diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/eos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/eos.py
index aa980044d97..51bff914a87 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/eos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/eos.py
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
                     provider['authorize'] = False
 
                 self._task.args['provider'] = provider
+        else:
+            return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for this module' % self._play_context.connection}
 
         if (self._play_context.connection == 'local' and transport == 'cli') or self._play_context.connection == 'network_cli':
             # make sure we are in the right cli context which should be
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/ios.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/ios.py
index f8060b175e7..13dbb47ac50 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/ios.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/ios.py
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
                                'https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/network_debug_troubleshooting.html#unable-to-open-shell'}
 
             task_vars['ansible_socket'] = socket_path
+        else:
+            return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for this module' % self._play_context.connection}
 
         # make sure we are in the right cli context which should be
         # enable mode and not config module
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/iosxr.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/iosxr.py
index 3fed63f5e79..8c37bad99a1 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/iosxr.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/iosxr.py
@@ -73,10 +73,12 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
                                'https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/network_debug_troubleshooting.html#unable-to-open-shell'}
 
             task_vars['ansible_socket'] = socket_path
-        else:
+        elif self._play_context.connection in ('netconf', 'network_cli'):
             provider = self._task.args.get('provider', {})
             if any(provider.values()):
                 display.warning('provider is unnecessary when using {0} and will be ignored'.format(self._play_context.connection))
+        else:
+            return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for this module' % self._play_context.connection}
 
         # make sure we are in the right cli context which should be
         # enable mode and not config module
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/junos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/junos.py
index 86ac4eae361..2fa40a5e67d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/junos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/junos.py
@@ -75,10 +75,12 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
                                'https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/network_debug_troubleshooting.html#unable-to-open-shell'}
 
             task_vars['ansible_socket'] = socket_path
-        else:
+        elif self._play_context.connection in ('netconf', 'network_cli'):
             provider = self._task.args.get('provider', {})
             if any(provider.values()):
                 display.warning('provider is unnecessary when using connection=%s and will be ignored' % self._play_context.connection)
+        else:
+            return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for this module' % self._play_context.connection}
 
         if (self._play_context.connection == 'local' and pc.connection == 'network_cli') or self._play_context.connection == 'network_cli':
             # make sure we are in the right cli context which should be
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
index 874cde018b9..cc6d757c2f0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
                     provider['validate_certs'] = True
 
                 self._task.args['provider'] = provider
+        else:
+            return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for this module' % self._play_context.connection}
 
         if (self._play_context.connection == 'local' and transport == 'cli') or self._play_context.connection == 'network_cli':
             # make sure we are in the right cli context which should be
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/sros.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/sros.py
index a2e3ecadc36..ae044d636fb 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/sros.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/sros.py
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
 
     def run(self, tmp=None, task_vars=None):
 
-        if self._play_context.connection == 'local':
+        if self._play_context.connection == 'network_cli':
+            provider = self._task.args.get('provider', {})
+            if any(provider.values()):
+                display.warning('provider is unnecessary when using network_cli and will be ignored')
+        elif self._play_context.connection == 'local':
             provider = load_provider(sros_provider_spec, self._task.args)
 
             pc = copy.deepcopy(self._play_context)
@@ -62,6 +66,8 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
                         'https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/network_debug_troubleshooting.html#unable-to-open-shell'}
 
             task_vars['ansible_socket'] = socket_path
+        else:
+            return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for this module' % self._play_context.connection}
 
         result = super(ActionModule, self).run(tmp, task_vars)
         return result
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/vyos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/vyos.py
index 74414b8eb52..965cd75cb06 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/vyos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/vyos.py
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
                                'https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/network_debug_troubleshooting.html#unable-to-open-shell'}
 
             task_vars['ansible_socket'] = socket_path
+        else:
+            return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for this module' % self._play_context.connection}
 
         # make sure we are in the right cli context which should be
         # enable mode and not config module