diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/ipaddress.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/ipaddress.py
index 495b0b90e65..5871530b67e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/ipaddress.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/ipaddress.py
@@ -94,12 +94,12 @@ def is_valid_ip_interface(address):
 
 
 def get_netmask(address):
-    addr = ip_network(address)
+    addr = ip_network(u'{0}'.format(address))
     netmask = addr.netmask.compressed
     return netmask
 
 
 def compress_address(address):
-    addr = ip_network(address)
+    addr = ip_network(u'{0}'.format(address))
     result = addr.compressed.split('/')[0]
     return result
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_virtual_address.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_virtual_address.py
index ea4528f821f..c9060dd5881 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_virtual_address.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_virtual_address.py
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ options:
     description:
       - Netmask of the provided virtual address. This value cannot be
         modified after it is set.
-    default: 255.255.255.255
+      - When creating a new virtual address, if this parameter is not specified, the
+        default value is C(255.255.255.255) for IPv4 addresses and
+        C(ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff) for IPv6 addresses.
   connection_limit:
     description:
       - Specifies the number of concurrent connections that the system
@@ -279,6 +281,7 @@ try:
     from library.module_utils.network.f5.common import fq_name
     from library.module_utils.network.f5.common import f5_argument_spec
     from library.module_utils.network.f5.ipaddress import is_valid_ip
+    from library.module_utils.network.f5.ipaddress import compress_address
     from library.module_utils.network.f5.icontrol import tmos_version
 except ImportError:
     from ansible.module_utils.network.f5.bigip import F5RestClient
@@ -291,6 +294,7 @@ except ImportError:
     from ansible.module_utils.network.f5.common import fq_name
     from ansible.module_utils.network.f5.common import f5_argument_spec
     from ansible.module_utils.network.f5.ipaddress import is_valid_ip
+    from ansible.module_utils.network.f5.ipaddress import compress_address
     from ansible.module_utils.network.f5.icontrol import tmos_version
 
 
@@ -487,7 +491,7 @@ class ModuleParameters(Parameters):
         if self._values['address'] is None:
             return None
         if is_valid_ip(self._values['address']):
-            return self._values['address']
+            return compress_address(self._values['address'])
         else:
             raise F5ModuleError(
                 "The provided 'address' is not a valid IP address"
@@ -713,6 +717,7 @@ class ModuleManager(object):
 
     def create(self):
         self._set_changed_options()
+
         if self.want.traffic_group is None:
             self.want.update({'traffic_group': '/Common/traffic-group-1'})
         if self.want.arp is None:
@@ -720,6 +725,12 @@ class ModuleManager(object):
         if self.want.spanning is None:
             self.want.update({'spanning': False})
 
+        if self.want.netmask is None:
+            if is_valid_ip(self.want.address, type='ipv4'):
+                self.want.update({'netmask': '255.255.255.255'})
+            else:
+                self.want.update({'netmask': 'ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff'})
+
         if self.want.arp and self.want.spanning:
             raise F5ModuleError(
                 "'arp' and 'spanning' cannot both be enabled on virtual address."
@@ -866,10 +877,7 @@ class ArgumentSpec(object):
             ),
             name=dict(),
             address=dict(),
-            netmask=dict(
-                type='str',
-                default='255.255.255.255',
-            ),
+            netmask=dict(),
             connection_limit=dict(
                 type='int'
             ),