diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/ec2_asg.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/ec2_asg.py
index b67ab8d0c51..ec871d2593c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/ec2_asg.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/ec2_asg.py
@@ -1145,6 +1145,9 @@ def replace(connection):
     replace_instances = module.params.get('replace_instances')
 
     as_group = describe_autoscaling_groups(connection, group_name)[0]
+    if desired_capacity is None:
+        desired_capacity = as_group['DesiredCapacity']
+
     wait_for_new_inst(connection, group_name, wait_timeout, as_group['MinSize'], 'viable_instances')
     props = get_properties(as_group)
     instances = props['instances']
@@ -1178,8 +1181,7 @@ def replace(connection):
         min_size = as_group['MinSize']
     if max_size is None:
         max_size = as_group['MaxSize']
-    if desired_capacity is None:
-        desired_capacity = as_group['DesiredCapacity']
+
     # set temporary settings and wait for them to be reached
     # This should get overwritten if the number of instances left is less than the batch size.
 
@@ -1265,6 +1267,9 @@ def terminate_batch(connection, replace_instances, initial_instances, leftovers=
     break_loop = False
 
     as_group = describe_autoscaling_groups(connection, group_name)[0]
+    if desired_capacity is None:
+        desired_capacity = as_group['DesiredCapacity']
+
     props = get_properties(as_group)
     desired_size = as_group['MinSize']
 
@@ -1434,5 +1439,6 @@ def main():
         changed = True
     module.exit_json(changed=changed, **asg_properties)
 
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()