diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
index bf97fe14380..d98afa256fe 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/nxos.py
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
 
         socket_path = None
 
+        if self._task.args.get('provider', {}).get('transport') == 'nxapi' and self._task.action == 'nxos_nxapi':
+            return {'failed': True, 'msg': "Transport type 'nxapi' is not valid for '%s' module." % (self._task.action)}
+
         if self._play_context.connection == 'network_cli':
             provider = self._task.args.get('provider', {})
             if any(provider.values()):
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/cli.yaml b/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/cli.yaml
index edbff7dfafb..5832987a512 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/cli.yaml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/cli.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-- name: collect common cli test cases
+- name: collect common test cases
   find:
     paths: "{{ role_path }}/tests/common"
     patterns: "{{ testcase }}.yaml"
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   set_fact: test_items="{{ test_cases.files | map(attribute='path') | list }}"
 
 - name: run test cases (connection=network_cli)
-  include: "{{ test_case_to_run }} ansible_connection=network_cli connection={}"
+  include: "{{ test_case_to_run }} ansible_connection=network_cli"
   with_items: "{{ test_items }}"
   loop_control:
     loop_var: test_case_to_run
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/main.yaml b/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/main.yaml
index 70e67b38dfd..4b0f8c64d90 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 ---
-# Only cli tests for this module since cli is used
-# to test nxapi
 - { include: cli.yaml, tags: ['cli'] }
+- { include: nxapi.yaml, tags: ['nxapi'] }
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/nxapi.yaml b/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/nxapi.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ab3ad41c472
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tasks/nxapi.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+---
+- name: collect common test cases
+  find:
+    paths: "{{ role_path }}/tests/common"
+    patterns: "{{ testcase }}.yaml"
+  connection: local
+  register: test_cases
+
+- name: collect nxapi test cases
+  find:
+    paths: "{{ role_path }}/tests/nxapi"
+    patterns: "{{ testcase }}.yaml"
+  connection: local
+  register: nxapi_cases
+
+- set_fact:
+    test_cases:
+      files: "{{ test_cases.files }} + {{ nxapi_cases.files }}"
+
+- name: set test_items
+  set_fact: test_items="{{ test_cases.files | map(attribute='path') | list }}"
+
+- name: run test case (connection=local)
+  include: "{{ test_case_to_run }} ansible_connection=local connection={{ nxapi }}"
+  with_items: "{{ test_items }}"
+  loop_control:
+    loop_var: test_case_to_run
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tests/cli/badtransport.yaml b/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tests/nxapi/badtransport.yaml
similarity index 60%
rename from test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tests/cli/badtransport.yaml
rename to test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tests/nxapi/badtransport.yaml
index 6549aa990be..ebd5bf462cc 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tests/cli/badtransport.yaml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/nxos_nxapi/tests/nxapi/badtransport.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-- debug: msg="START cli/badtransport.yaml"
+- debug: msg="START nxapi/badtransport.yaml"
 
 - name: Sending transport other than cli should fail
   nxos_nxapi:
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@
 
 - assert:
      that:
-        - result.failed and result.msg is search('transport')
+        - result.failed and result.msg is search('Transport')
 
-- debug: msg="END cli/badtransport.yaml"
+- debug: msg="END nxapi/badtransport.yaml"
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/nxos_smoke/tasks/cli.yaml b/test/integration/targets/nxos_smoke/tasks/cli.yaml
index edbff7dfafb..f53eac3a477 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/nxos_smoke/tasks/cli.yaml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/nxos_smoke/tasks/cli.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   set_fact: test_items="{{ test_cases.files | map(attribute='path') | list }}"
 
 - name: run test cases (connection=network_cli)
-  include: "{{ test_case_to_run }} ansible_connection=network_cli connection={}"
+  include: "{{ test_case_to_run }} ansible_connection=network_cli connection={{ cli }}"
   with_items: "{{ test_items }}"
   loop_control:
     loop_var: test_case_to_run
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/nxos_smoke/tests/common/misc_tests.yaml b/test/integration/targets/nxos_smoke/tests/common/misc_tests.yaml
index 27fc07a7cb7..6ae0b003ea7 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/nxos_smoke/tests/common/misc_tests.yaml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/nxos_smoke/tests/common/misc_tests.yaml
@@ -22,3 +22,9 @@
 - assert:
     that:
       - result.stdout|length == 10
+
+- name: combine with provider
+  nxos_command:
+    commands:
+      - show hostname
+    provider: "{{ connection | combine({'timeout': 500}) }}"