diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/tag_gathering.yml b/changelogs/fragments/tag_gathering.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2999b9288bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/tag_gathering.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+    - fact gathering to obey play tags
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/play_iterator.py b/lib/ansible/executor/play_iterator.py
index 46c25496a1f..289bb867ec9 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/play_iterator.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/play_iterator.py
@@ -175,10 +175,14 @@ class PlayIterator:
         setup_task = Task(block=setup_block)
         setup_task.action = 'setup'
         setup_task.name = 'Gathering Facts'
-        setup_task.tags = ['always']
         setup_task.args = {
             'gather_subset': gather_subset,
         }
+
+        # Unless play is specifically tagged, gathering should 'always' run
+        if self._play.tags is None:
+            setup_task.tags = ['always']
+
         if gather_timeout:
             setup_task.args['gather_timeout'] = gather_timeout
         if fact_path: