diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/language/pip.py b/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/language/pip.py
index a07af562d3b..9dcc0a63c31 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/language/pip.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/language/pip.py
@@ -425,9 +425,10 @@ def main():
         out = ''
 
         env = module.params['virtualenv']
-
+        venv_created = False
         if env:
             if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(env, 'bin', 'activate')):
+                venv_created = True
                 if module.check_mode:
                     module.exit_json(changed=True)
 
@@ -566,6 +567,8 @@ def main():
                 _, out_freeze_after, _ = _get_packages(module, pip, chdir)
                 changed = out_freeze_before != out_freeze_after
 
+        changed = changed or venv_created
+
         module.exit_json(changed=changed, cmd=cmd, name=name, version=version,
                          state=state, requirements=requirements, virtualenv=env,
                          stdout=out, stderr=err)
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/pip/tasks/pip.yml b/test/integration/targets/pip/tasks/pip.yml
index fe7c7da0804..44c00a786b8 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/pip/tasks/pip.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/pip/tasks/pip.yml
@@ -166,3 +166,20 @@
   assert:
     that:
       - "not q_check_mode.changed"
+
+# ansible#23204
+- name: ensure is a fresh virtualenv
+  file:
+    state: absent
+    name: "{{ output_dir }}/pipenv"
+
+- name: install pip throught pip into fresh virtualenv
+  pip:
+    name: pip
+    virtualenv: "{{ output_dir }}/pipenv"
+  register: pip_install_venv
+
+- name: make sure pip in fresh virtualenv report changed
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "pip_install_venv.changed"