diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/runner.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/runner.py
index 1d0f700c66c3..f08ab93b501b 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/runner.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/runner.py
@@ -117,13 +117,18 @@ class PipelineRunner(object):
   """
 
   def run(self, transform, options=None):
-    """Run the given transform with this runner.
+    """Run the given transform or callable with this runner.
     """
     # Imported here to avoid circular dependencies.
     # pylint: disable=wrong-import-order, wrong-import-position
+    from apache_beam import PTransform
+    from apache_beam.pvalue import PBegin
     from apache_beam.pipeline import Pipeline
     p = Pipeline(runner=self, options=options)
-    p | transform
+    if isinstance(transform, PTransform):
+      p | transform
+    else:
+      transform(PBegin(p))
     return p.run()
 
   def run_pipeline(self, pipeline):
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/runner_test.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/runner_test.py
index aa615cfdd196..9ab226faf828 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/runner_test.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/runners/runner_test.py
@@ -128,6 +128,20 @@ def test_run_api(self):
     my_metric_value = result.metrics().query()['counters'][0].committed
     self.assertEqual(my_metric_value, 111)
 
+  def test_run_api_with_callable(self):
+    my_metric = Metrics.counter('namespace', 'my_metric')
+
+    def fn(start):
+      return (start
+              | beam.Create([1, 10, 100])
+              | beam.Map(lambda x: my_metric.inc(x)))
+    runner = DirectRunner()
+    result = runner.run(fn)
+    result.wait_until_finish()
+    # Use counters to assert the pipeline actually ran.
+    my_metric_value = result.metrics().query()['counters'][0].committed
+    self.assertEqual(my_metric_value, 111)
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   unittest.main()