diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/47300-ios-check_rc.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/47300-ios-check_rc.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..82453a95262
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/47300-ios-check_rc.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+  - Fix issue getting output from failed ios commands when ``check_rc=False``
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/ios.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/ios.py
index 0aa0d2ff660..cca4f719027 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/ios.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/ios.py
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
             except AnsibleConnectionFailure as e:
                 if check_rc:
                     raise
-                out = getattr(e, 'err', e)
+                out = getattr(e, 'err', to_text(e))
 
             responses.append(out)