diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/apt_repo_debug.yml b/changelogs/fragments/apt_repo_debug.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1513ec2d944
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/apt_repo_debug.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+minor_changes:
+    - apt_repository - use correct debug method to print debug message.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/apt_repository.py b/lib/ansible/modules/apt_repository.py
index 2f701d8c429..5be21c2b0c5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/apt_repository.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/apt_repository.py
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ class UbuntuSourcesList(SourcesList):
                 try:
                     rc, out, err = self.module.run_command([self.gpg_bin, '--list-packets', key_file])
                 except OSError as ex:
-                    self.debug(f"Could check key against file {key_file!r}: {ex}")
+                    self.module.debug(f"Could check key against file {key_file!r}: {ex}")
                     continue
 
                 if key_fingerprint in out: