diff --git a/test/runner/lib/sanity/validate_modules.py b/test/runner/lib/sanity/validate_modules.py
index 1491e38d2c9..40c0758c15f 100644
--- a/test/runner/lib/sanity/validate_modules.py
+++ b/test/runner/lib/sanity/validate_modules.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ from lib.util import (
     SubprocessError,
     display,
     run_command,
-    deepest_path,
 )
 
 from lib.ansible_util import (
@@ -45,10 +44,14 @@ class ValidateModulesTest(SanitySingleVersion):
         :type targets: SanityTargets
         :rtype: SanityResult
         """
+        with open(VALIDATE_SKIP_PATH, 'r') as skip_fd:
+            skip_paths = skip_fd.read().splitlines()
+
+        skip_paths_set = set(skip_paths)
+
         env = ansible_environment(args, color=False)
 
-        paths = [deepest_path(i.path, 'lib/ansible/modules/') for i in targets.include_external]
-        paths = sorted(set(p for p in paths if p))
+        paths = sorted([i.path for i in targets.include if i.module and i.path not in skip_paths_set])
 
         if not paths:
             return SanitySkipped(self.name)
@@ -60,9 +63,6 @@ class ValidateModulesTest(SanitySingleVersion):
             '--arg-spec',
         ] + paths
 
-        with open(VALIDATE_SKIP_PATH, 'r') as skip_fd:
-            skip_paths = skip_fd.read().splitlines()
-
         invalid_ignores = []
 
         with open(VALIDATE_IGNORE_PATH, 'r') as ignore_fd:
@@ -81,11 +81,6 @@ class ValidateModulesTest(SanitySingleVersion):
 
                 ignore[path][code] = line
 
-        skip_paths += [e.path for e in targets.exclude_external]
-
-        if skip_paths:
-            cmd += ['--exclude', '^(%s)' % '|'.join(skip_paths)]
-
         if args.base_branch:
             cmd.extend([
                 '--base-branch', args.base_branch,
diff --git a/test/sanity/validate-modules/ignore.txt b/test/sanity/validate-modules/ignore.txt
index 1fcebb61476..98f82ea9cf8 100644
--- a/test/sanity/validate-modules/ignore.txt
+++ b/test/sanity/validate-modules/ignore.txt
@@ -2414,7 +2414,6 @@ lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_bgp_neighbor_af.py E325
 lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_bgp_neighbor_af.py E326
 lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_command.py E325
 lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_command.py E326
-lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_config.py E324
 lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_config.py E325
 lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_config.py E326
 lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_evpn_global.py E325