diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
index dd1981f3843..9bcba7fbe99 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
@@ -671,8 +671,18 @@ class ActionBase(ABC, _AnsiblePluginInfoMixin):
             become_user,
             setfacl_mode)
 
-        if res['rc'] == 0:
-            return remote_paths
+        match res.get('rc'):
+            case 0:
+                return remote_paths
+            case 2:
+                # invalid syntax (for example, missing user, missing colon)
+                self._display.debug(f"setfacl command failed with an invalid syntax. Trying chmod instead. Err: {res!r}")
+            case 127:
+                # setfacl binary does not exists or we don't have permission to use it.
+                self._display.debug(f"setfacl binary does not exist or does not have permission to use it. Trying chmod instead. Err: {res!r}")
+            case _:
+                # generic debug message
+                self._display.debug(f'Failed to set facl {setfacl_mode}, got:{res!r}')
 
         # Step 3b: Set execute if we need to. We do this before anything else
         # because some of the methods below might work but not let us set