diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/shell/powershell.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/shell/powershell.py
index 24119c9ad66..df2aeeac768 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/shell/powershell.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/shell/powershell.py
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ Function Run($payload) {
             $str_stderr
         }
         Else {
-            Throw "failed, rc was $rc, stderr was $stderr, stdout was $stdout"
+            Throw "failed, rc was $rc, stderr was $str_stderr, stdout was $str_stdout"
         }
 
     }