diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index b469a95c9a6..691ec4f616a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -1929,14 +1929,23 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
 
                 self._options_context.append(k)
 
+                key = None
+                for (name, value) in spec.items():
+                    # specifies how to map a single value to spec
+                    if value.get('key'):
+                        key = name
+                        break
+
                 if isinstance(params[k], dict):
                     elements = [params[k]]
                 else:
                     elements = params[k]
 
-                for param in elements:
+                for index, param in enumerate(elements):
                     if not isinstance(param, dict):
-                        self.fail_json(msg="value of %s must be of type dict or list of dict" % k)
+                        if key is None:
+                            self.fail_json(msg="options spec require a key argument to map it to a single value '%s'" % param)
+                        elements[index] = param = {key: param}
 
                     self._set_fallbacks(spec, param)
                     options_aliases = self._handle_aliases(spec, param)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/common/utils.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/common/utils.py
index cf3faaf91be..38d46b683ff 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/common/utils.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/common/utils.py
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ def sort_list(val):
 class Entity(object):
     """Transforms a dict to with an argument spec
 
+    This class has been deprecated as of Ansible 2.5 and will be
+    removed from the code in future release.
+    Please use the suboptions in module argument spec instead.
+
     This class will take a dict and apply an Ansible argument spec to the
     values.  The resulting dict will contain all of the keys in the param
     with appropriate values set.
@@ -183,7 +187,12 @@ class Entity(object):
 
 
 class EntityCollection(Entity):
-    """Extends ```Entity``` to handle a list of dicts """
+    """Extends ```Entity``` to handle a list of dicts
+
+    This class has been deprecated as of Ansible 2.5 and will be
+    removed from the code in future release.
+    Please use the suboptions in module argument spec instead.
+    """
 
     def __call__(self, iterable, strict=True):
         if iterable is None:
@@ -198,11 +207,21 @@ class EntityCollection(Entity):
 # these two are for backwards compatibility and can be removed once all of the
 # modules that use them are updated
 class ComplexDict(Entity):
+    """
+    This class has been deprecated as of Ansible 2.5 and will be
+    removed from the code in future release.
+    Please use the suboptions in module argument spec instead.
+    """
     def __init__(self, attrs, module, *args, **kwargs):
         super(ComplexDict, self).__init__(module, attrs, *args, **kwargs)
 
 
 class ComplexList(EntityCollection):
+    """
+    This class has been deprecated as of Ansible 2.5 and will be
+    removed from the code in future release.
+    Please use the suboptions in module argument spec instead.
+    """
     def __init__(self, attrs, module, *args, **kwargs):
         super(ComplexList, self).__init__(module, attrs, *args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/eos/eos.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/eos/eos.py
index a548f139345..3567721ce9d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/eos/eos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/eos/eos.py
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ import time
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_text, to_native
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import env_fallback, return_values
 from ansible.module_utils.connection import exec_command
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import to_list, ComplexList
-from ansible.module_utils.six import iteritems
+from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import to_list
+from ansible.module_utils.six import iteritems, string_types
 from ansible.module_utils.urls import fetch_url
 
 _DEVICE_CONNECTION = None
@@ -150,7 +150,6 @@ class Cli:
         """Run list of commands on remote device and return results
         """
         responses = list()
-
         for cmd in to_list(commands):
             rc, out, err = self.exec_command(cmd)
             out = to_text(out, errors='surrogate_then_replace')
@@ -429,22 +428,6 @@ def is_eapi(module):
     return 'eapi' in (transport, provider_transport)
 
 
-def to_command(module, commands):
-    if is_eapi(module):
-        default_output = 'json'
-    else:
-        default_output = 'text'
-
-    transform = ComplexList(dict(
-        command=dict(key=True),
-        output=dict(default=default_output),
-        prompt=dict(),
-        answer=dict()
-    ), module)
-
-    return transform(to_list(commands))
-
-
 def get_config(module, flags=None):
     flags = None if flags is None else flags
 
@@ -454,7 +437,15 @@ def get_config(module, flags=None):
 
 def run_commands(module, commands):
     conn = get_connection(module)
-    return conn.run_commands(to_command(module, commands))
+    if is_eapi(module):
+        default_output = 'json'
+    else:
+        default_output = 'text'
+
+    for index, cmd in enumerate(to_list(commands)):
+        if isinstance(cmd, string_types):
+            commands[index] = {'command': cmd, 'output': default_output}
+    return conn.run_commands(to_list(commands))
 
 
 def load_config(module, config, commit=False, replace=False):
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/ios/ios.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/ios/ios.py
index 85ce640093d..e27a62bf2af 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/ios/ios.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/ios/ios.py
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@
 #
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_text
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import env_fallback, return_values
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import to_list, ComplexList
 from ansible.module_utils.connection import exec_command
+from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import to_list
+from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 
 _DEVICE_CONFIGS = {}
 
@@ -100,20 +101,12 @@ def get_config(module, flags=None):
         return cfg
 
 
-def to_commands(module, commands):
-    spec = {
-        'command': dict(key=True),
-        'prompt': dict(),
-        'answer': dict()
-    }
-    transform = ComplexList(spec, module)
-    return transform(commands)
-
-
 def run_commands(module, commands, check_rc=True):
     responses = list()
-    commands = to_commands(module, to_list(commands))
-    for cmd in commands:
+    for cmd in to_list(commands):
+        if isinstance(cmd, string_types):
+            cmd = {'command': cmd}
+
         cmd = module.jsonify(cmd)
         rc, out, err = exec_command(module, cmd)
         if check_rc and rc != 0:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/iosxr/iosxr.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/iosxr/iosxr.py
index 805acf85129..87b72ceffe5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/iosxr/iosxr.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/iosxr/iosxr.py
@@ -79,12 +79,6 @@ iosxr_argument_spec = {
     'provider': dict(type='dict', options=iosxr_provider_spec)
 }
 
-command_spec = {
-    'command': dict(),
-    'prompt': dict(default=None),
-    'answer': dict(default=None)
-}
-
 iosxr_top_spec = {
     'host': dict(removed_in_version=2.9),
     'port': dict(removed_in_version=2.9, type='int'),
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/nxos/nxos.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/nxos/nxos.py
index 4eaad230cda..f6dfd9381e8 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/nxos/nxos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/nxos/nxos.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import collections
 
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_text
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import env_fallback, return_values
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import to_list, ComplexList
+from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import to_list
 from ansible.module_utils.connection import exec_command
 from ansible.module_utils.six import iteritems, string_types
 from ansible.module_utils.urls import fetch_url
@@ -399,28 +399,6 @@ def is_nxapi(module):
     return 'nxapi' in (transport, provider_transport)
 
 
-def to_command(module, commands):
-    if is_nxapi(module):
-        default_output = 'json'
-    else:
-        default_output = 'text'
-
-    transform = ComplexList(dict(
-        command=dict(key=True),
-        output=dict(default=default_output),
-        prompt=dict(),
-        answer=dict()
-    ), module)
-
-    commands = transform(to_list(commands))
-
-    for item in commands:
-        if is_json(item['command']):
-            item['output'] = 'json'
-
-    return commands
-
-
 def get_config(module, flags=None):
     flags = [] if flags is None else flags
 
@@ -430,7 +408,20 @@ def get_config(module, flags=None):
 
 def run_commands(module, commands, check_rc=True):
     conn = get_connection(module)
-    return conn.run_commands(to_command(module, commands), check_rc)
+
+    if is_nxapi(module):
+        default_output = 'json'
+    else:
+        default_output = 'text'
+
+    for index, cmd in enumerate(to_list(commands)):
+        if isinstance(cmd, string_types):
+            commands[index] = cmd = {'command': cmd, 'output': default_output}
+
+        if is_json(cmd['command']):
+            cmd['output'] = 'json'
+
+    return conn.run_commands(to_list(commands), check_rc)
 
 
 def load_config(module, config, return_error=False, opts=None):
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/eos/eos_command.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/eos/eos_command.py
index 7d4c4cd18b2..8de1451c8c2 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/eos/eos_command.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/eos/eos_command.py
@@ -140,9 +140,8 @@ from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from ansible.module_utils.pycompat24 import get_exception
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.module_utils.network.common.parsing import Conditional
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import ComplexList
 from ansible.module_utils.network.eos.eos import run_commands
-from ansible.module_utils.network.eos.eos import eos_argument_spec, check_args
+from ansible.module_utils.network.eos.eos import eos_argument_spec
 
 VALID_KEYS = ['command', 'output', 'prompt', 'response']
 
@@ -157,16 +156,7 @@ def to_lines(stdout):
 
 
 def parse_commands(module, warnings):
-    spec = dict(
-        command=dict(key=True),
-        output=dict(),
-        prompt=dict(),
-        answer=dict()
-    )
-
-    transform = ComplexList(spec, module)
-    commands = transform(module.params['commands'])
-
+    commands = module.params['commands']
     if module.check_mode:
         for item in list(commands):
             if not item['command'].startswith('show'):
@@ -189,8 +179,15 @@ def to_cli(obj):
 def main():
     """entry point for module execution
     """
+    command_spec = dict(
+        command=dict(key=True),
+        output=dict(),
+        prompt=dict(),
+        answer=dict()
+    )
+
     argument_spec = dict(
-        commands=dict(type='list', required=True),
+        commands=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=command_spec, required=True),
 
         wait_for=dict(type='list', aliases=['waitfor']),
         match=dict(default='all', choices=['all', 'any']),
@@ -207,7 +204,6 @@ def main():
     result = {'changed': False}
 
     warnings = list()
-    check_args(module, warnings)
     commands = parse_commands(module, warnings)
     if warnings:
         result['warnings'] = warnings
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/eos/eos_system.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/eos/eos_system.py
index 3ab319f5e70..3b525d57402 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/eos/eos_system.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/eos/eos_system.py
@@ -129,7 +129,6 @@ session_name:
 import re
 
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import ComplexList
 from ansible.module_utils.network.eos.eos import load_config, get_config
 from ansible.module_utils.network.eos.eos import eos_argument_spec
 
@@ -270,31 +269,27 @@ def map_params_to_obj(module):
     obj = {
         'hostname': module.params['hostname'],
         'domain_name': module.params['domain_name'],
-        'domain_list': module.params['domain_list']
+        'domain_list': module.params['domain_list'],
+        'lookup_source': module.params['lookup_source'],
+        'name_servers': module.params['name_servers'],
     }
 
-    lookup_source = ComplexList(dict(
-        interface=dict(key=True),
-        vrf=dict()
-    ), module)
-
-    name_servers = ComplexList(dict(
-        server=dict(key=True),
-        vrf=dict(default='default')
-    ), module)
-
-    for arg, cast in [('lookup_source', lookup_source), ('name_servers', name_servers)]:
-        if module.params[arg] is not None:
-            obj[arg] = cast(module.params[arg])
-        else:
-            obj[arg] = None
-
     return obj
 
 
 def main():
     """ main entry point for module execution
     """
+    lookup_source_spec = dict(
+        interface=dict(key=True),
+        vrf=dict()
+    )
+
+    name_servers_spec = dict(
+        server=dict(key=True),
+        vrf=dict()
+    )
+
     argument_spec = dict(
         hostname=dict(),
 
@@ -302,10 +297,10 @@ def main():
         domain_list=dict(type='list', aliases=['domain_search']),
 
         # { interface: <str>, vrf: <str> }
-        lookup_source=dict(type='list'),
+        lookup_source=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=lookup_source_spec),
 
         # { server: <str>; vrf: <str> }
-        name_servers=dict(type='list'),
+        name_servers=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=name_servers_spec),
 
         state=dict(default='present', choices=['present', 'absent'])
     )
@@ -333,5 +328,6 @@ def main():
 
     module.exit_json(**result)
 
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_command.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_command.py
index a5c79d21941..7e6d0b31eae 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_command.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_command.py
@@ -134,9 +134,8 @@ failed_conditions:
 import time
 
 from ansible.module_utils.network.ios.ios import run_commands
-from ansible.module_utils.network.ios.ios import ios_argument_spec, check_args
+from ansible.module_utils.network.ios.ios import ios_argument_spec
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import ComplexList
 from ansible.module_utils.network.common.parsing import Conditional
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 
@@ -149,13 +148,8 @@ def to_lines(stdout):
 
 
 def parse_commands(module, warnings):
-    command = ComplexList(dict(
-        command=dict(key=True),
-        prompt=dict(),
-        answer=dict()
-    ), module)
-    commands = command(module.params['commands'])
-    for item in list(commands):
+    commands = module.params['commands']
+    for item in commands:
         if module.check_mode and not item['command'].startswith('show'):
             warnings.append(
                 'only show commands are supported when using check mode, not '
@@ -173,8 +167,14 @@ def parse_commands(module, warnings):
 def main():
     """main entry point for module execution
     """
+    command_spec = dict(
+        command=dict(key=True),
+        prompt=dict(),
+        answer=dict()
+    )
+
     argument_spec = dict(
-        commands=dict(type='list', required=True),
+        commands=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=command_spec, required=True),
 
         wait_for=dict(type='list', aliases=['waitfor']),
         match=dict(default='all', choices=['all', 'any']),
@@ -191,7 +191,6 @@ def main():
     result = {'changed': False}
 
     warnings = list()
-    check_args(module, warnings)
     commands = parse_commands(module, warnings)
     result['warnings'] = warnings
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_system.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_system.py
index 7b59e14859e..90f4d2750fa 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_system.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_system.py
@@ -120,8 +120,7 @@ import re
 
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from ansible.module_utils.network.ios.ios import get_config, load_config
-from ansible.module_utils.network.ios.ios import ios_argument_spec, check_args
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import ComplexList
+from ansible.module_utils.network.ios.ios import ios_argument_spec
 
 _CONFIGURED_VRFS = None
 
@@ -307,44 +306,43 @@ def map_params_to_obj(module):
         'hostname': module.params['hostname'],
         'lookup_source': module.params['lookup_source'],
         'lookup_enabled': module.params['lookup_enabled'],
+        'domain_name': module.params['domain_name'],
+        'domain_search': module.params['domain_search'],
+        'name_servers': module.params['name_servers']
     }
 
-    domain_name = ComplexList(dict(
+    return obj
+
+
+def main():
+    """ Main entry point for Ansible module execution
+    """
+    domain_name_spec = dict(
         name=dict(key=True),
         vrf=dict()
-    ), module)
+    )
 
-    domain_search = ComplexList(dict(
+    domain_search_spec = dict(
         name=dict(key=True),
         vrf=dict()
-    ), module)
+    )
 
-    name_servers = ComplexList(dict(
+    name_servers_spec = dict(
         server=dict(key=True),
         vrf=dict()
-    ), module)
-
-    for arg, cast in [('domain_name', domain_name),
-                      ('domain_search', domain_search),
-                      ('name_servers', name_servers)]:
-
-        if module.params[arg]:
-            obj[arg] = cast(module.params[arg])
-        else:
-            obj[arg] = None
-
-    return obj
-
+    )
 
-def main():
-    """ Main entry point for Ansible module execution
-    """
     argument_spec = dict(
         hostname=dict(),
 
-        domain_name=dict(type='list'),
-        domain_search=dict(type='list'),
-        name_servers=dict(type='list'),
+        # { name: <str>, vrf: <str> }
+        domain_name=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=domain_name_spec),
+
+        # {name: <str>, vrf: <str> }
+        domain_search=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=domain_search_spec),
+
+        # { server: <str>; vrf: <str> }
+        name_servers=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=name_servers_spec),
 
         lookup_source=dict(),
         lookup_enabled=dict(type='bool'),
@@ -360,7 +358,6 @@ def main():
     result = {'changed': False}
 
     warnings = list()
-    check_args(module, warnings)
     result['warnings'] = warnings
 
     want = map_params_to_obj(module)
@@ -376,5 +373,6 @@ def main():
 
     module.exit_json(**result)
 
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/iosxr/iosxr_command.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/iosxr/iosxr_command.py
index 5fca0fdb262..bd05475d02e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/iosxr/iosxr_command.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/iosxr/iosxr_command.py
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ import time
 
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from ansible.module_utils.network.iosxr.iosxr import run_command, iosxr_argument_spec
-from ansible.module_utils.network.iosxr.iosxr import command_spec
 from ansible.module_utils.network.common.parsing import Conditional
+from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import to_list
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
 
@@ -142,11 +142,8 @@ def to_lines(stdout):
 
 def parse_commands(module, warnings):
     commands = module.params['commands']
-    for item in list(commands):
-        try:
-            command = item['command']
-        except Exception:
-            command = item
+    for item in to_list(commands):
+        command = item['command']
         if module.check_mode and not command.startswith('show'):
             warnings.append(
                 'only show commands are supported when using check mode, not '
@@ -163,8 +160,14 @@ def parse_commands(module, warnings):
 
 
 def main():
+    command_spec = dict(
+        command=dict(key=True),
+        prompt=dict(),
+        answer=dict()
+    )
+
     spec = dict(
-        commands=dict(type='list', required=True),
+        commands=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=command_spec, required=True),
 
         wait_for=dict(type='list', aliases=['waitfor']),
         match=dict(default='all', choices=['all', 'any']),
@@ -175,13 +178,10 @@ def main():
 
     spec.update(iosxr_argument_spec)
 
-    spec.update(command_spec)
-
     module = AnsibleModule(argument_spec=spec,
                            supports_check_mode=True)
 
     warnings = list()
-
     commands = parse_commands(module, warnings)
 
     wait_for = module.params['wait_for'] or list()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_command.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_command.py
index 8ebc0e9578f..5da430ac3c5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_command.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_command.py
@@ -147,8 +147,7 @@ import time
 
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from ansible.module_utils.network.common.parsing import Conditional, FailedConditionalError
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import ComplexList
-from ansible.module_utils.network.nxos.nxos import check_args, nxos_argument_spec, run_commands
+from ansible.module_utils.network.nxos.nxos import nxos_argument_spec, run_commands
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
 
@@ -163,14 +162,7 @@ def to_lines(stdout):
 
 
 def parse_commands(module, warnings):
-    transform = ComplexList(dict(
-        command=dict(key=True),
-        output=dict(),
-        prompt=dict(),
-        answer=dict()
-    ), module)
-
-    commands = transform(module.params['commands'])
+    commands = module.params['commands']
 
     if module.check_mode:
         for item in list(commands):
@@ -194,9 +186,16 @@ def to_cli(obj):
 def main():
     """entry point for module execution
     """
+    command_spec = dict(
+        command=dict(key=True),
+        output=dict(),
+        prompt=dict(),
+        answer=dict()
+    )
+
     argument_spec = dict(
         # { command: <str>, output: <str>, prompt: <str>, response: <str> }
-        commands=dict(type='list', required=True),
+        commands=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=command_spec, required=True),
 
         wait_for=dict(type='list', aliases=['waitfor']),
         match=dict(default='all', choices=['any', 'all']),
@@ -213,7 +212,6 @@ def main():
     result = {'changed': False}
 
     warnings = list()
-    check_args(module, warnings)
     commands = parse_commands(module, warnings)
     result['warnings'] = warnings
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_system.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_system.py
index ac236ee355e..e616db75863 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_system.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_system.py
@@ -112,11 +112,10 @@ commands:
 import re
 
 from ansible.module_utils.network.nxos.nxos import get_config, load_config
-from ansible.module_utils.network.nxos.nxos import nxos_argument_spec, check_args
+from ansible.module_utils.network.nxos.nxos import nxos_argument_spec
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from ansible.module_utils.six import iteritems
 from ansible.module_utils.network.common.config import NetworkConfig
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import ComplexList
 
 _CONFIGURED_VRFS = None
 
@@ -302,49 +301,45 @@ def map_params_to_obj(module):
     obj = {
         'hostname': module.params['hostname'],
         'domain_lookup': module.params['domain_lookup'],
-        'system_mtu': module.params['system_mtu']
+        'system_mtu': module.params['system_mtu'],
+        'domain_name': module.params['domain_name'],
+        'domain_search': module.params['domain_search'],
+        'name_servers': module.params['name_servers']
     }
 
-    domain_name = ComplexList(dict(
+    return obj
+
+
+def main():
+    """ main entry point for module execution
+    """
+    domain_name_spec = dict(
         name=dict(key=True),
         vrf=dict()
-    ), module)
+    )
 
-    domain_search = ComplexList(dict(
+    domain_search_spec = dict(
         name=dict(key=True),
         vrf=dict()
-    ), module)
+    )
 
-    name_servers = ComplexList(dict(
+    name_servers_spec = dict(
         server=dict(key=True),
         vrf=dict()
-    ), module)
-
-    for arg, cast in [('domain_name', domain_name), ('domain_search', domain_search),
-                      ('name_servers', name_servers)]:
-        if module.params[arg] is not None:
-            obj[arg] = cast(module.params[arg])
-        else:
-            obj[arg] = None
-
-    return obj
-
+    )
 
-def main():
-    """ main entry point for module execution
-    """
     argument_spec = dict(
         hostname=dict(),
         domain_lookup=dict(type='bool'),
 
         # { name: <str>, vrf: <str> }
-        domain_name=dict(type='list'),
+        domain_name=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=domain_name_spec),
 
         # {name: <str>, vrf: <str> }
-        domain_search=dict(type='list'),
+        domain_search=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=domain_search_spec),
 
         # { server: <str>; vrf: <str> }
-        name_servers=dict(type='list'),
+        name_servers=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=name_servers_spec),
 
         system_mtu=dict(type='int'),
         lookup_source=dict(),
@@ -357,7 +352,6 @@ def main():
                            supports_check_mode=True)
 
     warnings = list()
-    check_args(module, warnings)
 
     result = {'changed': False}
     if warnings:
@@ -376,5 +370,6 @@ def main():
 
     module.exit_json(**result)
 
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/vyos/vyos_command.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/vyos/vyos_command.py
index 798ec0077a9..da3edf45c62 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/vyos/vyos_command.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/vyos/vyos_command.py
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@ import time
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from ansible.module_utils.pycompat24 import get_exception
 from ansible.module_utils.network.common.parsing import Conditional
-from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import ComplexList
 from ansible.module_utils.six import string_types
 from ansible.module_utils.network.vyos.vyos import run_commands
 from ansible.module_utils.network.vyos.vyos import vyos_argument_spec
@@ -151,12 +150,7 @@ def to_lines(stdout):
 
 
 def parse_commands(module, warnings):
-    command = ComplexList(dict(
-        command=dict(key=True),
-        prompt=dict(),
-        answer=dict(),
-    ), module)
-    commands = command(module.params['commands'])
+    commands = module.params['commands']
     items = []
 
     for item in commands:
@@ -170,8 +164,15 @@ def parse_commands(module, warnings):
 
 
 def main():
+
+    command_spec = dict(
+        command=dict(key=True),
+        prompt=dict(),
+        answer=dict()
+    )
+
     spec = dict(
-        commands=dict(type='list', required=True),
+        commands=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=command_spec, required=True),
 
         wait_for=dict(type='list', aliases=['waitfor']),
         match=dict(default='all', choices=['all', 'any']),
diff --git a/test/units/module_utils/test_basic.py b/test/units/module_utils/test_basic.py
index 4df155bc084..a575bcda4d9 100644
--- a/test/units/module_utils/test_basic.py
+++ b/test/units/module_utils/test_basic.py
@@ -575,6 +575,21 @@ class TestModuleUtilsBasic(ModuleTestCase):
                 supports_check_mode=True,
             )
 
+        # should test ok, handles key argument
+        key_spec = dict(foo=dict(key=True), bar=dict())
+        args = json.dumps(dict(ANSIBLE_MODULE_ARGS={'foobar': ['test-1', 'test-2']}))
+        with swap_stdin_and_argv(stdin_data=args):
+            basic._ANSIBLE_ARGS = None
+            am = basic.AnsibleModule(
+                argument_spec=dict(foobar=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=key_spec, required=True)),
+                no_log=True,
+                check_invalid_arguments=False,
+                add_file_common_args=True,
+                supports_check_mode=True
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(am.params['foobar'][0]['foo'], 'test-1')
+            self.assertEqual(am.params['foobar'][1]['foo'], 'test-2')
+
     def test_module_utils_basic_ansible_module_type_check(self):
         from ansible.module_utils import basic