diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_common.py b/lib/ansible/module_common.py
index 825a3bcf65e..df0500ca3df 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_common.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_common.py
@@ -629,8 +629,8 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
         for x in items:
             try:
                 (k, v) = x.split("=",1)
-            except:
-                self.fail_json(msg="this module requires key=value arguments")
+            except Exception, e:
+                self.fail_json(msg="this module requires key=value arguments (%s)" % items)
             params[k] = v
         params2 = json.loads(MODULE_COMPLEX_ARGS)
         params2.update(params)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
index afbbc1f493a..f017b5e1f59 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from ansible.runner.return_data import ReturnData
 import base64
 import stat
 import tempfile
+import pipes
 
 class ActionModule(object):
 
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
                 self.runner._low_level_exec_command(conn, "chmod a+r %s" % tmp_src, tmp)
 
             # run the copy module
-            module_args = "%s src=%s" % (module_args, tmp_src)
+            module_args = "%s src=%s" % (module_args, pipes.quote(tmp_src))
             return self.runner._execute_module(conn, tmp, 'copy', module_args, inject=inject, complex_args=complex_args)
 
         else:
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
             if content is not None:
                 os.remove(tmp_content)
             tmp_src = tmp + os.path.basename(source)
-            module_args = "%s src=%s" % (module_args, tmp_src)
+            module_args = "%s src=%s" % (module_args, pipes.quote(tmp_src))
             if self.runner.check:
                 module_args = "%s CHECKMODE=True" % module_args
             return self.runner._execute_module(conn, tmp, 'file', module_args, inject=inject, complex_args=complex_args)