diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/zabbix-hostmacro.yml b/changelogs/fragments/zabbix-hostmacro.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f778694d4f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/zabbix-hostmacro.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - zabbix_hostmacro - ``macro_value`` is no longer required when ``state=absent``
+  - zabbix_hostmacro - ``macro_name`` now accepts macros in zabbix native format as well (e.g. ``{$MACRO}``)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/monitoring/zabbix/zabbix_hostmacro.py b/lib/ansible/modules/monitoring/zabbix/zabbix_hostmacro.py
index 68c2597e53b..c2644f6cc25 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/monitoring/zabbix/zabbix_hostmacro.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/monitoring/zabbix/zabbix_hostmacro.py
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ options:
         required: true
     macro_name:
         description:
-            - Name of the host macro without the enclosing curly braces and the leading dollar sign.
+            - Name of the host macro in zabbix native format C({$MACRO}) or simple format C(MACRO).
         required: true
     macro_value:
         description:
             - Value of the host macro.
-        required: true
+            - Required if I(state=present).
     state:
         description:
             - State of the macro.
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ extends_documentation_fragment:
 '''
 
 EXAMPLES = '''
-- name: Create a new host macro or update an existing macro's value
+- name: Create new host macro or update an existing macro's value
   local_action:
     module: zabbix_hostmacro
     server_url: http://monitor.example.com
@@ -69,6 +69,28 @@ EXAMPLES = '''
     macro_name: EXAMPLE.MACRO
     macro_value: Example value
     state: present
+
+# Values with curly brackets need to be quoted otherwise they will be interpreted as a dictionary
+- name: Create new host macro in Zabbix native format
+  local_action:
+    module: zabbix_hostmacro
+    server_url: http://monitor.example.com
+    login_user: username
+    login_password: password
+    host_name: ExampleHost
+    macro_name: "{$EXAMPLE.MACRO}"
+    macro_value: Example value
+    state: present
+
+- name: Delete existing host macro
+  local_action:
+    module: zabbix_hostmacro
+    server_url: http://monitor.example.com
+    login_user: username
+    login_password: password
+    host_name: ExampleHost
+    macro_name: "{$EXAMPLE.MACRO}"
+    state: absent
 '''
 
 
@@ -106,7 +128,7 @@ class HostMacro(object):
     def get_host_macro(self, macro_name, host_id):
         try:
             host_macro_list = self._zapi.usermacro.get(
-                {"output": "extend", "selectSteps": "extend", 'hostids': [host_id], 'filter': {'macro': '{$' + macro_name + '}'}})
+                {"output": "extend", "selectSteps": "extend", 'hostids': [host_id], 'filter': {'macro': macro_name}})
             if len(host_macro_list) > 0:
                 return host_macro_list[0]
             return None
@@ -118,7 +140,7 @@ class HostMacro(object):
         try:
             if self._module.check_mode:
                 self._module.exit_json(changed=True)
-            self._zapi.usermacro.create({'hostid': host_id, 'macro': '{$' + macro_name + '}', 'value': macro_value})
+            self._zapi.usermacro.create({'hostid': host_id, 'macro': macro_name, 'value': macro_value})
             self._module.exit_json(changed=True, result="Successfully added host macro %s" % macro_name)
         except Exception as e:
             self._module.fail_json(msg="Failed to create host macro %s: %s" % (macro_name, e))
@@ -126,7 +148,7 @@ class HostMacro(object):
     # update host macro
     def update_host_macro(self, host_macro_obj, macro_name, macro_value):
         host_macro_id = host_macro_obj['hostmacroid']
-        if host_macro_obj['macro'] == '{$' + macro_name + '}' and host_macro_obj['value'] == macro_value:
+        if host_macro_obj['macro'] == macro_name and host_macro_obj['value'] == macro_value:
             self._module.exit_json(changed=False, result="Host macro %s already up to date" % macro_name)
         try:
             if self._module.check_mode:
@@ -148,6 +170,22 @@ class HostMacro(object):
             self._module.fail_json(msg="Failed to delete host macro %s: %s" % (macro_name, e))
 
 
+def normalize_macro_name(macro_name):
+    # Zabbix handles macro names in upper case characters
+    if ':' in macro_name:
+        macro_name = ':'.join([macro_name.split(':')[0].upper(), ':'.join(macro_name.split(':')[1:])])
+    else:
+        macro_name = macro_name.upper()
+
+    # Valid format for macro is {$MACRO}
+    if not macro_name.startswith('{$'):
+        macro_name = '{$' + macro_name
+    if not macro_name.endswith('}'):
+        macro_name = macro_name + '}'
+
+    return macro_name
+
+
 def main():
     module = AnsibleModule(
         argument_spec=dict(
@@ -159,11 +197,14 @@ def main():
             validate_certs=dict(type='bool', required=False, default=True),
             host_name=dict(type='str', required=True),
             macro_name=dict(type='str', required=True),
-            macro_value=dict(type='str', required=True),
+            macro_value=dict(type='str', required=False),
             state=dict(default="present", choices=['present', 'absent']),
             timeout=dict(type='int', default=10),
             force=dict(type='bool', default=True)
         ),
+        required_if=[
+            ['state', 'present', ['macro_value']]
+        ],
         supports_check_mode=True
     )
 
@@ -177,17 +218,12 @@ def main():
     http_login_password = module.params['http_login_password']
     validate_certs = module.params['validate_certs']
     host_name = module.params['host_name']
-    macro_name = (module.params['macro_name'])
+    macro_name = normalize_macro_name(module.params['macro_name'])
     macro_value = module.params['macro_value']
     state = module.params['state']
     timeout = module.params['timeout']
     force = module.params['force']
 
-    if ':' in macro_name:
-        macro_name = ':'.join([macro_name.split(':')[0].upper(), ':'.join(macro_name.split(':')[1:])])
-    else:
-        macro_name = macro_name.upper()
-
     zbx = None
     # login to zabbix
     try: