diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/commands/script.py b/lib/ansible/modules/commands/script.py
index ad89d48d004..2d186a33083 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/commands/script.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/commands/script.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ description:
 options:
   free_form:
     description:
-      - path to the local script file followed by optional arguments. There is no parameter actually named 'free form'; see the examples!
+      - Path to the local script file followed by optional arguments. There is no parameter actually named 'free form'; see the examples!
     required: true
     default: null
     aliases: []
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ notes:
   - The ssh connection plugin will force pseudo-tty allocation via -tt when scripts are executed. pseudo-ttys do not have a stderr channel and all
     stderr is sent to stdout. If you depend on separated stdout and stderr result keys, please switch to a copy+command set of tasks instead of using script.
   - This module is also supported for Windows targets.
+  - If the path to the local script contains spaces, it needs to be quoted.
 author:
     - Ansible Core Team
     - Michael DeHaan
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/script.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/script.py
index f37964da3cf..3549e233212 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/script.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/script.py
@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 
 import os
 import re
+import shlex
 
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError
-from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
+from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native, to_text
 from ansible.plugins.action import ActionBase
 
 
@@ -72,30 +73,46 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
             if self._connection._shell.SHELL_FAMILY != 'powershell' and not chdir.startswith('/'):
                 return dict(failed=True, msg='chdir %s must be an absolute path for a Unix-aware remote node' % chdir)
 
-        # the script name is the first item in the raw params, so we split it
-        # out now so we know the file name we need to transfer to the remote,
-        # and everything else is an argument to the script which we need later
-        # to append to the remote command
-        parts = self._task.args.get('_raw_params', '').strip().split()
+        # Split out the script as the first item in raw_params using
+        # shlex.split() in order to support paths and files with spaces in the name.
+        # Any arguments passed to the script will be added back later.
+        raw_params = to_native(self._task.args.get('_raw_params', ''), errors='surrogate_or_strict')
+        parts = [to_text(s, errors='surrogate_or_strict') for s in shlex.split(raw_params.strip())]
         source = parts[0]
-        args = ' '.join(parts[1:])
 
         try:
             source = self._loader.get_real_file(self._find_needle('files', source), decrypt=self._task.args.get('decrypt', True))
         except AnsibleError as e:
             return dict(failed=True, msg=to_native(e))
 
-        # transfer the file to a remote tmp location
-        tmp_src = self._connection._shell.join_path(tmp, os.path.basename(source))
-        self._transfer_file(source, tmp_src)
+        if not self._play_context.check_mode:
+            # transfer the file to a remote tmp location
+            tmp_src = self._connection._shell.join_path(tmp, os.path.basename(source))
 
-        # set file permissions, more permissive when the copy is done as a different user
-        self._fixup_perms2((tmp, tmp_src), execute=True)
+            # Convert raw_params to text for the purpose of replacing the script since
+            # parts and tmp_src are both unicode strings and raw_params will be different
+            # depending on Python version.
+            #
+            # Once everything is encoded consistently, replace the script path on the remote
+            # system with the remainder of the raw_params. This preserves quoting in parameters
+            # that would have been removed by shlex.split().
+            target_command = to_text(raw_params).strip().replace(parts[0], tmp_src)
+
+            self._transfer_file(source, tmp_src)
+
+            # set file permissions, more permissive when the copy is done as a different user
+            self._fixup_perms2((tmp, tmp_src), execute=True)
+
+            # add preparation steps to one ssh roundtrip executing the script
+            env_dict = dict()
+            env_string = self._compute_environment_string(env_dict)
+            script_cmd = ' '.join([env_string, target_command])
+
+        if self._play_context.check_mode:
+            result['changed'] = True
+            self._remove_tmp_path(tmp)
+            return result
 
-        # add preparation steps to one ssh roundtrip executing the script
-        env_dict = dict()
-        env_string = self._compute_environment_string(env_dict)
-        script_cmd = ' '.join([env_string, tmp_src, args])
         script_cmd = self._connection._shell.wrap_for_exec(script_cmd)
 
         exec_data = None
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/script/files/space path/test.sh b/test/integration/targets/script/files/space path/test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..6f6334d71fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/script/files/space path/test.sh	
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+echo -n "Script with space in path"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/script/files/test_with_args.sh b/test/integration/targets/script/files/test_with_args.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..13dce4f24c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/script/files/test_with_args.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+for i in "$@"; do
+    echo "$i"
+done
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/script/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/script/tasks/main.yml
index 7b314441901..85c9a8dcbc2 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/script/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/script/tasks/main.yml
@@ -20,13 +20,18 @@
 ## prep
 ##
 
-- set_fact: output_dir_test={{output_dir}}/test_script
+- set_fact:
+    output_dir_test: "{{ output_dir }}/test_script"
 
 - name: make sure our testing sub-directory does not exist
-  file: path="{{ output_dir_test }}" state=absent
+  file:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test }}"
+    state: absent
 
 - name: create our testing sub-directory
-  file: path="{{ output_dir_test }}" state=directory
+  file:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test }}"
+    state: directory
 
 ##
 ## script
@@ -43,36 +48,101 @@
       - "script_result0.stderr == ''"
       - "script_result0.stdout == 'win'"
 
-# creates
+- name: Execute a script with a space in the path
+  script: "'space path/test.sh'"
+  register: _space_path_test
+  tags:
+    - spacepath
+
+- name: Assert that script with space in path ran successfully
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - _space_path_test is success
+      - _space_path_test.stdout == 'Script with space in path'
+  tags:
+    - spacepath
+
+- name: Execute a script with arguments including a unicode character
+  script: test_with_args.sh -this -that -Ӧther
+  register: unicode_args
 
+- name: Assert that script with unicode character ran successfully
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - unicode_args is success
+      - unicode_args.stdout_lines[0] == '-this'
+      - unicode_args.stdout_lines[1] == '-that'
+      - unicode_args.stdout_lines[2] == '-Ӧther'
+
+# creates
 - name: verify that afile.txt is absent
-  file: path={{output_dir_test}}/afile.txt state=absent
+  file:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test }}/afile.txt"
+    state: absent
 
 - name: create afile.txt with create_afile.sh via command
-  script: create_afile.sh {{output_dir_test | expanduser}}/afile.txt creates={{output_dir_test | expanduser}}/afile.txt
+  script: create_afile.sh {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt
+  args:
+    creates: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt"
+  register: _create_test1
+
+- name: Check state of created file
+  stat:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt"
+  register: _create_stat1
+
+- name: Run create_afile.sh again to ensure it is skipped
+  script: create_afile.sh {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt
+  args:
+    creates: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt"
+  register: _create_test2
+
+- name: Assert that script report a change, file was created, second run was skipped
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - _create_test1 | changed
+      - _create_stat1.stat.exists
+      - _create_test2 | skipped
 
-- name: verify that afile.txt is present
-  file: path={{output_dir_test}}/afile.txt state=file
 
 # removes
+- name: verify that afile.txt is present
+  file:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test }}/afile.txt"
+    state: file
 
 - name: remove afile.txt with remote_afile.sh via command
-  script: remove_afile.sh {{output_dir_test | expanduser}}/afile.txt removes={{output_dir_test | expanduser}}/afile.txt
-  register: script_result1
-
-- name: verify that afile.txt is absent
-  file: path={{output_dir_test}}/afile.txt state=absent
-  register: script_result2
-
-- name: assert that the file was removed by the script
+  script: remove_afile.sh {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt
+  args:
+    removes: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt"
+  register: _remove_test1
+
+- name: Check state of removed file
+  stat:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt"
+  register: _remove_stat1
+
+- name: Run remote_afile.sh again to enure it is skipped
+  script: remove_afile.sh {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt
+  args:
+    removes: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile.txt"
+  register: _remove_test2
+
+- name: Assert that script report a change, file was removed, second run was skipped
   assert:
     that:
-      - "script_result1|changed"
-      - "script_result2.state == 'absent'"
+      - _remove_test1 | changed
+      - not _remove_stat1.stat.exists
+      - _remove_test2 | skipped
+
 
 # async
-- name: test task failure with async param
+- name: verify that afile.txt is absent
+  file:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test }}/afile.txt"
+    state: absent
 
+- name: test task failure with async param
   script: /some/script.sh
   async: 2
   ignore_errors: true
@@ -81,5 +151,73 @@
 - name: assert task with async param failed
   assert:
     that:
-      - script_result3|failed
+      - script_result3 | failed
       - script_result3.msg == "async is not supported for this task."
+
+
+# check mode
+- name: Run script to create a file in check mode
+  script: create_afile.sh {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: _check_mode_test
+
+- debug:
+    var: _check_mode_test
+    verbosity: 2
+
+- name: Get state of file created by script
+  stat:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt"
+  register: _afile_stat
+
+- debug:
+    var: _afile_stat
+    verbosity: 2
+
+- name: Assert that a change was reported but the script did not make changes
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - _check_mode_test | changed
+      - not _afile_stat.stat.exists
+
+- name: Run script to create a file
+  script: create_afile.sh {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt
+
+- name: Run script to create a file in check mode with 'creates' argument
+  script: create_afile.sh {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt
+  args:
+    creates: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt"
+  register: _check_mode_test2
+  check_mode: yes
+
+- debug:
+    var: _check_mode_test2
+    verbosity: 2
+
+- name: Assert that task was skipped and mesage was returned
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - _check_mode_test2 | skipped
+      - '_check_mode_test2.msg == "skipped, since {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt exists"'
+
+- name: Remove afile2.txt
+  file:
+    path: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt"
+    state: absent
+
+- name: Run script to remove a file in check mode with 'removes' argument
+  script: remove_afile.sh {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt
+  args:
+    removes: "{{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt"
+  register: _check_mode_test3
+  check_mode: yes
+
+- debug:
+    var: _check_mode_test3
+    verbosity: 2
+
+- name: Assert that task was skipped and message was returned
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - _check_mode_test3 | skipped
+      - '_check_mode_test3.msg == "skipped, since {{ output_dir_test | expanduser }}/afile2.txt does not exist"'
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/win_script/files/space path/test_script.ps1 b/test/integration/targets/win_script/files/space path/test_script.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..24e0ab2ed55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/win_script/files/space path/test_script.ps1	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Write-Host "Ansible supports spaces in the path to the script."
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/win_script/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/win_script/tasks/main.yml
index 1a9c25924f3..32b637630af 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/win_script/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/win_script/tasks/main.yml
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@
       - "test_script_result.stdout"
       - "'Woohoo' in test_script_result.stdout"
       - "not test_script_result.stderr"
-      - "not test_script_result|failed"
-      - "test_script_result|changed"
+      - "not test_script_result | failed"
+      - "test_script_result | changed"
 
 - name: run test script that takes arguments including a unicode char
   script: test_script_with_args.ps1 /this /that /Ӧther
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@
       - "test_script_with_args_result.stdout_lines[1] == '/that'"
       - "test_script_with_args_result.stdout_lines[2] == '/Ӧther'"
       - "not test_script_with_args_result.stderr"
-      - "not test_script_with_args_result|failed"
-      - "test_script_with_args_result|changed"
+      - "not test_script_with_args_result | failed"
+      - "test_script_with_args_result | changed"
 
 - name: run test script that takes parameters passed via splatting
   script: test_script_with_splatting.ps1 @{ This = 'this'; That = '{{ test_win_script_value }}'; Other = 'other'}
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@
       - "test_script_with_splatting_result.stdout_lines[1] == test_win_script_value"
       - "test_script_with_splatting_result.stdout_lines[2] == 'other'"
       - "not test_script_with_splatting_result.stderr"
-      - "not test_script_with_splatting_result|failed"
-      - "test_script_with_splatting_result|changed"
+      - "not test_script_with_splatting_result | failed"
+      - "test_script_with_splatting_result | changed"
 
 - name: run test script that takes splatted parameters from a variable
   script: test_script_with_splatting.ps1 {{ test_win_script_splat }}
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@
       - "test_script_with_splatting2_result.stdout_lines[1] == 'THAT'"
       - "test_script_with_splatting2_result.stdout_lines[2] == 'OTHER'"
       - "not test_script_with_splatting2_result.stderr"
-      - "not test_script_with_splatting2_result|failed"
-      - "test_script_with_splatting2_result|changed"
+      - "not test_script_with_splatting2_result | failed"
+      - "test_script_with_splatting2_result | changed"
 
 - name: run test script that has errors
   script: test_script_with_errors.ps1
@@ -97,15 +97,17 @@
       - "test_script_with_errors_result.rc != 0"
       - "not test_script_with_errors_result.stdout"
       - "test_script_with_errors_result.stderr"
-      - "test_script_with_errors_result|failed"
-      - "test_script_with_errors_result|changed"
+      - "test_script_with_errors_result | failed"
+      - "test_script_with_errors_result | changed"
 
 - name: cleanup test file if it exists
-  raw: Remove-Item "{{test_win_script_filename}}" -Force
+  raw: Remove-Item "{{ test_win_script_filename }}" -Force
   ignore_errors: true
 
 - name: run test script that creates a file
-  script: test_script_creates_file.ps1 "{{test_win_script_filename}}" creates="{{test_win_script_filename}}"
+  script: test_script_creates_file.ps1 {{ test_win_script_filename }}
+  args:
+    creates: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
   register: test_script_creates_file_result
 
 - name: check that script ran and indicated a change
@@ -114,22 +116,26 @@
       - "test_script_creates_file_result.rc == 0"
       - "not test_script_creates_file_result.stdout"
       - "not test_script_creates_file_result.stderr"
-      - "not test_script_creates_file_result|failed"
-      - "test_script_creates_file_result|changed"
+      - "not test_script_creates_file_result | failed"
+      - "test_script_creates_file_result | changed"
 
 - name: run test script that creates a file again
-  script: test_script_creates_file.ps1 "{{test_win_script_filename}}" creates="{{test_win_script_filename}}"
+  script: test_script_creates_file.ps1 {{ test_win_script_filename }}
+  args:
+    creates: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
   register: test_script_creates_file_again_result
 
 - name: check that the script did not run since the remote file exists
   assert:
     that:
-      - "not test_script_creates_file_again_result|failed"
-      - "not test_script_creates_file_again_result|changed"
-      - "test_script_creates_file_again_result|skipped"
+      - "not test_script_creates_file_again_result | failed"
+      - "not test_script_creates_file_again_result | changed"
+      - "test_script_creates_file_again_result | skipped"
 
 - name: run test script that removes a file
-  script: test_script_removes_file.ps1 "{{test_win_script_filename}}" removes="{{test_win_script_filename}}"
+  script: test_script_removes_file.ps1 {{ test_win_script_filename }}
+  args:
+    removes: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
   register: test_script_removes_file_result
 
 - name: check that the script ran since the remote file exists
@@ -138,19 +144,21 @@
       - "test_script_removes_file_result.rc == 0"
       - "not test_script_removes_file_result.stdout"
       - "not test_script_removes_file_result.stderr"
-      - "not test_script_removes_file_result|failed"
-      - "test_script_removes_file_result|changed"
+      - "not test_script_removes_file_result | failed"
+      - "test_script_removes_file_result | changed"
 
 - name: run test script that removes a file again
-  script: test_script_removes_file.ps1 "{{test_win_script_filename}}" removes="{{test_win_script_filename}}"
+  script: test_script_removes_file.ps1 {{ test_win_script_filename }}
+  args:
+    removes: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
   register: test_script_removes_file_again_result
 
 - name: check that the script did not run since the remote file does not exist
   assert:
     that:
-      - "not test_script_removes_file_again_result|failed"
-      - "not test_script_removes_file_again_result|changed"
-      - "test_script_removes_file_again_result|skipped"
+      - "not test_script_removes_file_again_result | failed"
+      - "not test_script_removes_file_again_result | changed"
+      - "test_script_removes_file_again_result | skipped"
 
 # TODO: these tests fail on 2008 (not even R2) with no output. It's related to the default codepage being UTF8- if we force it back to 437, it works fine.
 # Need to figure out a sane place to do that under the new exec wrapper.
@@ -165,8 +173,8 @@
 #      - "test_batch_result.stdout"
 #      - "'batch' in test_batch_result.stdout"
 #      - "not test_batch_result.stderr"
-#      - "not test_batch_result|failed"
-#      - "test_batch_result|changed"
+#      - "not test_batch_result | failed"
+#      - "test_batch_result | changed"
 
 
 #- name: run simple batch file with .cmd extension
@@ -180,8 +188,8 @@
 #      - "test_cmd_result.stdout"
 #      - "'cmd extension' in test_cmd_result.stdout"
 #      - "not test_cmd_result.stderr"
-#      - "not test_cmd_result|failed"
-#      - "test_cmd_result|changed"
+#      - "not test_cmd_result | failed"
+#      - "test_cmd_result | changed"
 
 - name: run test script that takes a boolean parameter
   script: test_script_bool.ps1 $true
@@ -205,4 +213,47 @@
 #    that:
 #    - test_script_env_result | succeeded
 #    - test_script_env_result.stdout_lines[0] == 'task'
-#
\ No newline at end of file
+#
+
+
+# check mode
+- name: Run test script that creates a file in check mode
+  script: test_script_creates_file.ps1 {{ test_win_script_filename }}
+  args:
+    creates: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: test_script_creates_file_check_mode
+
+- name: Get state of file created by script
+  win_stat:
+    path: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
+  register: create_file_stat
+
+- name: Assert that a change was reported but the script did not make changes
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - test_script_creates_file_check_mode | changed
+      - not create_file_stat.stat.exists
+
+- name: Run test script that creates a file
+  script: test_script_creates_file.ps1 {{ test_win_script_filename }}
+  args:
+    creates: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
+
+- name: Run test script that removes a file in check mode
+  script: test_script_removes_file.ps1 {{ test_win_script_filename }}
+  args:
+    removes: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
+  check_mode: yes
+  register: test_script_removes_file_check_mode
+
+- name: Get state of file removed by script
+  win_stat:
+    path: "{{ test_win_script_filename }}"
+  register: remove_file_stat
+
+- name: Assert that a change was reported but the script did not make changes
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - test_script_removes_file_check_mode | changed
+      - remove_file_stat.stat.exists