diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/backport-ansible.netcommon-135.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/backport-ansible.netcommon-135.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3eb03f3be8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/backport-ansible.netcommon-135.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+  - network_cli - Update paramiko play_context when network_cli's play context
+    is updated so that ssh parameters can be updated as well.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/network_cli.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/network_cli.py
index 52add31c972..d7ca6c8c905 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/network_cli.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/network_cli.py
@@ -418,6 +418,8 @@ class Connection(NetworkConnectionBase):
                 self.queue_message('vvvv', 'deauthorizing connection')
 
         self._play_context = play_context
+        if self._paramiko_conn is not None:
+            self._paramiko_conn._play_context = play_context
 
         if hasattr(self, 'reset_history'):
             self.reset_history()
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/netconf_config/tasks/iosxr.yaml b/test/integration/targets/netconf_config/tasks/iosxr.yaml
index 4f36f4c54d7..78949855312 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/netconf_config/tasks/iosxr.yaml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/netconf_config/tasks/iosxr.yaml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   set_fact: test_items="{{ test_cases.files | map(attribute='path') | list }}"
 
 - name: run test case (connection=netconf)
-  include: "{{ test_case_to_run }}"
+  include: "{{ test_case_to_run }} ansible_connection=netconf"
   with_items: "{{ test_items }}"
   loop_control:
     loop_var: test_case_to_run