diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_owner.ps1 b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_owner.ps1
index 82de19a400e..c7209e92853 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_owner.ps1
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_owner.ps1
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ $check_mode = Get-AnsibleParam -obj $params -name "_ansible_check_mode" -type "b
 
 $path = Get-AnsibleParam -obj $params -name "path" -type "path" -failifempty $true
 $user = Get-AnsibleParam -obj $params -name "user" -type "str" -failifempty $true
-$recurse = Get-AnsibleParam -obj $params -name "recurse" -type "bool" -default "no" -validateset "no","yes" -resultobj $result
+$recurse = Get-AnsibleParam -obj $params -name "recurse" -type "bool" -default $false -resultobj $result
 
 If (-Not (Test-Path -Path $path)) {
     Fail-Json $result "$path file or directory does not exist on the host"
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ Try {
     }
 }
 Catch {
-    Fail-Json $result "an error occurred when attempting to change owner on $path for $user"
+    Fail-Json $result "an error occurred when attempting to change owner on $path for $($user): $($_.Exception.Message)"
 }
 
 Exit-Json $result
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_owner.py b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_owner.py
index 96f8833ffb9..150d69a35fc 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_owner.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_owner.py
@@ -45,10 +45,8 @@ options:
   recurse:
     description:
       - Indicates if the owner should be changed recursively
-    choices:
-      - no
-      - yes
-    default: no
+    type: bool
+    default: 'no'
 author: Hans-Joachim Kliemeck (@h0nIg)
 '''
 
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/win_owner/aliases b/test/integration/targets/win_owner/aliases
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..10e03fc2bf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/win_owner/aliases
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+windows/ci/group1
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/win_owner/defaults/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/win_owner/defaults/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f71d353ec8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/win_owner/defaults/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+test_win_owner_path: C:\ansible\win_owner
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/win_owner/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/win_owner/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b5f1ed54e46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/win_owner/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,233 @@
+---
+# Setup tests
+- name: gather facts on host for use with later tests
+  setup:
+
+- name: remove test path to ensure baseline
+  win_file:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}"
+    state: absent
+
+- name: create test paths
+  win_file:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\{{item}}"
+    state: directory
+  with_items:
+  - folder
+  - folder\folder1
+  - folder\folder2
+  - folder with space
+  - folder with space\folder1
+  - folder with space\folder2
+
+- name: create system test files
+  win_copy:
+    dest: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\{{item}}"
+    content: content
+  with_items:
+  - folder\file.txt
+  - folder\folder1\file.txt
+  - folder\folder2\file.txt
+  - folder with space\file.txt
+  - folder with space\folder1\file.txt
+  - folder with space\folder2\file.txt
+
+# Run win_owner tests
+- name: set owner for invalid path
+  win_owner:
+    path: C:\invalid
+    user: SYSTEM
+  register: invalid_path
+  failed_when: invalid_path.msg != 'C:\invalid file or directory does not exist on the host'
+
+- name: set owner for invalid user
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}"
+    user: invalid-user
+  register: invalid_user
+  failed_when: invalid_user.msg != 'invalid-user is not a valid user or group on the host machine or domain'
+
+- name: set owner defaults check
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder"
+    user: SYSTEM
+  register: defaults_check
+  check_mode: True
+
+- name: get owner of folder of set owner defaults check
+  win_command: powershell.exe "(Get-Acl -Path '{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder').Owner"
+  register: actual_defaults_check
+
+- name: assert set owner defaults check
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - defaults_check|changed
+    - actual_defaults_check.stdout_lines[0] == 'BUILTIN\Administrators'
+
+- name: set owner defaults
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder"
+    user: SYSTEM
+  register: defaults
+
+- name: get owner of folder of set owner defaults
+  win_command: powershell.exe "(Get-Acl -Path '{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder').Owner"
+  register: actual_defaults
+
+- name: assert set owner defaults
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - defaults|changed
+    - actual_defaults.stdout_lines[0] == 'NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM'
+
+- name: set owner defaults again
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder"
+    user: SYSTEM
+  register: defaults_again
+
+- name: get owner of folder of set owner defaults again
+  win_command: powershell.exe "(Get-Acl -Path '{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder').Owner"
+  register: actual_defaults_again
+
+- name: assert set owner defaults again
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - not defaults_again|changed
+    - actual_defaults_again.stdout_lines[0] == 'NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM'
+
+- name: set owner recurse check
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder"
+    user: SYSTEM
+    recurse: True
+  register: recurse_check
+  check_mode: True
+
+- name: get owner of folder of set owner recurse check
+  win_command: powershell.exe "(Get-Acl -Path '{{test_win_owner_path}}\\{{item.path}}').Owner"
+  register: actual_recurse_check
+  failed_when: actual_recurse_check.stdout_lines[0] != item.owner
+  with_items:
+  - { path: 'folder', owner: 'NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM' }
+  - { path: 'folder\file.txt', owner: 'BUILTIN\Administrators' }
+  - { path: 'folder\folder1', owner: 'BUILTIN\Administrators' }
+  - { path: 'folder\folder1\file.txt', owner: 'BUILTIN\Administrators' }
+  - { path: 'folder\folder2', owner: 'BUILTIN\Administrators' }
+  - { path: 'folder\folder2\file.txt', owner: 'BUILTIN\Administrators' }
+
+- name: assert set owner recurse check
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - recurse_check|changed
+
+- name: set owner recurse
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder"
+    user: SYSTEM
+    recurse: True
+  register: recurse
+
+- name: get owner of folder of set owner recurse
+  win_command: powershell.exe "(Get-Acl -Path '{{test_win_owner_path}}\\{{item}}').Owner"
+  register: actual_recurse
+  failed_when: actual_recurse.stdout_lines[0] != 'NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM'
+  with_items:
+  - folder
+  - folder\file.txt
+  - folder\folder1
+  - folder\folder1\file.txt
+  - folder\folder2
+  - folder\folder2\file.txt
+
+- name: assert set owner recurse
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - recurse|changed
+
+- name: set owner recurse again
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder"
+    user: SYSTEM
+    recurse: True
+  register: recurse_again
+
+- name: get owner of folder of set owner recurse again
+  win_command: powershell.exe "(Get-Acl -Path '{{test_win_owner_path}}\\{{item}}').Owner"
+  register: actual_recurse_again
+  failed_when: actual_recurse_again.stdout_lines[0] != 'NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM'
+  with_items:
+  - folder
+  - folder\file.txt
+  - folder\folder1
+  - folder\folder1\file.txt
+  - folder\folder2
+  - folder\folder2\file.txt
+
+- name: assert set owner recurse again
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - not recurse_again|changed
+
+- name: create test user
+  win_user:
+    name: test win owner
+
+- name: set owner with space recurse
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder with space"
+    user: test win owner
+    recurse: True
+  register: recurse_space
+
+- name: get owner of folder of set owner with space recurse
+  win_command: powershell.exe "(Get-Acl -Path '{{test_win_owner_path}}\\{{item}}').Owner"
+  register: actual_recurse_space
+  failed_when: actual_recurse_space.stdout_lines[0]|upper != ansible_hostname + '\\TEST WIN OWNER'
+  with_items:
+  - folder with space
+  - folder with space\file.txt
+  - folder with space\folder1
+  - folder with space\folder1\file.txt
+  - folder with space\folder2
+  - folder with space\folder2\file.txt
+
+- name: assert set owner with space recurse
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - recurse_space|changed
+
+- name: set owner with space recurse again
+  win_owner:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}\\folder with space"
+    user: test win owner
+    recurse: True
+  register: recurse_space_again
+
+- name: get owner of folder of set owner with space recurse again
+  win_command: powershell.exe "(Get-Acl -Path '{{test_win_owner_path}}\\{{item}}').Owner"
+  register: actual_recurse_space_again
+  failed_when: actual_recurse_space_again.stdout_lines[0]|upper != ansible_hostname + '\\TEST WIN OWNER'
+  with_items:
+  - folder with space
+  - folder with space\file.txt
+  - folder with space\folder1
+  - folder with space\folder1\file.txt
+  - folder with space\folder2
+  - folder with space\folder2\file.txt
+
+- name: assert set owner with space recurse again
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - not recurse_space_again|changed
+
+# Run cleanup after tests
+- name: delete test path
+  win_file:
+    path: "{{test_win_owner_path}}"
+    state: absent
+
+- name: remove test user
+  win_user:
+    name: test win owner
+    state: absent