diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/fortios/fortios_config.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/fortios/fortios_config.py
index cc318ef18b3..a7c4e7c40f9 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/fortios/fortios_config.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/fortios/fortios_config.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ extends_documentation_fragment: fortios
 options:
   src:
     description:
-      - The I(src) argument provides a path to the configuration file
+      - The I(src) argument provides a path to the configuration template
         to load into the remote device.
   filter:
     description:
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ EXAMPLES = """
     host: 192.168.0.254
     username: admin
     password: password
-    src: new_configuration.conf
+    src: new_configuration.conf.j2
 
 """
 
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def main():
     if module.params['src'] is not None:
         #store config in str
         try:
-            conf_str = open(module.params['src'], 'r').read()
+            conf_str = module.params['src']
             f.load_config(in_candidate=True, config_text=conf_str)
         except:
             module.fail_json(msg="Can't open configuration file, or configuration invalid")
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/fortios_config.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/fortios_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6692569598f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/fortios_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+#
+# (c) 2017, Red Hat, Inc.
+#
+# This file is part of Ansible
+#
+# Ansible is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Ansible is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import os
+import re
+import time
+import glob
+
+from ansible.plugins.action.normal import ActionModule as _ActionModule
+from ansible.module_utils._text import to_text
+from ansible.module_utils.six.moves.urllib.parse import urlsplit
+from ansible.utils.vars import merge_hash
+
+PRIVATE_KEYS_RE = re.compile('__.+__')
+
+
+class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
+
+    def run(self, tmp=None, task_vars=None):
+
+        if self._task.args.get('src'):
+            try:
+                self._handle_template()
+            except ValueError as exc:
+                return dict(failed=True, msg=exc.message)
+
+        result = super(ActionModule, self).run(tmp, task_vars)
+
+        return result
+
+    def _get_working_path(self):
+        cwd = self._loader.get_basedir()
+        if self._task._role is not None:
+            cwd = self._task._role._role_path
+        return cwd
+
+    def _handle_template(self):
+        src = self._task.args.get('src')
+        working_path = self._get_working_path()
+
+        if os.path.isabs(src) or urlsplit('src').scheme:
+            source = src
+        else:
+            source = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(working_path, 'templates', src)
+            if not source:
+                source = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(working_path, src)
+
+        if not os.path.exists(source):
+            raise ValueError('path specified in src not found')
+
+        try:
+            with open(source, 'r') as f:
+                template_data = to_text(f.read())
+        except IOError:
+            return dict(failed=True, msg='unable to load src file')
+
+        # Create a template search path in the following order:
+        # [working_path, self_role_path, dependent_role_paths, dirname(source)]
+        searchpath = [working_path]
+        if self._task._role is not None:
+            searchpath.append(self._task._role._role_path)
+            if hasattr(self._task, "_block:"):
+                dep_chain = self._task._block.get_dep_chain()
+                if dep_chain is not None:
+                    for role in dep_chain:
+                        searchpath.append(role._role_path)
+        searchpath.append(os.path.dirname(source))
+        self._templar.environment.loader.searchpath = searchpath
+        self._task.args['src'] = self._templar.template(template_data)