diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/60915-smartos_image_facts-info-rename.yml b/changelogs/fragments/60915-smartos_image_facts-info-rename.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f59751d71c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/60915-smartos_image_facts-info-rename.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+minor_changes:
+- The ``smartos_image_facts`` module has been renamed to ``smartos_image_info``.
+  When called with the new name, the module no longer returns ``ansible_facts``.
diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.9.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.9.rst
index ed298d38609..71aa8202537 100644
--- a/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.9.rst
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/porting_guides/porting_guide_2.9.rst
@@ -453,6 +453,9 @@ be removed in Ansible 2.13. Please update update your playbooks accordingly.
   To access return values, :ref:`register a variable <registered_variables>`.
 * The ``redshift_facts`` module was renamed to :ref:`redshift_info <redshift_info_module>`.
 * The ``route53_facts`` module was renamed to :ref:`route53_info <route53_info_module>`.
+* The ``smartos_image_facts`` module was renamed to :ref:`smartos_image_info <ali_instance_info_module>`.
+  When called with the new name, the module no longer returns ``ansible_facts``.
+  To access return values, :ref:`register a variable <registered_variables>`.
 * The ``vertica_facts`` module was renamed to :ref:`vertica_info <vertica_info_module>`.
   When called with the new name, the module no longer returns ``ansible_facts``.
   To access return values, :ref:`register a variable <registered_variables>`.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/_smartos_image_facts.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/_smartos_image_facts.py
new file mode 120000
index 00000000000..d7206ed938a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/_smartos_image_facts.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+smartos_image_info.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/smartos_image_facts.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/smartos_image_info.py
similarity index 61%
rename from lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/smartos_image_facts.py
rename to lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/smartos_image_info.py
index 589f640400e..2772b703ebc 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/smartos_image_facts.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/smartos_image_info.py
@@ -15,11 +15,12 @@ ANSIBLE_METADATA = {'metadata_version': '1.1',
 
 DOCUMENTATION = '''
 ---
-module: smartos_image_facts
+module: smartos_image_info
 short_description: Get SmartOS image details.
 description:
-    - Retrieve facts about all installed images on SmartOS. Facts will be
-      inserted to the ansible_facts key.
+    - Retrieve information about all installed images on SmartOS.
+    - This module was called C(smartos_image_facts) before Ansible 2.9, returning C(ansible_facts).
+      Note that the M(smartos_image_info) module no longer returns C(ansible_facts)!
 version_added: "2.2"
 author: Adam Števko (@xen0l)
 options:
@@ -32,22 +33,31 @@ options:
 '''
 
 EXAMPLES = '''
-# Return facts about all installed images.
-- smartos_image_facts:
+# Return information about all installed images.
+- smartos_image_info:
+  register: result
 
 # Return all private active Linux images.
-- smartos_image_facts: filters="os=linux state=active public=false"
+- smartos_image_info: filters="os=linux state=active public=false"
+  register: result
 
 # Show, how many clones does every image have.
-- smartos_image_facts:
+- smartos_image_info:
+  register: result
 
-- debug: msg="{{ smartos_images[item]['name'] }}-{{smartos_images[item]['version'] }}
+- debug: msg="{{ result.smartos_images[item]['name'] }}-{{ result.smartos_images[item]['version'] }}
+            has {{ result.smartos_images[item]['clones'] }} VM(s)"
+  with_items: "{{ result.smartos_images.keys() | list }}"
+
+# When the module is called as smartos_image_facts, return values are published
+# in ansible_facts['smartos_images'] and can be used as follows.
+# Note that this is deprecated and will stop working in Ansible 2.13.
+- debug: msg="{{ smartos_images[item]['name'] }}-{{ smartos_images[item]['version'] }}
             has {{ smartos_images[item]['clones'] }} VM(s)"
-  with_items: "{{ smartos_images.keys() }}"
+  with_items: "{{ smartos_images.keys() | list }}"
 '''
 
 RETURN = '''
-# this module returns ansible_facts
 '''
 
 import json
@@ -95,12 +105,19 @@ def main():
         ),
         supports_check_mode=False,
     )
+    is_old_facts = module._name == 'smartos_image_facts'
+    if is_old_facts:
+        module.deprecate("The 'smartos_image_facts' module has been renamed to 'smartos_image_info', "
+                         "and the renamed one no longer returns ansible_facts", version='2.13')
 
     image_facts = ImageFacts(module)
 
     data = dict(smartos_images=image_facts.return_all_installed_images())
 
-    module.exit_json(ansible_facts=data)
+    if is_old_facts:
+        module.exit_json(ansible_facts=data)
+    else:
+        module.exit_json(**data)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/test/sanity/ignore.txt b/test/sanity/ignore.txt
index a7e2718ca61..a358a7d9e68 100644
--- a/test/sanity/ignore.txt
+++ b/test/sanity/ignore.txt
@@ -2045,7 +2045,7 @@ lib/ansible/modules/cloud/scaleway/_scaleway_volume_facts.py validate-modules:E3
 lib/ansible/modules/cloud/scaleway/scaleway_volume_info.py validate-modules:E338
 lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/imgadm.py validate-modules:E317
 lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/imgadm.py validate-modules:E338
-lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/smartos_image_facts.py validate-modules:E338
+lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/smartos_image_info.py validate-modules:E338
 lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/vmadm.py validate-modules:E322
 lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/vmadm.py validate-modules:E324
 lib/ansible/modules/cloud/smartos/vmadm.py validate-modules:E326