diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/vsphere_guest-corrected-state-operations.yml b/changelogs/fragments/vsphere_guest-corrected-state-operations.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ad34cae8b6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/vsphere_guest-corrected-state-operations.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+  - vsphere_guest - creating machines without vm_extra_config allowed
+  - vsphere_guest - powering on/off absent virtual machine will fail
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/_vsphere_guest.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/_vsphere_guest.py
index ff23e6daef5..614da557c55 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/_vsphere_guest.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/_vsphere_guest.py
@@ -1904,9 +1904,8 @@ def main():
             module.exit_json(changed=False, msg="vm %s not present" % guest)
 
         # check if user is trying to perform state operation on a vm which doesn't exists
-        elif state in ['present', 'powered_off', 'powered_on'] and not all((vm_extra_config,
-                                                                            vm_hardware, vm_disk, vm_nic, esxi)):
-            module.exit_json(changed=False, msg="vm %s not present" % guest)
+        elif state in ['present', 'powered_off', 'powered_on'] and not all((vm_hardware, vm_disk, vm_nic, esxi)):
+            module.fail_json(msg="vm %s not present and not all options neccessary to create are provided" % guest)
 
         # Create the VM
         elif state in ['present', 'powered_off', 'powered_on']: