diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/powershell/Ansible.ModuleUtils.FileUtil.psm1 b/lib/ansible/module_utils/powershell/Ansible.ModuleUtils.FileUtil.psm1
index 857bd1bfdf8..81a29ac036d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/powershell/Ansible.ModuleUtils.FileUtil.psm1
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/powershell/Ansible.ModuleUtils.FileUtil.psm1
@@ -38,7 +38,16 @@ Function Get-AnsibleItem {
         [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string]$Path
     )
     # Replacement for Get-Item
-    $file_attributes = [System.IO.File]::GetAttributes($Path)
+    try {
+        $file_attributes = [System.IO.File]::GetAttributes($Path)
+    } catch {
+        # if -ErrorAction SilentlyCotinue is set on the cmdlet and we failed to
+        # get the attributes, just return $null, otherwise throw the error
+        if ($ErrorActionPreference -ne "SilentlyContinue") {
+            throw $_
+        }
+        return $null
+    }
     if ([Int32]$file_attributes -eq -1) {
         throw New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.ItemNotFoundException -ArgumentList "Cannot find path '$Path' because it does not exist."
     } elseif ($file_attributes.HasFlag([System.IO.FileAttributes]::Directory)) {
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/win_module_utils/library/file_util_test.ps1 b/test/integration/targets/win_module_utils/library/file_util_test.ps1
index 5f48317e16d..ae3e68ec4ab 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/win_module_utils/library/file_util_test.ps1
+++ b/test/integration/targets/win_module_utils/library/file_util_test.ps1
@@ -96,5 +96,13 @@ Assert-Equals -actual $actual.FullName -expected C:\Windows
 Assert-Equals -actual $actual.Attributes.HasFlag([System.IO.FileAttributes]::Directory) -expected $true
 Assert-Equals -actual $actual.Exists -expected $true
 
+# ensure Get-AnsibleItem doesn't fail in a try/catch and -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue - stop's a trap from trapping it
+try {
+    $actual = Get-AnsibleItem -Path C:\fakepath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+} catch {
+    Fail-Json -obj $result -message "this should not fire"
+}
+Assert-Equals -actual $actual -expected $null
+
 $result.data = "success"
 Exit-Json -obj $result