diff --git a/file b/file
index 31719865dbe..6cb51a33cff 100644
--- a/file
+++ b/file
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@ def main():
     if prev_state != 'absent' and state == 'absent':
         try:
             if prev_state == 'directory':
+                if module.check_mode:
+                    module.exit_json(changed=True)
                 if os.path.islink(path):
                     os.unlink(path)
                 else:
@@ -204,6 +206,8 @@ def main():
                     except:
                         module.exit_json(msg="rmtree failed")
             else:
+                if module.check_mode:
+                    module.exit_json(changed=True)
                 os.unlink(path)
         except Exception, e:
             module.fail_json(path=path, msg=str(e))
@@ -225,6 +229,8 @@ def main():
 
     elif state == 'directory':
         if prev_state == 'absent':
+            if module.check_mode:
+                module.exit_json(changed=True)
             os.makedirs(path)
             changed = True
 
@@ -254,6 +260,8 @@ def main():
             module.fail_json(path=path, src=src, msg='src file does not exist')
 
         if prev_state == 'absent':
+            if module.check_mode:
+                module.exit_json(changed=True)
             os.symlink(src, path)
             changed = True
         elif prev_state == 'link':
@@ -261,6 +269,8 @@ def main():
             if not os.path.isabs(old_src):
                 old_src = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(path), old_src)
             if old_src != src:
+                if module.check_mode:
+                    module.exit_json(changed=True)
                 os.unlink(path)
                 os.symlink(src, path)
                 changed = True
@@ -270,10 +280,10 @@ def main():
         # set modes owners and context as needed
 
         file_args = module.load_file_common_arguments(module.params)
-        changed = module.set_context_if_different(path, file_args['secontext'], changed)
-        changed = module.set_owner_if_different(path, file_args['owner'], changed)
-        changed = module.set_group_if_different(path, file_args['group'], changed)
-        changed = module.set_mode_if_different(path, file_args['mode'], changed)
+        changed   = module.set_context_if_different(path, file_args['secontext'], changed)
+        changed   = module.set_owner_if_different(path, file_args['owner'], changed)
+        changed   = module.set_group_if_different(path, file_args['group'], changed)
+        changed   = module.set_mode_if_different(path, file_args['mode'], changed)
 
         module.exit_json(dest=path, src=src, changed=changed)