diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index b46ba05db71..e4ed7cb5587 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -722,9 +722,14 @@ class Runner(object):
 
         if module.startswith("/"):
             raise errors.AnsibleFileNotFound("%s is not a module" % module)
-        in_path = os.path.expanduser(os.path.join(self.module_path, module))
-        if not os.path.exists(in_path):
-            raise errors.AnsibleFileNotFound("module not found: %s" % in_path)
+
+        # Search module path(s) for named module.
+        for module_path in self.module_path.split(os.pathsep):
+            in_path = os.path.expanduser(os.path.join(module_path, module))
+            if os.path.exists(in_path):
+                break
+        else:
+            raise errors.AnsibleFileNotFound("module %s not found in %s" % (module, self.module_path))
 
         out_path = tmp + module
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils.py b/lib/ansible/utils.py
index c507103d677..d9805b13047 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils.py
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ def base_parser(constants=C, usage="", output_opts=False, runas_opts=False, asyn
     parser.add_option('-K', '--ask-sudo-pass', default=False, dest='ask_sudo_pass', action='store_true',
         help='ask for sudo password')
     parser.add_option('-M', '--module-path', dest='module_path',
-        help="specify path to module library (default=%s)" % constants.DEFAULT_MODULE_PATH, 
+        help="specify path(s) to module library (default=%s)" % constants.DEFAULT_MODULE_PATH,
         default=constants.DEFAULT_MODULE_PATH)
     parser.add_option('-T', '--timeout', default=constants.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT, type='int',
         dest='timeout',