diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/81638-blockinfile.yml b/changelogs/fragments/81638-blockinfile.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ecc154fab80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/81638-blockinfile.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - "blockinfile - when ``create=true`` is used with a filename without path, the module crashed (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/81638)."
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/blockinfile.py b/lib/ansible/modules/blockinfile.py
index 4da042bbd4a..6d32e4de30d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/blockinfile.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/blockinfile.py
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ def main():
             module.fail_json(rc=257,
                              msg='Path %s does not exist !' % path)
         destpath = os.path.dirname(path)
-        if not os.path.exists(destpath) and not module.check_mode:
+        if destpath and not os.path.exists(destpath) and not module.check_mode:
             try:
                 os.makedirs(destpath)
             except OSError as e:
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/blockinfile/tasks/create_file.yml b/test/integration/targets/blockinfile/tasks/create_file.yml
index c8ded3000b3..9a5cf05fbba 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/blockinfile/tasks/create_file.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/blockinfile/tasks/create_file.yml
@@ -30,3 +30,17 @@
       - empty_test_2 is changed
       - "'Block removed' in empty_test_2.msg"
       - empty_test_stat.stat.size == 0
+
+- block:
+  - name: Create file in current directory
+    blockinfile:
+      path: "empty.txt"
+      block: Hello.
+      state: present
+      create: yes
+
+  always:
+  - name: Remove file
+    file:
+      path: "empty.txt"
+      state: absent