diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/user-fix-zero-negative-expiration.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/user-fix-zero-negative-expiration.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f122b66e2fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/user-fix-zero-negative-expiration.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - user - properly remove expiration when set to a negative value (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/47114)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/system/user.py b/lib/ansible/modules/system/user.py
index aa5743bdf2f..8ac33316af9 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/system/user.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/system/user.py
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ class User(object):
             current_expires = int(self.user_password()[1])
 
             if self.expires < time.gmtime(0):
-                if current_expires > 0:
+                if current_expires >= 0:
                     cmd.append('-e')
                     cmd.append('')
             else:
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ class User(object):
                 current_expire_date = time.gmtime(current_expires * 86400)
 
                 # Current expires is negative or we compare year, month, and day only
-                if current_expires <= 0 or current_expire_date[:3] != self.expires[:3]:
+                if current_expires < 0 or current_expire_date[:3] != self.expires[:3]:
                     cmd.append('-e')
                     cmd.append(time.strftime(self.DATE_FORMAT, self.expires))
 
@@ -1136,7 +1136,9 @@ class FreeBsdUser(User):
 
             current_expires = int(self.user_password()[1])
 
-            if self.expires < time.gmtime(0):
+            # If expiration is negative or zero and the current expiration is greater than zero, disable expiration.
+            # In OpenBSD, setting expiration to zero disables expiration. It does not expire the account.
+            if self.expires <= time.gmtime(0):
                 if current_expires > 0:
                     cmd.append('-e')
                     cmd.append('0')