diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/69201-fix-cwd-sanity-requirements.yml b/changelogs/fragments/69201-fix-cwd-sanity-requirements.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9cdacf7bb10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/69201-fix-cwd-sanity-requirements.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+bugfixes:
+- module_utils - When checking that it is possible to cd in current working
+  directory before running a module, ansible now also checks that the directory
+  is searchable (+x).
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index a4d211f4d40..ebc82b60dae 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -1932,7 +1932,7 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
     def _set_cwd(self):
         try:
             cwd = os.getcwd()
-            if not os.access(cwd, os.F_OK | os.R_OK):
+            if not os.access(cwd, os.F_OK | os.R_OK | os.X_OK):
                 raise Exception()
             return cwd
         except Exception:
@@ -1940,7 +1940,7 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
             # Try and move to a neutral location to prevent errors
             for cwd in [self.tmpdir, os.path.expandvars('$HOME'), tempfile.gettempdir()]:
                 try:
-                    if os.access(cwd, os.F_OK | os.R_OK):
+                    if os.access(cwd, os.F_OK | os.R_OK | os.X_OK):
                         os.chdir(cwd)
                         return cwd
                 except Exception: