diff --git a/python/ray/tune/suggest/basic_variant.py b/python/ray/tune/suggest/basic_variant.py
index 63bdbb7bb..30da21c16 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/suggest/basic_variant.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/suggest/basic_variant.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from __future__ import division
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 import itertools
+import random
 
 from ray.tune.error import TuneError
 from ray.tune.experiment import convert_to_experiment_list
@@ -23,11 +24,17 @@ class BasicVariantGenerator(SearchAlgorithm):
         >>> searcher.is_finished == True
     """
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, shuffle=False):
+        """Initializes the Variant Generator.
+
+        Arguments:
+            shuffle (bool): Shuffles the generated list of configurations.
+        """
         self._parser = make_parser()
         self._trial_generator = []
         self._counter = 0
         self._finished = False
+        self._shuffle = shuffle
 
     def add_configurations(self, experiments):
         """Chains generator given experiment specifications.
@@ -48,6 +55,8 @@ class BasicVariantGenerator(SearchAlgorithm):
             trials (list): Returns a list of trials.
         """
         trials = list(self._trial_generator)
+        if self._shuffle:
+            random.shuffle(trials)
         self._finished = True
         return trials
 
diff --git a/python/ray/tune/tests/test_cluster.py b/python/ray/tune/tests/test_cluster.py
index d26f64ec9..4f962299d 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/tests/test_cluster.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/tests/test_cluster.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def test_trial_migration(start_connected_emptyhead_cluster):
     runner.add_trial(t)
     runner.step()  # start
     runner.step()  # 1 result
-    assert t.last_result is not None
+    assert t.last_result
     node2 = cluster.add_node(num_cpus=1)
     cluster.remove_node(node)
     cluster.wait_for_nodes()
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ tune.run_experiments(
             runner = TrialRunner.restore(metadata_checkpoint_dir)
             trials = runner.get_trials()
             last_res = trials[0].last_result
-            if last_res is not None and last_res["training_iteration"]:
+            if last_res and last_res.get("training_iteration"):
                 break
         time.sleep(0.3)
 
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ tune.run_experiments(
             runner = TrialRunner.restore(metadata_checkpoint_dir)
             trials = runner.get_trials()
             last_res = trials[0].last_result
-            if last_res is not None and last_res["training_iteration"] == 3:
+            if last_res and last_res.get("training_iteration") == 3:
                 break
         time.sleep(0.2)
 
diff --git a/python/ray/tune/tests/test_trial_runner.py b/python/ray/tune/tests/test_trial_runner.py
index a49297c65..bb4e92795 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/tests/test_trial_runner.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/tests/test_trial_runner.py
@@ -1314,6 +1314,40 @@ class TrialRunnerTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(trials[0].status, Trial.TERMINATED)
         self.assertRaises(TuneError, runner.step)
 
+    def testChangeResources(self):
+        """Checks that resource requirements can be changed on fly."""
+        ray.init(num_cpus=2)
+
+        class ChangingScheduler(FIFOScheduler):
+            def on_trial_result(self, trial_runner, trial, result):
+                if result["training_iteration"] == 1:
+                    executor = trial_runner.trial_executor
+                    executor.stop_trial(trial, stop_logger=False)
+                    trial.update_resources(2, 0)
+                    executor.start_trial(trial)
+                return TrialScheduler.CONTINUE
+
+        runner = TrialRunner(
+            BasicVariantGenerator(), scheduler=ChangingScheduler())
+        kwargs = {
+            "stopping_criterion": {
+                "training_iteration": 2
+            },
+            "resources": Resources(cpu=1, gpu=0),
+        }
+        trials = [Trial("__fake", **kwargs)]
+        for t in trials:
+            runner.add_trial(t)
+
+        runner.step()
+        self.assertEqual(trials[0].status, Trial.RUNNING)
+        self.assertEqual(runner.trial_executor._committed_resources.cpu, 1)
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, lambda: trials[0].update_resources(2, 0))
+
+        runner.step()
+        self.assertEqual(trials[0].status, Trial.RUNNING)
+        self.assertEqual(runner.trial_executor._committed_resources.cpu, 2)
+
     def testErrorHandling(self):
         ray.init(num_cpus=4, num_gpus=2)
         runner = TrialRunner(BasicVariantGenerator())
diff --git a/python/ray/tune/trial.py b/python/ray/tune/trial.py
index 694c0519d..0989ba3f4 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/trial.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/trial.py
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ class Checkpoint(object):
     def __init__(self, storage, value, last_result=None):
         self.storage = storage
         self.value = value
-        self.last_result = last_result
+        self.last_result = last_result or {}
 
     @staticmethod
     def from_object(value=None):
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ class Trial(object):
         self.max_failures = max_failures
 
         # Local trial state that is updated during the run
-        self.last_result = None
+        self.last_result = {}
         self.last_update_time = -float("inf")
         self.checkpoint_freq = checkpoint_freq
         self.checkpoint_at_end = checkpoint_at_end
@@ -336,6 +336,18 @@ class Trial(object):
                 loggers=self.loggers,
                 sync_function=self.sync_function)
 
+    def update_resources(self, cpu, gpu, **kwargs):
+        """EXPERIMENTAL: Updates the resource requirements.
+
+        Should only be called when the trial is not running.
+
+        Raises:
+            ValueError if trial status is running.
+        """
+        if self.status is Trial.RUNNING:
+            raise ValueError("Cannot update resources while Trial is running.")
+        self.resources = Resources(cpu, gpu, **kwargs)
+
     def sync_logger_to_new_location(self, worker_ip):
         """Updates the logger location.
 
@@ -392,7 +404,7 @@ class Trial(object):
     def progress_string(self):
         """Returns a progress message for printing out to the console."""
 
-        if self.last_result is None:
+        if not self.last_result:
             return self._status_string()
 
         def location_string(hostname, pid):
@@ -402,12 +414,12 @@ class Trial(object):
                 return '{} pid={}'.format(hostname, pid)
 
         pieces = [
-            '{} [{}]'.format(
-                self._status_string(),
-                location_string(
-                    self.last_result.get(HOSTNAME),
-                    self.last_result.get(PID))), '{} s'.format(
-                        int(self.last_result.get(TIME_TOTAL_S)))
+            '{}'.format(self._status_string()), '[{}]'.format(
+                self.resources.summary_string()), '[{}]'.format(
+                    location_string(
+                        self.last_result.get(HOSTNAME),
+                        self.last_result.get(PID))), '{} s'.format(
+                            int(self.last_result.get(TIME_TOTAL_S)))
         ]
 
         if self.last_result.get(TRAINING_ITERATION) is not None:
diff --git a/python/ray/tune/trial_runner.py b/python/ray/tune/trial_runner.py
index 8d3ef320b..afce6863a 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/trial_runner.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/trial_runner.py
@@ -280,9 +280,9 @@ class TrialRunner(object):
             trial (Trial): Trial to queue.
         """
         trial.set_verbose(self._verbose)
+        self._trials.append(trial)
         self._scheduler_alg.on_trial_add(self, trial)
         self.trial_executor.try_checkpoint_metadata(trial)
-        self._trials.append(trial)
 
     def debug_string(self, max_debug=MAX_DEBUG_TRIALS):
         """Returns a human readable message for printing to the console."""