diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
index d8d3b82295b..b0506f62c49 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_container.py
@@ -229,15 +229,36 @@ options:
   networks:
      description:
        - List of networks the container belongs to.
-       - Each network is a dict with keys C(name), C(ipv4_address), C(ipv6_address), C(links), C(aliases).
-       - For each network C(name) is required, all other keys are optional.
-       - If included, C(links) or C(aliases) are lists.
        - For examples of the data structure and usage see EXAMPLES below.
        - To remove a container from one or more networks, use the C(purge_networks) option.
        - Note that as opposed to C(docker run ...), M(docker_container) does not remove the default
          network if C(networks) is specified. You need to explicity use C(purge_networks) to enforce
          the removal of the default network (and all other networks not explicitly mentioned in C(networks)).
      version_added: "2.2"
+     type: list
+     suboptions:
+        name:
+           type: str
+           required: true
+           description:
+             - The network's name.
+        ipv4_address:
+           type: str
+           description:
+             - The container's IPv4 address in this network.
+        ipv6_address:
+           type: str
+           description:
+             - The container's IPv6 address in this network.
+        links:
+           type: list
+           description:
+             - A list of containers to link to.
+        aliases:
+           type: list
+           description:
+             - List of aliases for this container in this network. These names
+               can be used in the network to reach this container.
   oom_killer:
     description:
       - Whether or not to disable OOM Killer for the container.
@@ -801,8 +822,6 @@ class TaskParameters(DockerBaseClass):
 
         if self.networks:
             for network in self.networks:
-                if not network.get('name'):
-                    self.fail("Parameter error: network must have a name attribute.")
                 network['id'] = self._get_network_id(network['name'])
                 if not network['id']:
                     self.fail("Parameter error: network named %s could not be found. Does it exist?" % network['name'])
@@ -1505,21 +1524,15 @@ class Container(DockerBaseClass):
                     diff = True
                 if network.get('ipv6_address') and network['ipv6_address'] != connected_networks[network['name']].get('GlobalIPv6Address'):
                     diff = True
-                if network.get('aliases') and not connected_networks[network['name']].get('Aliases'):
-                    diff = True
-                if network.get('aliases') and connected_networks[network['name']].get('Aliases'):
-                    for alias in network.get('aliases'):
-                        if alias not in connected_networks[network['name']].get('Aliases', []):
-                            diff = True
-                if network.get('links') and not connected_networks[network['name']].get('Links'):
-                    diff = True
-                if network.get('links') and connected_networks[network['name']].get('Links'):
+                if network.get('aliases'):
+                    if not compare_generic(network['aliases'], connected_networks[network['name']].get('Aliases'), 'allow_more_present', 'set'):
+                        diff = True
+                if network.get('links'):
                     expected_links = []
                     for link, alias in network['links']:
                         expected_links.append("%s:%s" % (link, alias))
-                    for link in expected_links:
-                        if link not in connected_networks[network['name']].get('Links', []):
-                            diff = True
+                    if not compare_generic(expected_links, connected_networks[network['name']].get('Links'), 'allow_more_present', 'set'):
+                        diff = True
                 if diff:
                     different = True
                     differences.append(dict(
@@ -2301,8 +2314,8 @@ def main():
     argument_spec = dict(
         auto_remove=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         blkio_weight=dict(type='int'),
-        capabilities=dict(type='list'),
-        cap_drop=dict(type='list'),
+        capabilities=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
+        cap_drop=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         cleanup=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         command=dict(type='raw'),
         cpu_period=dict(type='int'),
@@ -2311,18 +2324,18 @@ def main():
         cpuset_mems=dict(type='str'),
         cpu_shares=dict(type='int'),
         detach=dict(type='bool', default=True),
-        devices=dict(type='list'),
-        dns_servers=dict(type='list'),
-        dns_opts=dict(type='list'),
-        dns_search_domains=dict(type='list'),
+        devices=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
+        dns_servers=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
+        dns_opts=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
+        dns_search_domains=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         domainname=dict(type='str'),
-        entrypoint=dict(type='list'),
+        entrypoint=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         env=dict(type='dict'),
         env_file=dict(type='path'),
         etc_hosts=dict(type='dict'),
-        exposed_ports=dict(type='list', aliases=['exposed', 'expose']),
+        exposed_ports=dict(type='list', aliases=['exposed', 'expose'], elements='str'),
         force_kill=dict(type='bool', default=False, aliases=['forcekill']),
-        groups=dict(type='list'),
+        groups=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         hostname=dict(type='str'),
         ignore_image=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         image=dict(type='str'),
@@ -2333,7 +2346,7 @@ def main():
         kernel_memory=dict(type='str'),
         kill_signal=dict(type='str'),
         labels=dict(type='dict'),
-        links=dict(type='list'),
+        links=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         log_driver=dict(type='str'),
         log_options=dict(type='dict', aliases=['log_opt']),
         mac_address=dict(type='str'),
@@ -2343,14 +2356,20 @@ def main():
         memory_swappiness=dict(type='int'),
         name=dict(type='str', required=True),
         network_mode=dict(type='str'),
-        networks=dict(type='list'),
+        networks=dict(type='list', elements='dict', options=dict(
+            name=dict(required=True, type='str'),
+            ipv4_address=dict(type='str'),
+            ipv6_address=dict(type='str'),
+            aliases=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
+            links=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
+        )),
         oom_killer=dict(type='bool'),
         oom_score_adj=dict(type='int'),
         output_logs=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         paused=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         pid_mode=dict(type='str'),
         privileged=dict(type='bool', default=False),
-        published_ports=dict(type='list', aliases=['ports']),
+        published_ports=dict(type='list', aliases=['ports'], elements='str'),
         pull=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         purge_networks=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         read_only=dict(type='bool', default=False),
@@ -2358,22 +2377,22 @@ def main():
         restart=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         restart_policy=dict(type='str', choices=['no', 'on-failure', 'always', 'unless-stopped']),
         restart_retries=dict(type='int', default=None),
-        security_opts=dict(type='list'),
+        security_opts=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         shm_size=dict(type='str'),
         state=dict(type='str', choices=['absent', 'present', 'started', 'stopped'], default='started'),
         stop_signal=dict(type='str'),
         stop_timeout=dict(type='int'),
         sysctls=dict(type='dict'),
-        tmpfs=dict(type='list'),
+        tmpfs=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         trust_image_content=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         tty=dict(type='bool', default=False),
-        ulimits=dict(type='list'),
+        ulimits=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         user=dict(type='str'),
         userns_mode=dict(type='str'),
         uts=dict(type='str'),
         volume_driver=dict(type='str'),
-        volumes=dict(type='list'),
-        volumes_from=dict(type='list'),
+        volumes=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
+        volumes_from=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         working_dir=dict(type='str'),
     )
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_image.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_image.py
index d48f4fa0886..d25a02c5f15 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_image.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_image.py
@@ -576,7 +576,12 @@ class ImageManager(DockerBaseClass):
 def main():
     argument_spec = dict(
         archive_path=dict(type='path'),
-        container_limits=dict(type='dict'),
+        container_limits=dict(type='dict', options=dict(
+            memory=dict(type='int'),
+            memswap=dict(type='int'),
+            cpushares=dict(type='int'),
+            cpusetcpus=dict(type='str'),
+        )),
         dockerfile=dict(type='str'),
         force=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         http_timeout=dict(type='int'),
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_image_facts.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_image_facts.py
index 913c1cfc5a9..ec1fbc951ef 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_image_facts.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_image_facts.py
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ class ImageManager(DockerBaseClass):
 
 def main():
     argument_spec = dict(
-        name=dict(type='list'),
+        name=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
     )
 
     client = AnsibleDockerClient(
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_network.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_network.py
index 018c890f920..e48da0bfe08 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_network.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_network.py
@@ -272,6 +272,10 @@ class DockerNetworkManager(object):
             else:
                 for key, value in self.parameters.ipam_options.items():
                     camelkey = None
+                    if value is None:
+                        # due to recursive argument_spec, all keys are always present
+                        # (but have default value None if not specified)
+                        continue
                     for net_key in net['IPAM']['Config'][0]:
                         if key == net_key.lower():
                             camelkey = net_key
@@ -289,7 +293,8 @@ class DockerNetworkManager(object):
     def create_network(self):
         if not self.existing_network:
             ipam_pools = []
-            if self.parameters.ipam_options:
+            if (self.parameters.ipam_options['subnet'] or self.parameters.ipam_options['iprange'] or
+                    self.parameters.ipam_options['gateway'] or self.parameters.ipam_options['aux_addresses']):
                 if HAS_DOCKER_PY_2 or HAS_DOCKER_PY_3:
                     ipam_pools.append(IPAMPool(**self.parameters.ipam_options))
                 else:
@@ -385,14 +390,19 @@ class DockerNetworkManager(object):
 def main():
     argument_spec = dict(
         network_name=dict(type='str', required=True, aliases=['name']),
-        connected=dict(type='list', default=[], aliases=['containers']),
+        connected=dict(type='list', default=[], aliases=['containers'], elements='str'),
         state=dict(type='str', default='present', choices=['present', 'absent']),
         driver=dict(type='str', default='bridge'),
         driver_options=dict(type='dict', default={}),
         force=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         appends=dict(type='bool', default=False, aliases=['incremental']),
-        ipam_driver=dict(type='str', default=None),
-        ipam_options=dict(type='dict', default={}),
+        ipam_driver=dict(type='str'),
+        ipam_options=dict(type='dict', default={}, options=dict(
+            subnet=dict(type='str'),
+            iprange=dict(type='str'),
+            gateway=dict(type='str'),
+            aux_addresses=dict(type='dict'),
+        )),
         debug=dict(type='bool', default=False)
     )
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_service.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_service.py
index 902d72da365..79f8003558b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_service.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_service.py
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ def main():
     argument_spec = dict(
         project_src=dict(type='path'),
         project_name=dict(type='str',),
-        files=dict(type='list'),
+        files=dict(type='list', elements='path'),
         state=dict(type='str', choices=['absent', 'present'], default='present'),
         definition=dict(type='dict'),
         hostname_check=dict(type='bool', default=False),
@@ -1045,7 +1045,7 @@ def main():
         stopped=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         restarted=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         scale=dict(type='dict'),
-        services=dict(type='list'),
+        services=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         dependencies=dict(type='bool', default=True),
         pull=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         nocache=dict(type='bool', default=False),
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_swarm.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_swarm.py
index d3de6142c4b..a94aa880baa 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_swarm.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/docker/docker_swarm.py
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ def main():
         state=dict(type='str', choices=['present', 'join', 'absent', 'remove', 'inspect'], default='present'),
         force=dict(type='bool', default=False),
         listen_addr=dict(type='str', default='0.0.0.0:2377'),
-        remote_addrs=dict(type='list'),
+        remote_addrs=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         join_token=dict(type='str'),
         snapshot_interval=dict(type='int'),
         task_history_retention_limit=dict(type='int'),