should look to resolve this or what has changed between the versions?