diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/file-return-state-when-file-does-not-exist.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/file-return-state-when-file-does-not-exist.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c51abb29c58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/file-return-state-when-file-does-not-exist.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - "file - return ``'state': 'absent'`` when a file does not exist (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/66171)"
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/file.py b/lib/ansible/modules/file.py
index bd313baf9e8..ee966572345 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/file.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/file.py
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ def ensure_file_attributes(path, follow, timestamps):
     if prev_state not in ('file', 'hard'):
         # file is not absent and any other state is a conflict
         raise AnsibleModuleError(results={'msg': 'file (%s) is %s, cannot continue' % (path, prev_state),
-                                          'path': path})
+                                          'path': path, 'state': prev_state})
 
     diff = initial_diff(path, 'file', prev_state)
     changed = module.set_fs_attributes_if_different(file_args, False, diff, expand=False)
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
index 8731c55474a..4e1d88e6bae 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/file/tasks/main.yml
@@ -61,6 +61,25 @@
       - "file_result.changed == false"
       - "file_result.state == 'file'"
 
+- name: Make sure file does not exist
+  file:
+    path: /tmp/ghost
+    state: absent
+
+- name: Target a file that does not exist
+  file:
+    path: /tmp/ghost
+  ignore_errors: yes
+  register: ghost_file_result
+
+- name: Validate ghost file results
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - ghost_file_result is failed
+      - ghost_file_result is not changed
+      - ghost_file_result.state == 'absent'
+      - "'cannot continue' in ghost_file_result.msg"
+
 - name: verify that we are checking an absent file
   file: path={{output_dir}}/bar.txt state=absent
   register: file2_result
@@ -269,7 +288,7 @@
   copy: src=foobar dest={{output_dir}}
 
 - name: check what would be removed if folder state was absent and diff is enabled
-  file: 
+  file:
     path: "{{ item }}"
     state: absent
   check_mode: yes