diff --git a/packaging/os/apt.py b/packaging/os/apt.py
index cbf0375e473..b5c363ab1f5 100755
--- a/packaging/os/apt.py
+++ b/packaging/os/apt.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ options:
     description:
       - Corresponds to the C(--no-install-recommends) option for I(apt). C(yes) installs recommended packages.  C(no) does not install recommended packages. By default, Ansible will use the same defaults as the operating system. Suggested packages are never installed.
     required: false
-    default: yes
+    default: null
     choices: [ "yes", "no" ]
   force:
     description:
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ def expand_pkgspec_from_fnmatches(m, pkgspec, cache):
     return new_pkgspec
 
 def install(m, pkgspec, cache, upgrade=False, default_release=None,
-            install_recommends='default', force=False,
+            install_recommends=None, force=False,
             dpkg_options=expand_dpkg_options(DPKG_OPTIONS),
             build_dep=False):
     pkg_list = []
@@ -385,10 +385,12 @@ def install(m, pkgspec, cache, upgrade=False, default_release=None,
 
         if default_release:
             cmd += " -t '%s'" % (default_release,)
-        if install_recommends == 'no':
+
+        if install_recommends is False:
             cmd += " -o APT::Install-Recommends=no"
-        elif install_recommends == 'yes':
+        elif install_recommends is True:
             cmd += " -o APT::Install-Recommends=yes"
+        # install_recommends is None uses the OS default
 
         rc, out, err = m.run_command(cmd)
         if rc:
@@ -549,7 +551,7 @@ def main():
             package = dict(default=None, aliases=['pkg', 'name'], type='list'),
             deb = dict(default=None),
             default_release = dict(default=None, aliases=['default-release']),
-            install_recommends = dict(default='default', aliases=['install-recommends'], choices=['default', 'yes', 'no']),
+            install_recommends = dict(default=None, aliases=['install-recommends'], type='bool'),
             force = dict(default='no', type='bool'),
             upgrade = dict(choices=['no', 'yes', 'safe', 'full', 'dist']),
             dpkg_options = dict(default=DPKG_OPTIONS)