diff --git a/pkg/api/playlist.go b/pkg/api/playlist.go
index 0b017d6e2cb..abc092b8021 100644
--- a/pkg/api/playlist.go
+++ b/pkg/api/playlist.go
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 package api
 
 import (
-	"errors"
-	"strconv"
-
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/bus"
-	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
+	_ "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/middleware"
 	m "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
 )
@@ -101,39 +98,6 @@ func LoadPlaylistItems(id int64) ([]m.PlaylistItem, error) {
 	return *itemQuery.Result, nil
 }
 
-func LoadPlaylistDashboards(id int64) ([]m.PlaylistDashboardDto, error) {
-	playlistItems, _ := LoadPlaylistItems(id)
-
-	dashboardIds := make([]int64, 0)
-
-	for _, i := range playlistItems {
-		dashboardId, _ := strconv.ParseInt(i.Value, 10, 64)
-		dashboardIds = append(dashboardIds, dashboardId)
-	}
-
-	if len(dashboardIds) == 0 {
-		return make([]m.PlaylistDashboardDto, 0), nil
-	}
-
-	dashboardQuery := m.GetPlaylistDashboardsQuery{DashboardIds: dashboardIds}
-	if err := bus.Dispatch(&dashboardQuery); err != nil {
-		log.Warn("dashboardquery failed: %v", err)
-		return nil, errors.New("Playlist not found")
-	}
-
-	dtos := make([]m.PlaylistDashboardDto, 0)
-	for _, item := range *dashboardQuery.Result {
-		dtos = append(dtos, m.PlaylistDashboardDto{
-			Id:    item.Id,
-			Slug:  item.Slug,
-			Title: item.Title,
-			Uri:   "db/" + item.Slug,
-		})
-	}
-
-	return dtos, nil
-}
-
 func GetPlaylistItems(c *middleware.Context) Response {
 	id := c.ParamsInt64(":id")
 
@@ -147,9 +111,9 @@ func GetPlaylistItems(c *middleware.Context) Response {
 }
 
 func GetPlaylistDashboards(c *middleware.Context) Response {
-	id := c.ParamsInt64(":id")
+	playlistId := c.ParamsInt64(":id")
 
-	playlists, err := LoadPlaylistDashboards(id)
+	playlists, err := LoadPlaylistDashboards(c.OrgId, c.UserId, playlistId)
 	if err != nil {
 		return ApiError(500, "Could not load dashboards", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/api/playlist_play.go b/pkg/api/playlist_play.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..735ac41e33f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/api/playlist_play.go
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"strconv"
+
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/bus"
+	_ "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
+	m "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/search"
+)
+
+func populateDashboardsById(dashboardByIds []int64) ([]m.PlaylistDashboardDto, error) {
+	result := make([]m.PlaylistDashboardDto, 0)
+
+	if len(dashboardByIds) > 0 {
+		dashboardQuery := m.GetPlaylistDashboardsQuery{DashboardIds: dashboardByIds}
+		if err := bus.Dispatch(&dashboardQuery); err != nil {
+			return result, errors.New("Playlist not found") //TODO: dont swallow error
+		}
+
+		for _, item := range *dashboardQuery.Result {
+			result = append(result, m.PlaylistDashboardDto{
+				Id:    item.Id,
+				Slug:  item.Slug,
+				Title: item.Title,
+				Uri:   "db/" + item.Slug,
+			})
+		}
+	}
+
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+func populateDashboardsByTag(orgId, userId int64, dashboardByTag []string) []m.PlaylistDashboardDto {
+	result := make([]m.PlaylistDashboardDto, 0)
+
+	if len(dashboardByTag) > 0 {
+		for _, tag := range dashboardByTag {
+			searchQuery := search.Query{
+				Title:     "",
+				Tags:      []string{tag},
+				UserId:    userId,
+				Limit:     100,
+				IsStarred: false,
+				OrgId:     orgId,
+			}
+
+			if err := bus.Dispatch(&searchQuery); err == nil {
+				for _, item := range searchQuery.Result {
+					result = append(result, m.PlaylistDashboardDto{
+						Id:    item.Id,
+						Title: item.Title,
+						Uri:   item.Uri,
+					})
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return result
+}
+
+func LoadPlaylistDashboards(orgId, userId, playlistId int64) ([]m.PlaylistDashboardDto, error) {
+	playlistItems, _ := LoadPlaylistItems(playlistId)
+
+	dashboardByIds := make([]int64, 0)
+	dashboardByTag := make([]string, 0)
+
+	for _, i := range playlistItems {
+		if i.Type == "dashboard_by_id" {
+			dashboardId, _ := strconv.ParseInt(i.Value, 10, 64)
+			dashboardByIds = append(dashboardByIds, dashboardId)
+		}
+
+		if i.Type == "dashboard_by_tag" {
+			dashboardByTag = append(dashboardByTag, i.Value)
+		}
+	}
+
+	result := make([]m.PlaylistDashboardDto, 0)
+
+	var k, _ = populateDashboardsById(dashboardByIds)
+	result = append(result, k...)
+	result = append(result, populateDashboardsByTag(orgId, userId, dashboardByTag)...)
+
+	return result, nil
+}