diff --git a/examples/new_project_templates/trainer_gpu_cluster_template.py b/examples/new_project_templates/trainer_gpu_cluster_template.py
index 6a75622d36..9b03fa7afc 100644
--- a/examples/new_project_templates/trainer_gpu_cluster_template.py
+++ b/examples/new_project_templates/trainer_gpu_cluster_template.py
@@ -89,18 +89,13 @@ def main(hparams, cluster, results_dict):
         mode=hparams.model_save_monitor_mode
     )
 
-    # gpus are ; separated for inside a node and , within nodes
-    gpu_list = None
-    if hparams.gpus is not None:
-        gpu_list = [int(x) for x in hparams.gpus.split(';')]
-
     # configure trainer
     trainer = Trainer(
         experiment=exp,
         cluster=cluster,
         checkpoint_callback=checkpoint,
         early_stop_callback=early_stop,
-        gpus=gpu_list,
+        gpus=hparams.gpus,
         nb_gpu_nodes=1
     )
 
diff --git a/pytorch_lightning/models/trainer.py b/pytorch_lightning/models/trainer.py
index cacc522143..f79571d4ac 100644
--- a/pytorch_lightning/models/trainer.py
+++ b/pytorch_lightning/models/trainer.py
@@ -86,8 +86,17 @@ class Trainer(TrainerIO):
         self.lr_schedulers = []
         self.amp_level = amp_level
         self.print_nan_grads = print_nan_grads
-        self.data_parallel_device_ids = gpus
         self.data_parallel = gpus is not None and len(gpus) > 0
+        self.data_parallel_device_ids = gpus
+
+        # gpus come in as a string.
+        # if gpus = -1 then use all available devices
+        # otherwise, split the string using commas
+        if gpus is not None:
+            if gpus == '-1':
+                self.data_parallel_device_ids = torch.cuda.device_count()
+            else:
+                self.data_parallel_device_ids = [int(x.strip()) for x in gpus.split(',')]
 
         # process info
         self.proc_rank = 0