diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_hsrp.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_hsrp.py
index 734c6346397..a108fbe56ca 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_hsrp.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_hsrp.py
@@ -160,21 +160,6 @@ PARAM_TO_DEFAULT_KEYMAP = {
 }
 
 
-def execute_show_command(command, module):
-    device_info = get_capabilities(module)
-    network_api = device_info.get('network_api', 'nxapi')
-
-    if network_api == 'cliconf':
-        command += ' | json'
-        cmds = [command]
-        body = run_commands(module, cmds)
-    elif network_api == 'nxapi':
-        cmds = [command]
-        body = run_commands(module, cmds)
-
-    return body
-
-
 def apply_key_map(key_map, table):
     new_dict = {}
     for key in table:
@@ -189,11 +174,11 @@ def apply_key_map(key_map, table):
 
 
 def get_interface_mode(interface, intf_type, module):
-    command = 'show interface {0}'.format(interface)
+    command = 'show interface {0} | json'.format(interface)
     interface = {}
     mode = 'unknown'
     try:
-        body = execute_show_command(command, module)[0]
+        body = run_commands(module, [command])[0]
     except IndexError:
         return None
 
@@ -208,7 +193,7 @@ def get_interface_mode(interface, intf_type, module):
 
 
 def get_hsrp_group(group, interface, module):
-    command = 'show hsrp group {0} all'.format(group)
+    command = 'show hsrp group {0} all | json'.format(group)
     hsrp = {}
 
     hsrp_key = {
@@ -224,9 +209,9 @@ def get_hsrp_group(group, interface, module):
     }
 
     try:
-        body = execute_show_command(command, module)[0]
+        body = run_commands(module, [command])[0]
         hsrp_table = body['TABLE_grp_detail']['ROW_grp_detail']
-    except (AttributeError, IndexError, TypeError):
+    except (AttributeError, IndexError, TypeError, KeyError):
         return {}
 
     if isinstance(hsrp_table, dict):
@@ -349,7 +334,7 @@ def is_default(interface, module):
     command = 'show run interface {0}'.format(interface)
 
     try:
-        body = execute_show_command(command, module)[0]
+        body = run_commands(module, [command], check_rc=False)[0]
         if 'invalid' in body.lower():
             return 'DNE'
         else:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/eos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/eos.py
index 22239cac5c2..5a8e9736206 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/eos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/eos.py
@@ -94,8 +94,11 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
     def get_capabilities(self):
         result = {}
         result['rpc'] = self.get_base_rpc()
-        result['network_api'] = 'cliconf'
         result['device_info'] = self.get_device_info()
+        if isinstance(self._connection, NetworkCli):
+            result['network_api'] = 'cliconf'
+        else:
+            result['network_api'] = 'eapi'
         return json.dumps(result)
 
     # Imported from module_utils
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/nxos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/nxos.py
index 01e492717e0..5172ac751c2 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/nxos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/nxos.py
@@ -95,8 +95,11 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
     def get_capabilities(self):
         result = {}
         result['rpc'] = self.get_base_rpc()
-        result['network_api'] = 'cliconf'
         result['device_info'] = self.get_device_info()
+        if isinstance(self._connection, NetworkCli):
+            result['network_api'] = 'cliconf'
+        else:
+            result['network_api'] = 'nxapi'
         return json.dumps(result)
 
     # Migrated from module_utils
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/httpapi/nxos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/httpapi/nxos.py
index 2a49257823a..d6cfc4fe1d3 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/httpapi/nxos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/httpapi/nxos.py
@@ -89,9 +89,13 @@ class HttpApi:
             out = to_text(exc)
 
         out = to_list(out)
+        if not out[0]:
+            return out
+
         for index, response in enumerate(out):
             if response[0] == '{':
                 out[index] = json.loads(response)
+
         return out