diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/delay_type.yml b/changelogs/fragments/delay_type.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..03b44dc0989
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/delay_type.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - delay keyword is now a float, matching the underlying 'time' API and user expectations.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index 554d0e620e8..ef00e665c01 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, CollectionSearch, Notifiable, Delegatabl
 
     async_val = NonInheritableFieldAttribute(isa='int', default=0, alias='async')
     changed_when = NonInheritableFieldAttribute(isa='list', default=list)
-    delay = NonInheritableFieldAttribute(isa='int', default=5)
+    delay = NonInheritableFieldAttribute(isa='float', default=5)
     failed_when = NonInheritableFieldAttribute(isa='list', default=list)
     loop = NonInheritableFieldAttribute(isa='list')
     loop_control = NonInheritableFieldAttribute(isa='class', class_type=LoopControl, default=LoopControl)
diff --git a/test/units/playbook/test_task.py b/test/units/playbook/test_task.py
index 6eb3bf22107..f00485cbc33 100644
--- a/test/units/playbook/test_task.py
+++ b/test/units/playbook/test_task.py
@@ -1,28 +1,15 @@
-# (c) 2012-2014, Michael DeHaan <michael.dehaan@gmail.com>
-#
-# 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/>.
-
+# Copyright: (c) Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import unittest
+
 from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from ansible import errors
+from ansible.parsing.yaml import objects
 from ansible.playbook.task import Task
 from ansible.plugins.loader import init_plugin_loader
-from ansible.parsing.yaml import objects
-from ansible import errors
 
 
 basic_command_task = dict(
@@ -42,7 +29,7 @@ kv_bad_args_ds = {'apk': 'sdfs sf sdf 37'}
 class TestTask(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
-        pass
+        self._task_base = {'name': 'test', 'action': 'debug'}
 
     def tearDown(self):
         pass
@@ -62,7 +49,7 @@ class TestTask(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_load_task_simple(self):
         t = Task.load(basic_command_task)
         assert t is not None
-        self.assertEqual(t.name, basic_command_task['name'])
+        self.assertEqual(t.get_name(), basic_command_task['name'])
         self.assertEqual(t.action, 'command')
         self.assertEqual(t.args, dict(_raw_params='echo hi'))
 
@@ -91,9 +78,41 @@ class TestTask(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(cm.exception.message.count('The error appears to be in'), 1)
 
     def test_task_auto_name(self):
-        assert 'name' not in kv_command_task
-        Task.load(kv_command_task)
-        # self.assertEqual(t.name, 'shell echo hi')
+        self.assertNotIn('name', kv_command_task)
+        t = Task.load(kv_command_task)
+        self.assertEqual(t.get_name(), 'command')
+
+    def test_delay(self):
+        good_params = [
+            (0, 0),
+            (0.1, 0.1),
+            ('0.3', 0.3),
+            ('0.03', 0.03),
+            ('12', 12),
+            (12, 12),
+            (1.2, 1.2),
+            ('1.2', 1.2),
+            ('1.0', 1),
+        ]
+        for delay, expected in good_params:
+            with self.subTest(f'type "{type(delay)}" was not cast to float', delay=delay, expected=expected):
+                p = dict(delay=delay)
+                p.update(self._task_base)
+                t = Task().load_data(p)
+                self.assertEqual(t.get_validated_value('delay', t.fattributes.get('delay'), delay, None), expected)
+
+        bad_params = [
+            ('E', ValueError),
+            ('1.E', ValueError),
+            ('E.1', ValueError),
+        ]
+        for delay, expected in bad_params:
+            with self.subTest(f'type "{type(delay)} was cast to float w/o error', delay=delay, expected=expected):
+                p = dict(delay=delay)
+                p.update(self._task_base)
+                t = Task().load_data(p)
+                with self.assertRaises(expected):
+                    dummy = t.get_validated_value('delay', t.fattributes.get('delay'), delay, None)
 
     def test_task_auto_name_with_role(self):
         pass