diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/ec2_group-rule-purge-fix.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/ec2_group-rule-purge-fix.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8167b821931
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/ec2_group-rule-purge-fix.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+- ec2_group - Fix comparison of determining which rules to purge by ignoring descriptions - https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/47904
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/ec2_group.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/ec2_group.py
index b266972b307..2bd0bf65b99 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/ec2_group.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/ec2_group.py
@@ -1107,8 +1107,6 @@ def main():
         # List comprehensions for rules to add, rules to modify, and rule ids to determine purging
         new_ingress_permissions = [to_permission(r) for r in (set(named_tuple_ingress_list) - set(current_ingress))]
         new_egress_permissions = [to_permission(r) for r in (set(named_tuple_egress_list) - set(current_egress))]
-        present_ingress = list(set(named_tuple_ingress_list).union(set(current_ingress)))
-        present_egress = list(set(named_tuple_egress_list).union(set(current_egress)))
 
         if module.params.get('rules_egress') is None and 'VpcId' in group:
             # when no egress rules are specified and we're in a VPC,
@@ -1125,7 +1123,10 @@ def main():
         present_egress = list(set(named_tuple_egress_list).union(set(current_egress)))
 
         if purge_rules:
-            revoke_ingress = [to_permission(r) for r in set(present_ingress) - set(named_tuple_ingress_list)]
+            revoke_ingress = []
+            for p in present_ingress:
+                if not any([rule_cmp(p, b) for b in named_tuple_ingress_list]):
+                    revoke_ingress.append(to_permission(p))
         else:
             revoke_ingress = []
         if purge_rules_egress and module.params.get('rules_egress') is not None:
@@ -1135,7 +1136,10 @@ def main():
                     if r != Rule((None, None), '-1', '0.0.0.0/0', 'ipv4', None)
                 ]
             else:
-                revoke_egress = [to_permission(r) for r in set(present_egress) - set(named_tuple_egress_list)]
+                revoke_egress = []
+                for p in present_egress:
+                    if not any([rule_cmp(p, b) for b in named_tuple_egress_list]):
+                        revoke_egress.append(to_permission(p))
         else:
             revoke_egress = []
 
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/ec2_group/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/ec2_group/tasks/main.yml
index d34e0a4d0fd..2eb9768f1ef 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/ec2_group/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/ec2_group/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1114,6 +1114,29 @@
           - 'result.changed'
       when: result.ip_permissions_egress[0].ip_ranges[0].description is undefined
 
+    # =========================================================================================
+    - name: add rules without descriptions ready for adding descriptions to existing rules
+      ec2_group:
+        name: '{{ec2_group_name}}'
+        description: '{{ec2_group_description}}'
+        <<: *aws_connection_info
+        vpc_id: '{{ vpc_result.vpc.id }}'
+        # purge the other rules so assertions work for the subsequent tests for rule descriptions
+        purge_rules_egress: true
+        purge_rules: true
+        state: present
+        rules:
+        - proto: "tcp"
+          ports:
+          - 8281
+          cidr_ipv6: 1001:d00::/24
+        rules_egress:
+        - proto: "tcp"
+          ports:
+          - 8282
+          cidr_ip: 2.2.2.2/32
+      register: result
+
     # ============================================================
     - name: test adding a rule and egress rule descriptions (expected changed=true)
       ec2_group:
@@ -1187,6 +1210,7 @@
       # compatibility with this feature.
       assert:
         that:
+          - 'result.ip_permissions | length > 0'
           - 'result.changed'
       when: result.ip_permissions_egress[0].ip_ranges[0].description is defined