diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/assemble.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/assemble.py
index d20b68b1d59..b72572ef726 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/assemble.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/assemble.py
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ class ActionModule(object):
             if self.runner.noop_on_check(inject):
                 return ReturnData(conn=conn, comm_ok=True, result=dict(changed=True), diff=dict(before_header=dest, after_header=src, before=dest_contents, after=resultant))
             else:
-                res = self.runner._execute_module(conn, tmp, 'copy', module_args, inject=inject, complex_args=complex_args)
                 res.diff = dict(before=dest_contents, after=resultant)
+                res = self.runner._execute_module(conn, tmp, 'copy', module_args, inject=inject)
                 return res
         else:
-            return self.runner._execute_module(conn, tmp, 'file', module_args, inject=inject, complex_args=complex_args)
+            return self.runner._execute_module(conn, tmp, 'file', module_args, inject=inject)