diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/82954-fix-older-connection-plugins.yml b/changelogs/fragments/82954-fix-older-connection-plugins.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..01324a39f86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/82954-fix-older-connection-plugins.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - Fix check for missing _sub_plugin attribute in older connection plugins (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/82954)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
index 2d615e29d90..a8e24f5f36a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
@@ -1091,7 +1091,7 @@ class TaskExecutor:
 
         # deals with networking sub_plugins (network_cli/httpapi/netconf)
         sub = getattr(self._connection, '_sub_plugin', None)
-        if sub is not None and sub.get('type') != 'external':
+        if sub and sub.get('type') != 'external':
             plugin_type = get_plugin_class(sub.get("obj"))
             varnames.extend(self._set_plugin_options(plugin_type, variables, templar, task_keys))
         sub_conn = getattr(self._connection, 'ssh_type_conn', None)
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/connection_local/connection_plugins/network_noop.py b/test/integration/targets/connection_local/connection_plugins/network_noop.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5b0c5842acd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/connection_local/connection_plugins/network_noop.py
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+# (c) 2024 Red Hat Inc.
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+DOCUMENTATION = """
+connection: network_noop
+author: ansible-core
+short_description: legacy-ish connection plugin with only minimal config
+description:
+  - A wrapper around NetworkConnectionBase to test that the default attributes don't cause internal errors in TE.
+options:
+  persistent_log_messages:
+    type: boolean
+    description:
+      - This flag will enable logging the command executed and response received from
+        target device in the ansible log file. For this option to work 'log_path' ansible
+        configuration option is required to be set to a file path with write access.
+      - Be sure to fully understand the security implications of enabling this
+        option as it could create a security vulnerability by logging sensitive information in log file.
+    default: False
+    ini:
+      - section: persistent_connection
+        key: log_messages
+    env:
+      - name: ANSIBLE_PERSISTENT_LOG_MESSAGES
+    vars:
+      - name: ansible_persistent_log_messages
+  persistent_command_timeout:
+    type: int
+    description:
+      - Configures, in seconds, the amount of time to wait for a command to
+        return from the remote device.  If this timer is exceeded before the
+        command returns, the connection plugin will raise an exception and
+        close.
+    default: 30
+    ini:
+      - section: persistent_connection
+        key: command_timeout
+    env:
+      - name: ANSIBLE_PERSISTENT_COMMAND_TIMEOUT
+    vars:
+      - name: ansible_command_timeout
+  persistent_connect_timeout:
+    type: int
+    description:
+      - Configures, in seconds, the amount of time to wait when trying to
+        initially establish a persistent connection.  If this value expires
+        before the connection to the remote device is completed, the connection
+        will fail.
+    default: 30
+    ini:
+      - section: persistent_connection
+        key: connect_timeout
+    env:
+      - name: ANSIBLE_PERSISTENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT
+    vars:
+extends_documentation_fragment:
+  - connection_pipelining
+"""
+
+from ansible.plugins.connection import NetworkConnectionBase, ensure_connect
+from ansible.utils.display import Display
+
+display = Display()
+
+
+class Connection(NetworkConnectionBase):
+    transport = 'network_noop'
+    has_pipelining = True
+
+    def __init__(self, play_context, new_stdin, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(Connection, self).__init__(play_context, new_stdin, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    @ensure_connect
+    def exec_command(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return super(Connection, self).exec_command(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    @ensure_connect
+    def put_file(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return super(Connection, self).put_file(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    @ensure_connect
+    def fetch_file(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return super(Connection, self).fetch_file(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def _connect(self):
+        if not self.connected:
+            self._connected = True
+            display.vvv("ESTABLISH NEW CONNECTION")
+
+    def close(self):
+        if self.connected:
+            display.vvv("CLOSING CONNECTION")
+        super(Connection, self).close()
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/connection_local/runme.sh b/test/integration/targets/connection_local/runme.sh
index a2c32adf06b..42b2b827200 100755
--- a/test/integration/targets/connection_local/runme.sh
+++ b/test/integration/targets/connection_local/runme.sh
@@ -12,3 +12,10 @@ INVENTORY="../connection_${group}/test_connection.inventory" ./test.sh \
     -e local_tmp=/tmp/ansible-local \
     -e remote_tmp=/tmp/ansible-remote \
     "$@"
+
+ANSIBLE_CONNECTION_PLUGINS="../connection_${group}/connection_plugins" INVENTORY="../connection_${group}/test_network_connection.inventory" ./test.sh \
+    -e target_hosts="${group}" \
+    -e action_prefix= \
+    -e local_tmp=/tmp/ansible-local \
+    -e remote_tmp=/tmp/ansible-remote \
+    "$@"
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/connection_local/test_network_connection.inventory b/test/integration/targets/connection_local/test_network_connection.inventory
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8114023349a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/connection_local/test_network_connection.inventory
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[all]
+local ansible_host=127.0.0.1 ansible_connection=network_noop