diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index b83b3762158..8df490bf0aa 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -100,6 +100,29 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     has_journal = False
 
+AVAILABLE_HASH_ALGORITHMS = dict()
+try:
+    import hashlib
+
+    # python 2.7.9+ and 2.7.0+
+    for attribute in ('available_algorithms', 'algorithms'):
+        algorithms = getattr(hashlib, attribute, None)
+        if algorithms:
+            break
+    if algorithms is None:
+        # python 2.5+
+        algorithms = ('md5', 'sha1', 'sha224', 'sha256', 'sha384', 'sha512')
+    for algorithm in algorithms:
+        AVAILABLE_HASH_ALGORITHMS[algorithm] = getattr(hashlib, algorithm)
+except ImportError:
+    import sha
+    AVAILABLE_HASH_ALGORITHMS = {'sha1': sha.sha}
+    try:
+        import md5
+        AVAILABLE_HASH_ALGORITHMS['md5'] = md5.md5
+    except ImportError:
+        pass
+
 try:
     from ast import literal_eval as _literal_eval
 except ImportError:
@@ -1320,38 +1343,6 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
                 or stat.S_IXGRP & os.stat(path)[stat.ST_MODE]
                 or stat.S_IXOTH & os.stat(path)[stat.ST_MODE])
 
-    def get_available_hash_algorithms(self):
-        ''' Get all hash algorithms that are available on this system as a dict.
-        For example: {
-                       'md5': md5.md5,
-                       'sha1': sha.sha
-                     }
-        '''
-        available_hash_algorithms = dict()
-        try:
-            import hashlib
-
-            # python 2.7.9+ and 2.7.0+
-            for attribute in ('available_algorithms', 'algorithms'):
-                algorithms = getattr(hashlib, attribute, None)
-                if algorithms:
-                    break
-            if algorithms is None:
-                # python 2.5+
-                algorithms = ('md5', 'sha1', 'sha224', 'sha256', 'sha384', 'sha512')
-            for algorithm in algorithms:
-                available_hash_algorithms[algorithm] = getattr(hashlib, algorithm)
-        except ImportError:
-            import sha
-            available_hash_algorithms = {'sha1': sha.sha}
-            try:
-                import md5
-                available_hash_algorithms['md5'] = md5.md5
-            except ImportError:
-                pass
-
-        return available_hash_algorithms
-
     def digest_from_file(self, filename, algorithm):
         ''' Return hex digest of local file for a digest_method specified by name, or None if file is not present. '''
         if not os.path.exists(filename):
@@ -1364,10 +1355,10 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
             digest_method = algorithm
         else:
             try:
-                digest_method = self.get_available_hash_algorithms()[algorithm]()
+                digest_method = AVAILABLE_HASH_ALGORITHMS[algorithm]()
             except KeyError:
                 self.fail_json(msg="Could not hash file '%s' with algorithm '%s'. Available algorithms: %s" %
-                                   (filename, algorithm, ', '.join(self.get_available_hash_algorithms())))
+                                   (filename, algorithm, ', '.join(AVAILABLE_HASH_ALGORITHMS)))
 
         blocksize = 64 * 1024
         infile = open(filename, 'rb')
@@ -1389,6 +1380,8 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
 
         Most uses of this function can use the module.sha1 function instead.
         '''
+        if 'md5' not in AVAILABLE_HASH_ALGORITHMS:
+            raise ValueError('MD5 not available.  Possibly running in FIPS mode')
         return self.digest_from_file(filename, 'md5')
 
     def sha1(self, filename):