diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/elb_target_group_fix_KeyError.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/elb_target_group_fix_KeyError.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..120f0d4520
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/elb_target_group_fix_KeyError.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+- elb_target_group - cast target ports to integers before making API calls after the key 'Targets' is in params.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/elb_target_group.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/elb_target_group.py
index 7b42c6d205..61796530de 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/elb_target_group.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/amazon/elb_target_group.py
@@ -429,10 +429,6 @@ def create_or_update_target_group(connection, module):
         if params['TargetType'] == 'ip':
             fail_if_ip_target_type_not_supported(module)
 
-    # Correct type of target ports
-    for target in params['Targets']:
-        target['Port'] = int(target.get('Port', module.params.get('port')))
-
     # Get target group
     tg = get_target_group(connection, module)
 
@@ -496,6 +492,10 @@ def create_or_update_target_group(connection, module):
             if module.params.get("targets"):
                 params['Targets'] = module.params.get("targets")
 
+                # Correct type of target ports
+                for target in params['Targets']:
+                    target['Port'] = int(target.get('Port', module.params.get('port')))
+
                 # get list of current target instances. I can't see anything like a describe targets in the doco so
                 # describe_target_health seems to be the only way to get them