diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/__init__.py
index 908135a4c75..61bbea4505c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/__init__.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class LookupBase(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
         """
         pass
 
-    def find_file_in_search_path(self, myvars, subdir, needle):
+    def find_file_in_search_path(self, myvars, subdir, needle, ignore_missing=False):
         '''
         Return a file (needle) in the task's expected search path.
         '''
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class LookupBase(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
             paths = self.get_basedir(myvars)
 
         result = self._loader.path_dwim_relative_stack(paths, subdir, needle)
-        if result is None:
+        if result is None and not ignore_missing:
             self._display.warning("Unable to find '%s' in expected paths." % needle)
 
         return result
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/first_found.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/first_found.py
index 4fb7e35ea2c..43fc3a7a77c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/first_found.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/lookup/first_found.py
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ class LookupModule(LookupBase):
              # get subdir if set by task executor, default to files otherwise
             subdir = getattr(self, '_subdir', 'files')
             path = None
-            path = self.find_file_in_search_path(variables, subdir, fn)
+            path = self.find_file_in_search_path(variables, subdir, fn, ignore_missing=True)
             if path is not None:
                 return [path]
         else: