diff --git a/lib/ansible/cli/vault.py b/lib/ansible/cli/vault.py
index 1fa29d1d069..969ea2b6fa6 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/cli/vault.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/cli/vault.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class VaultCLI(CLI):
 
         if self.options.vault_password_file:
             # read vault_pass from a file
-            self.vault_pass = read_vault_password_file(self.options.vault_password_file)
+            self.vault_pass = CLI.read_vault_password_file(self.options.vault_password_file)
         elif self.options.ask_vault_pass:
             self.vault_pass, _= self.ask_vault_passwords(ask_vault_pass=True, ask_new_vault_pass=False, confirm_new=False)