diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/exos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/exos.py
index e86ff538e0b..4fd1bea42a0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/exos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/exos.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
 
     def get_config(self, source='running', flags=None):
         if source not in ('running', 'startup'):
-            return self.invalid_params("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
+            raise ValueError("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
         if source == 'running':
             cmd = 'show configuration'
         else:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/ironware.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/ironware.py
index 10dfa6b71ef..6a7ed2cf33b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/ironware.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/ironware.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
     @enable_mode
     def get_config(self, source='running', format='text', flags=None):
         if source not in ('running', 'startup'):
-            return self.invalid_params("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
+            raise ValueError("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
 
         if source == 'running':
             cmd = b'show running-config'
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
         else:
             cmd = b'show configuration'
             if flags is not None:
-                return self.invalid_params("flags are only supported with running-config")
+                raise ValueError("flags are only supported with running-config")
 
         return self.send_command(cmd)
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/nos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/nos.py
index c8dbfc4035d..7f39ad13fb5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/nos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/nos.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
 
     def get_config(self, source='running', flags=None):
         if source not in 'running':
-            return self.invalid_params("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
+            raise ValueError("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
         if source == 'running':
             cmd = 'show running-config'
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/slxos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/slxos.py
index 0b88fd0dea7..d34c1d03bb2 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/slxos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/slxos.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
 
     def get_config(self, source='running', flags=None):
         if source not in ('running', 'startup'):
-            return self.invalid_params("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
+            raise ValueError("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
         if source == 'running':
             cmd = 'show running-config'
         else:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/voss.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/voss.py
index 1f6c105cce2..9f6140abd60 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/voss.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/voss.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
     @enable_mode
     def get_config(self, source='running', flags=None, format=None):
         if source not in ('running', 'startup'):
-            return self.invalid_params("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
+            raise ValueError("fetching configuration from %s is not supported" % source)
 
         if format:
             raise ValueError("'format' value %s is not supported for get_config" % format)