diff --git a/examples/ansible.cfg b/examples/ansible.cfg
index 230e1e6a1f6..25b58dc1da7 100644
--- a/examples/ansible.cfg
+++ b/examples/ansible.cfg
@@ -104,9 +104,12 @@ filter_plugins     = /usr/share/ansible_plugins/filter_plugins
 # uncomment this line to cause the paramiko connection plugin to not record new host
 # keys encountered.  Increases performance on new host additions.  Setting works independently of the
 # host key checking setting above.
-
 #record_host_keys=False
 
+# by default, Ansible requests a pseudo-terminal for commands executed under sudo. Uncomment this
+# line to disable this behaviour.
+#pty=False
+
 [ssh_connection]
 
 # ssh arguments to use
diff --git a/lib/ansible/constants.py b/lib/ansible/constants.py
index 313c2fac102..04e984d1c6d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/constants.py
@@ -30,13 +30,15 @@ def mk_boolean(value):
     else:
         return False
 
-def get_config(p, section, key, env_var, default, boolean=False, integer=False):
+def get_config(p, section, key, env_var, default, boolean=False, integer=False, floating=False):
     ''' return a configuration variable with casting '''
     value = _get_config(p, section, key, env_var, default)
     if boolean:
         return mk_boolean(value)
     if integer:
         return int(value)
+    if floating:
+        return float(value)
     return value
 
 def _get_config(p, section, key, env_var, default, boolean=True):
@@ -136,8 +138,9 @@ ANSIBLE_SSH_CONTROL_PATH       = get_config(p, 'ssh_connection', 'control_path',
 PARAMIKO_RECORD_HOST_KEYS      = get_config(p, 'paramiko_connection', 'record_host_keys', 'ANSIBLE_PARAMIKO_RECORD_HOST_KEYS', True, boolean=True)
 ZEROMQ_PORT                    = get_config(p, 'fireball_connection', 'zeromq_port', 'ANSIBLE_ZEROMQ_PORT', 5099, integer=True)
 ACCELERATE_PORT                = get_config(p, 'accelerate', 'accelerate_port', 'ACCELERATE_PORT', 5099, integer=True)
-ACCELERATE_TIMEOUT             = int(get_config(p, 'accelerate', 'accelerate_timeout', 'ACCELERATE_TIMEOUT', 30))
-ACCELERATE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT     = float(get_config(p, 'accelerate', 'accelerate_connect_timeout', 'ACCELERATE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT', 1.0))
+ACCELERATE_TIMEOUT             = get_config(p, 'accelerate', 'accelerate_timeout', 'ACCELERATE_TIMEOUT', 30, integer=True)
+ACCELERATE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT     = get_config(p, 'accelerate', 'accelerate_connect_timeout', 'ACCELERATE_CONNECT_TIMEOUT', 1.0, floating=True)
+PARAMIKO_PTY                   = get_config(p, 'paramiko_connection', 'pty', 'ANSIBLE_PARAMIKO_PTY', True, boolean=True)
 
 DEFAULT_UNDEFINED_VAR_BEHAVIOR = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'error_on_undefined_vars', 'ANSIBLE_ERROR_ON_UNDEFINED_VARS', True, boolean=True)
 HOST_KEY_CHECKING              = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'host_key_checking',  'ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING',    True, boolean=True)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/paramiko_ssh.py b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/paramiko_ssh.py
index 6c57e2a9d0b..ab0d3d2f5e6 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/paramiko_ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/paramiko_ssh.py
@@ -196,11 +196,12 @@ class Connection(object):
             chan.exec_command(quoted_command)
         else:
             # sudo usually requires a PTY (cf. requiretty option), therefore
-            # we give it one, and we try to initialise from the calling
-            # environment
-            chan.get_pty(term=os.getenv('TERM', 'vt100'),
-                         width=int(os.getenv('COLUMNS', 0)),
-                         height=int(os.getenv('LINES', 0)))
+            # we give it one by default (pty=True in ansble.cfg), and we try
+            # to initialise from the calling environment
+            if C.PARAMIKO_PTY:
+                chan.get_pty(term=os.getenv('TERM', 'vt100'),
+                             width=int(os.getenv('COLUMNS', 0)),
+                             height=int(os.getenv('LINES', 0)))
             shcmd, prompt = utils.make_sudo_cmd(sudo_user, executable, cmd)
             vvv("EXEC %s" % shcmd, host=self.host)
             sudo_output = ''