diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/74476-apt_key-gpg-inline-data.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/74476-apt_key-gpg-inline-data.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ade6d13ffad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/74476-apt_key-gpg-inline-data.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - The error message about the failure to import a ```gpg`` key by the ``apt_key`` module was incorrect (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/74423).
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py b/lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py
index 58e23216a99..4a8e968c3a9 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/apt_key.py
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ def get_key_id_from_file(module, filename, data=None):
 
     (rc, out, err) = module.run_command(cmd, environ_update=lang_env, data=(native_data if is_armored else data), binary_data=not is_armored)
     if rc != 0:
-        module.fail_json(msg="Unable to extract key from '%s'" % ('inline data' if data is None else filename), stdout=out, stderr=err)
+        module.fail_json(msg="Unable to extract key from '%s'" % ('inline data' if data is not None else filename), stdout=out, stderr=err)
 
     keys = parse_output_for_keys(out)
     # assume we only want first key?
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/apt_key_inline_data.yml b/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/apt_key_inline_data.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..13174e4849f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/apt_key_inline_data.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+- name: "Ensure import of a deliberately corrupted downloaded GnuPG binary key results in an 'inline data' occurence in the message"
+  apt_key:
+    url: https://ansible-ci-files.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/test/integration/targets/apt_key/apt-key-corrupt-zeros-2k.gpg
+  register: gpg_inline_result
+  failed_when: "not ('inline data' in gpg_inline_result.msg)"
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/main.yml
index f5292d3a71e..9ef44e456e9 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/apt_key/tasks/main.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@
 
 - import_tasks: 'apt_key.yml'
   when: ansible_distribution in ('Ubuntu', 'Debian')
-  
+
+- import_tasks: 'apt_key_inline_data.yml'
+  when: ansible_distribution in ('Ubuntu', 'Debian')
+ 
 - import_tasks: 'file.yml'
   when: ansible_distribution in ('Ubuntu', 'Debian')