diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/task_queue_manager.py b/lib/ansible/executor/task_queue_manager.py
index 2c47fc3975f..0a1e25ea49b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/task_queue_manager.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/task_queue_manager.py
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ class TaskQueueManager:
         except ValueError:
             fileno = None
 
+        # A temporary file (opened pre-fork) used by connection
+        # plugins for inter-process locking.
         self._connection_lockfile = tempfile.TemporaryFile()
 
         self._workers = []
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
index 9e3f1efb5f3..e2d5feec760 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ class PlayContext(Base):
     _private_key_file = FieldAttribute(isa='string', default=C.DEFAULT_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)
     _timeout          = FieldAttribute(isa='int', default=C.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT)
     _shell            = FieldAttribute(isa='string')
+    _connection_lockfd= FieldAttribute(isa='int')
 
     # privilege escalation fields
     _become           = FieldAttribute(isa='bool')
@@ -199,8 +200,7 @@ class PlayContext(Base):
         self.password    = passwords.get('conn_pass','')
         self.become_pass = passwords.get('become_pass','')
 
-        # A temporary file (opened pre-fork) used by connection
-        # plugins for inter-process locking.
+        # a file descriptor to be used during locking operations
         self.connection_lockfd = connection_lockfd
 
         # set options before play to allow play to override them
@@ -326,11 +326,6 @@ class PlayContext(Base):
 
         return new_info
 
-    def copy(self, exclude_block=False):
-        new_me = super(PlayContext, self).copy()
-        new_me.connection_lockfd = self.connection_lockfd
-        return new_me
-
     def make_become_cmd(self, cmd, executable=None):
         """ helper function to create privilege escalation commands """