diff --git a/agent/agent.go b/agent/agent.go
index a69fef1f5..9a63fcf4c 100644
--- a/agent/agent.go
+++ b/agent/agent.go
@@ -157,7 +157,9 @@ func (a *Agent) prep(w *queue.Work) (*yaml.Config, error) {
 	transform.ImageTag(conf)
 	transform.ImageName(conf)
 	transform.ImageNamespace(conf, a.Namespace)
-	transform.ImageEscalate(conf, a.Escalate)
+	if err := transform.ImageEscalate(conf, a.Escalate); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	transform.PluginParams(conf)
 
 	if a.Local != "" {
diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index c1f4834bd..c9d141677 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -76,21 +76,21 @@ type Client interface {
 	BuildQueue() ([]*model.Feed, error)
 
 	// BuildStart re-starts a stopped build.
-	BuildStart(string, string, int) (*model.Build, error)
+	BuildStart(string, string, int, map[string]string) (*model.Build, error)
 
 	// BuildStop stops the specified running job for given build.
 	BuildStop(string, string, int, int) error
 
 	// BuildFork re-starts a stopped build with a new build number, preserving
 	// the prior history.
-	BuildFork(string, string, int) (*model.Build, error)
+	BuildFork(string, string, int, map[string]string) (*model.Build, error)
 
 	// BuildLogs returns the build logs for the specified job.
 	BuildLogs(string, string, int, int) (io.ReadCloser, error)
 
 	// Deploy triggers a deployment for an existing build using the specified
 	// target environment.
-	Deploy(string, string, int, string) (*model.Build, error)
+	Deploy(string, string, int, string, map[string]string) (*model.Build, error)
 
 	// AgentList returns a list of build agents.
 	AgentList() ([]*model.Agent, error)
diff --git a/client/client_impl.go b/client/client_impl.go
index b421b2a44..2c7357ab7 100644
--- a/client/client_impl.go
+++ b/client/client_impl.go
@@ -217,9 +217,10 @@ func (c *client) BuildQueue() ([]*model.Feed, error) {
 }
 
 // BuildStart re-starts a stopped build.
-func (c *client) BuildStart(owner, name string, num int) (*model.Build, error) {
+func (c *client) BuildStart(owner, name string, num int, params map[string]string) (*model.Build, error) {
 	out := new(model.Build)
-	uri := fmt.Sprintf(pathBuild, c.base, owner, name, num)
+	val := parseToQueryParams(params)
+	uri := fmt.Sprintf(pathBuild+"?"+val.Encode(), c.base, owner, name, num)
 	err := c.post(uri, nil, out)
 	return out, err
 }
@@ -233,9 +234,11 @@ func (c *client) BuildStop(owner, name string, num, job int) error {
 
 // BuildFork re-starts a stopped build with a new build number,
 // preserving the prior history.
-func (c *client) BuildFork(owner, name string, num int) (*model.Build, error) {
+func (c *client) BuildFork(owner, name string, num int, params map[string]string) (*model.Build, error) {
 	out := new(model.Build)
-	uri := fmt.Sprintf(pathBuild+"?fork=true", c.base, owner, name, num)
+	val := parseToQueryParams(params)
+	val.Set("fork", "true")
+	uri := fmt.Sprintf(pathBuild+"?"+val.Encode(), c.base, owner, name, num)
 	err := c.post(uri, nil, out)
 	return out, err
 }
@@ -248,9 +251,9 @@ func (c *client) BuildLogs(owner, name string, num, job int) (io.ReadCloser, err
 
 // Deploy triggers a deployment for an existing build using the
 // specified target environment.
-func (c *client) Deploy(owner, name string, num int, env string) (*model.Build, error) {
+func (c *client) Deploy(owner, name string, num int, env string, params map[string]string) (*model.Build, error) {
 	out := new(model.Build)
-	val := url.Values{}
+	val := parseToQueryParams(params)
 	val.Set("fork", "true")
 	val.Set("event", "deployment")
 	val.Set("deploy_to", env)
@@ -523,3 +526,12 @@ func (c *client) createRequest(rawurl, method string, in interface{}) (*http.Req
 	}
 	return req, nil
 }
+
+// parseToQueryParams parses a map of strings and returns url.Values
+func parseToQueryParams(p map[string]string) url.Values {
+	values := url.Values{}
+	for k, v := range p {
+		values.Add(k, v)
+	}
+	return values
+}
diff --git a/drone/build_start.go b/drone/build_start.go
index 00d18aa66..8aaf63998 100644
--- a/drone/build_start.go
+++ b/drone/build_start.go
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ var buildStartCmd = cli.Command{
 			Name:  "fork",
 			Usage: "fork the build",
 		},
+		cli.StringSliceFlag{
+			Name:  "param, p",
+			Usage: "custom parameters to be injected into the job environment. Format: KEY=value",
+		},
 	},
 }
 
@@ -41,11 +45,13 @@ func buildStart(c *cli.Context) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	params := parseKVPairs(c.StringSlice("param"))
+
 	var build *model.Build
 	if c.Bool("fork") {
-		build, err = client.BuildFork(owner, name, number)
+		build, err = client.BuildFork(owner, name, number, params)
 	} else {
-		build, err = client.BuildStart(owner, name, number)
+		build, err = client.BuildStart(owner, name, number, params)
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/drone/deploy.go b/drone/deploy.go
index 63590af01..ec0355ba5 100644
--- a/drone/deploy.go
+++ b/drone/deploy.go
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ var deployCmd = cli.Command{
 			Usage: "format output",
 			Value: tmplDeployInfo,
 		},
+		cli.StringSliceFlag{
+			Name:  "param, p",
+			Usage: "custom parameters to be injected into the job environment. Format: KEY=value",
+		},
 	},
 }
 
@@ -56,7 +60,9 @@ func deploy(c *cli.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Please specify the target environment (ie production)")
 	}
 
-	deploy, err := client.Deploy(owner, name, number, env)
+	params := parseKVPairs(c.StringSlice("param"))
+
+	deploy, err := client.Deploy(owner, name, number, env, params)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/drone/exec.go b/drone/exec.go
index 86f7c4cea..2d2172e59 100644
--- a/drone/exec.go
+++ b/drone/exec.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/drone/drone/build/docker"
 	"github.com/drone/drone/model"
 	"github.com/drone/drone/queue"
+	"github.com/drone/drone/yaml"
 
 	"github.com/codegangsta/cli"
 	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
@@ -338,7 +340,7 @@ func exec(c *cli.Context) error {
 		Pull:      c.Bool("pull"),
 	}
 
-	payload := queue.Work{
+	payload := &queue.Work{
 		Yaml:     string(file),
 		Verified: c.BoolT("yaml.verified"),
 		Signed:   c.BoolT("yaml.signed"),
@@ -382,12 +384,45 @@ func exec(c *cli.Context) error {
 			Status: c.String("prev.build.status"),
 			Commit: c.String("prev.commit.sha"),
 		},
-		Job: &model.Job{
-			Environment: getMatrix(c),
-		},
 	}
 
-	return a.Run(&payload, cancelc)
+	if len(c.StringSlice("matrix")) > 0 {
+		p := *payload
+		p.Job = &model.Job{
+			Environment: getMatrix(c),
+		}
+		return a.Run(&p, cancelc)
+	}
+
+	axes, err := yaml.ParseMatrix(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if len(axes) == 0 {
+		axes = append(axes, yaml.Axis{})
+	}
+
+	var jobs []*model.Job
+	count := 0
+	for _, axis := range axes {
+		jobs = append(jobs, &model.Job{
+			Number:      count,
+			Environment: axis,
+		})
+		count++
+	}
+
+	for _, job := range jobs {
+		fmt.Printf("Running Matrix job #%d\n", job.Number)
+		p := *payload
+		p.Job = job
+		if err := a.Run(&p, cancelc); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 // helper function to retrieve matrix variables.
diff --git a/drone/util.go b/drone/util.go
index 69fbc3a3f..bdc81f0f6 100644
--- a/drone/util.go
+++ b/drone/util.go
@@ -61,3 +61,15 @@ func stringInSlice(a string, list []string) bool {
 
 	return false
 }
+
+func parseKVPairs(p []string) map[string]string {
+	params := map[string]string{}
+	for _, i := range p {
+		parts := strings.Split(i, "=")
+		if len(parts) != 2 {
+			continue
+		}
+		params[parts[0]] = parts[1]
+	}
+	return params
+}
diff --git a/drone/util_test.go b/drone/util_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b7856f28b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drone/util_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package main
+
+import "testing"
+
+func Test_parseKVPairs(t *testing.T) {
+	s := []string{"FOO=bar", "BAR=", "INVALID"}
+	p := parseKVPairs(s)
+	if p["FOO"] != "bar" {
+		t.Errorf("Wanted %q, got %q.", "bar", p["FOO"])
+	}
+	if _, exists := p["BAR"]; !exists {
+		t.Error("Missing a key with no value. Keys with empty values are also valid.")
+	}
+	if _, exists := p["INVALID"]; exists {
+		t.Error("Keys without an equal sign suffix are invalid.")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/server/build.go b/server/build.go
index 285717822..d65cb1ae3 100644
--- a/server/build.go
+++ b/server/build.go
@@ -248,6 +248,18 @@ func PostBuild(c *gin.Context) {
 		build.Deploy = c.DefaultQuery("deploy_to", build.Deploy)
 	}
 
+	// Read query string parameters into buildParams, exclude reserved params
+	var buildParams = map[string]string{}
+	for key, val := range c.Request.URL.Query() {
+		switch key {
+		case "fork", "event", "deply_to":
+		default:
+			// We only accept string literals, because build parameters will be
+			// injected as environment variables
+			buildParams[key] = val[0]
+		}
+	}
+
 	// todo move this to database tier
 	// and wrap inside a transaction
 	build.Status = model.StatusPending
@@ -255,6 +267,9 @@ func PostBuild(c *gin.Context) {
 	build.Finished = 0
 	build.Enqueued = time.Now().UTC().Unix()
 	for _, job := range jobs {
+		for k, v := range buildParams {
+			job.Environment[k] = v
+		}
 		job.Error = ""
 		job.Status = model.StatusPending
 		job.Started = 0