diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-no-cryptograpy-downgrade.yml b/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-no-cryptograpy-downgrade.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..94929c59b77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/ansible-test-no-cryptograpy-downgrade.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - ansible-test - Installation of ``cryptography`` no longer occurs when it is already installed. This avoids downgrading existing OS packages.
diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/executor.py b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/executor.py
index 52669c1886d..aeebc9749fd 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/executor.py
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_internal/executor.py
@@ -130,6 +130,16 @@ def get_openssl_version(args, python, python_version):  # type: (EnvironmentConf
     return None
 
 
+def is_cryptography_available(python):  # type: (str) -> bool
+    """Return True if cryptography is available for the given python."""
+    try:
+        raw_command([python, '-c', 'import cryptography'], capture=True)
+    except SubprocessError:
+        return False
+
+    return True
+
+
 def get_setuptools_version(args, python):  # type: (EnvironmentConfig, str) -> t.Tuple[int]
     """Return the setuptools version for the given python."""
     try:
@@ -153,6 +163,11 @@ def install_cryptography(args, python, python_version, pip):  # type: (Environme
     # the installed version of setuptools affects the version of cryptography to install
     run_command(args, generate_pip_install(pip, '', packages=['setuptools']))
 
+    # skip cryptography install if it is already available
+    # this avoids downgrading cryptography when OS packages provide a newer version than we are able to install using pip
+    if is_cryptography_available(python):
+        return
+
     # install the latest cryptography version that the current requirements can support
     # use a custom constraints file to avoid the normal constraints file overriding the chosen version of cryptography
     # if not installed here later install commands may try to install an unsupported version due to the presence of older setuptools