diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guide_2.3.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guide_2.3.rst
index 8b096e0ca6f..7b8273b51f7 100644
--- a/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guide_2.3.rst
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guide_2.3.rst
@@ -213,10 +213,10 @@ Will result in:
 delegate_to vs ProxyCommand
 ---------------------------
 
-The new connection framework for Network Modules in Ansible 2.3 no longer supports the use of the
-``delegate_to`` directive.  In order to use a bastion or intermediate jump host
-to connect to network devices, network modules now support the use of
-``ProxyCommand``.
+The new connection framework for Network Modules in Ansible 2.3 that uses ``cli`` transport
+no longer supports the use of the ``delegate_to`` directive.
+In order to use a bastion or intermediate jump host to connect to network devices over ``cli``
+transport, network modules now support the use of ``ProxyCommand``.
 
 To use ``ProxyCommand`` configure the proxy settings in the Ansible inventory
 file to specify the proxy host.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/eos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/eos.py
index b6cd22dc55f..a9cc4a359af 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/eos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/eos.py
@@ -37,16 +37,16 @@ except ImportError:
 class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
 
     def run(self, tmp=None, task_vars=None):
-        if self._play_context.connection != 'local':
+        provider = load_provider(eos_provider_spec, self._task.args)
+        transport = provider['transport'] or 'cli'
+
+        if self._play_context.connection != 'local' and transport == 'cli':
             return dict(
                 failed=True,
                 msg='invalid connection specified, expected connection=local, '
                     'got %s' % self._play_context.connection
             )
 
-        provider = load_provider(eos_provider_spec, self._task.args)
-        transport = provider['transport'] or 'cli'
-
         display.vvvv('connection transport is %s' % transport, self._play_context.remote_addr)
 
         if transport == 'cli':
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
index 4bd4a0e0b18..0b3ea4d1143 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
@@ -37,16 +37,16 @@ except ImportError:
 class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
 
     def run(self, tmp=None, task_vars=None):
-        if self._play_context.connection != 'local':
+        provider = load_provider(nxos_provider_spec, self._task.args)
+        transport = provider['transport'] or 'cli'
+
+        if self._play_context.connection != 'local' and transport == 'cli':
             return dict(
                 failed=True,
                 msg='invalid connection specified, expected connection=local, '
                     'got %s' % self._play_context.connection
             )
 
-        provider = load_provider(nxos_provider_spec, self._task.args)
-        transport = provider['transport'] or 'cli'
-
         display.vvvv('connection transport is %s' % transport, self._play_context.remote_addr)
 
         if transport == 'cli':