diff --git a/salt/cli/caller.py b/salt/cli/caller.py
index 069fbd71a9..af7c0127df 100644
--- a/salt/cli/caller.py
+++ b/salt/cli/caller.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class Caller(object):
             ret['jid'] = '{0:%Y%m%d%H%M%S%f}'.format(datetime.datetime.now())
             for returner in self.opts['return'].split(','):
                 try:
-                    self.minion.returners[returner](ret)
+                    self.minion.returners['{0}.returner'.format(returner)](ret)
                 except Exception as exc:
                     pass
         return ret
diff --git a/salt/minion.py b/salt/minion.py
index 21b9e7287b..f8d638f7cf 100644
--- a/salt/minion.py
+++ b/salt/minion.py
@@ -331,7 +331,9 @@ class Minion(object):
             for returner in set(data['ret'].split(',')):
                 ret['id'] = opts['id']
                 try:
-                    minion_instance.returners[returner](ret)
+                    minion_instance.returners['{0}.returner'.format(
+                        returner
+                        )](ret)
                 except Exception as exc:
                     log.error(
                             'The return failed for job {0} {1}'.format(
@@ -387,7 +389,9 @@ class Minion(object):
             for returner in set(data['ret'].split(',')):
                 ret['id'] = opts['id']
                 try:
-                    minion_instance.returners[returner](ret)
+                    minion_instance.returners['{0}.returner'.format(
+                        returner
+                        )](ret)
                 except Exception as exc:
                     log.error(
                             'The return failed for job {0} {1}'.format(