diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/cli/cli_config.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/cli/cli_config.py
index b6e7ef36a8b..5782085f6b3 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/cli/cli_config.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/cli/cli_config.py
@@ -45,6 +45,17 @@ options:
         Use I(net_put) or I(nxos_file_copy) module to copy the flat file
         to remote device and then use set the fullpath to this argument.
     type: 'str'
+  backup:
+    description:
+      - This argument will cause the module to create a full backup of
+        the current running config from the remote device before any
+        changes are made.  The backup file is written to the C(backup)
+        folder in the playbook root directory or role root directory, if
+        playbook is part of an ansible role. If the directory does not exist,
+        it is created.
+    type: bool
+    default: 'no'
+    version_added: "2.8"
   rollback:
     description:
       - The C(rollback) argument instructs the module to rollback the
@@ -140,6 +151,11 @@ commands:
   returned: always
   type: list
   sample: ['interface Loopback999', 'no shutdown']
+backup_path:
+  description: The full path to the backup file
+  returned: when backup is yes
+  type: str
+  sample: /playbooks/ansible/backup/hostname_config.2016-07-16@22:28:34
 """
 
 import json
@@ -284,6 +300,7 @@ def main():
     """main entry point for execution
     """
     argument_spec = dict(
+        backup=dict(default=False, type='bool'),
         config=dict(type='str'),
         commit=dict(type='bool'),
         replace=dict(type='str'),
@@ -297,7 +314,7 @@ def main():
     )
 
     mutually_exclusive = [('config', 'rollback')]
-    required_one_of = [['config', 'rollback']]
+    required_one_of = [['backup', 'config', 'rollback']]
 
     module = AnsibleModule(argument_spec=argument_spec,
                            mutually_exclusive=mutually_exclusive,
@@ -323,6 +340,9 @@ def main():
     candidate = to_text(module.params['config'])
     running = connection.get_config(flags=flags)
 
+    if module.params['backup']:
+        result['__backup__'] = running
+
     try:
         result.update(run(module, capabilities, connection, candidate, running))
     except Exception as exc:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/cli_config.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/cli_config.py
index 3041b10049a..433d52ad84a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/cli_config.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/cli_config.py
@@ -19,13 +19,54 @@
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
+import glob
+import os
+import re
+import time
+
 from ansible.plugins.action.normal import ActionModule as _ActionModule
 
 
+PRIVATE_KEYS_RE = re.compile('__.+__')
+
+
 class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
 
     def run(self, tmp=None, task_vars=None):
         if self._play_context.connection != 'network_cli':
             return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for cli_config module' % self._play_context.connection}
 
-        return super(ActionModule, self).run(task_vars=task_vars)
+        result = super(ActionModule, self).run(task_vars=task_vars)
+
+        if self._task.args.get('backup') and result.get('__backup__'):
+            # User requested backup and no error occurred in module.
+            # NOTE: If there is a parameter error, _backup key may not be in results.
+            filepath = self._write_backup(task_vars['inventory_hostname'],
+                                          result['__backup__'])
+
+            result['backup_path'] = filepath
+
+        # strip out any keys that have two leading and two trailing
+        # underscore characters
+        for key in list(result.keys()):
+            if PRIVATE_KEYS_RE.match(key):
+                del result[key]
+
+        return result
+
+    def _get_working_path(self):
+        cwd = self._loader.get_basedir()
+        if self._task._role is not None:
+            cwd = self._task._role._role_path
+        return cwd
+
+    def _write_backup(self, host, contents):
+        backup_path = self._get_working_path() + '/backup'
+        if not os.path.exists(backup_path):
+            os.mkdir(backup_path)
+        for existing_backup in glob.glob('%s/%s_config.*' % (backup_path, host)):
+            os.remove(existing_backup)
+        tstamp = time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d@%H:%M:%S", time.localtime(time.time()))
+        filename = '%s/%s_config.%s' % (backup_path, host, tstamp)
+        open(filename, 'w').write(contents)
+        return filename
diff --git a/test/units/modules/network/cli/__init__.py b/test/units/modules/network/cli/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/test/units/modules/network/cli/cli_module.py b/test/units/modules/network/cli/cli_module.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e92bc8ffc0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/modules/network/cli/cli_module.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+# (c) 2016 Red Hat Inc.
+#
+# This file is part of Ansible
+#
+# Ansible is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Ansible is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+# Make coding more python3-ish
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import json
+import os
+
+from units.modules.utils import AnsibleExitJson, AnsibleFailJson, ModuleTestCase
+
+
+fixture_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'fixtures')
+fixture_data = {}
+
+
+def load_fixture(name):
+    path = os.path.join(fixture_path, name)
+
+    if path in fixture_data:
+        return fixture_data[path]
+
+    with open(path) as fixture:
+        data = fixture.read()
+
+    try:
+        data = json.loads(data)
+    except ValueError:
+        pass
+
+    fixture_data[path] = data
+    return data
+
+
+class TestCliModule(ModuleTestCase):
+
+    def execute_module(self, failed=False, changed=False, commands=None, sort=True):
+
+        self.load_fixtures(commands)
+
+        if failed:
+            result = self.failed()
+            self.assertTrue(result['failed'], result)
+        else:
+            result = self.changed(changed)
+            self.assertEqual(result['changed'], changed, result)
+
+        if commands is not None:
+            if sort:
+                self.assertEqual(sorted(commands), sorted(result['commands']), result['commands'])
+            else:
+                self.assertEqual(commands, result['commands'], result['commands'])
+
+        return result
+
+    def failed(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(AnsibleFailJson) as exc:
+            self.module.main()
+
+        result = exc.exception.args[0]
+        self.assertTrue(result['failed'], result)
+        return result
+
+    def changed(self, changed=False):
+        with self.assertRaises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.module.main()
+
+        result = exc.exception.args[0]
+        self.assertEqual(result['changed'], changed, result)
+        return result
+
+    def load_fixtures(self, commands=None):
+        pass
diff --git a/test/units/modules/network/cli/test_cli_config.py b/test/units/modules/network/cli/test_cli_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4fa5f27a9e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/modules/network/cli/test_cli_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# (c) 2016 Red Hat Inc.
+#
+# This file is part of Ansible
+#
+# Ansible is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Ansible is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+# Make coding more python3-ish
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+from units.compat.mock import patch, MagicMock
+from ansible.modules.network.cli import cli_config
+from units.modules.utils import set_module_args
+from .cli_module import TestCliModule, load_fixture
+
+
+class TestCliConfigModule(TestCliModule):
+
+    module = cli_config
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestCliConfigModule, self).setUp()
+
+        self.mock_connection = patch('ansible.modules.network.cli.cli_config.Connection')
+        self.get_connection = self.mock_connection.start()
+
+        self.conn = self.get_connection()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        super(TestCliConfigModule, self).tearDown()
+
+        self.mock_connection.stop()
+
+    @patch('ansible.modules.network.cli.cli_config.run')
+    def test_cli_config_backup_returns__backup__(self, run_mock):
+        self.conn.get_capabilities = MagicMock(return_value='{}')
+
+        args = dict(backup=True)
+        set_module_args(args)
+
+        run_mock.return_value = {}
+
+        result = self.execute_module()
+        self.assertIn('__backup__', result)