diff --git a/test/runner/lib/sanity/__init__.py b/test/runner/lib/sanity/__init__.py
index 724d1fcab5..8710201a79 100644
--- a/test/runner/lib/sanity/__init__.py
+++ b/test/runner/lib/sanity/__init__.py
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@ class SanityCodeSmellTest(SanityTest):
             files = self.config.get('files')
             always = self.config.get('always')
             text = self.config.get('text')
+            ignore_changes = self.config.get('ignore_changes')
 
             if output == 'path-line-column-message':
                 pattern = '^(?P<path>[^:]*):(?P<line>[0-9]+):(?P<column>[0-9]+): (?P<message>.*)$'
@@ -263,7 +264,11 @@ class SanityCodeSmellTest(SanityTest):
             else:
                 pattern = ApplicationError('Unsupported output type: %s' % output)
 
-            paths = sorted(i.path for i in targets.include)
+            if ignore_changes:
+                paths = sorted(i.path for i in targets.targets)
+                always = False
+            else:
+                paths = sorted(i.path for i in targets.include)
 
             if always:
                 paths = []
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.json b/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.json
index 39ac4bd57f..d029aaf7d6 100644
--- a/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.json
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.json
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 {
-    "always": true,
+    "ignore_changes": true,
+    "prefixes": [
+        "lib/ansible/modules/",
+        "lib/ansible/plugins/action/"
+    ],
+    "extensions": [
+        ".py"
+    ],
     "output": "path-message"
 }
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.py b/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.py
index db0b853da8..76de98ea4d 100755
--- a/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.py
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 """Test to verify action plugins have an associated module to provide documentation."""
 
 import os
+import sys
 
 
 def main():
@@ -40,31 +41,35 @@ def main():
         'vyos',
     ])
 
+    paths = sys.argv[1:] or sys.stdin.read().splitlines()
+
     module_names = set()
 
-    for root, dirs, files in os.walk('lib/ansible/modules'):
-        for filename in files:
-            name, ext = os.path.splitext(filename)
+    for path in paths:
+        if not path.startswith('lib/ansible/modules/'):
+            continue
 
-            if ext == '.py' and name != '__init__':
-                if name.startswith('_'):
-                    name = name[1:]
+        name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(path))[0]
 
-                module_names.add(name)
+        if name != '__init__':
+            if name.startswith('_'):
+                name = name[1:]
+
+            module_names.add(name)
 
-    action_plugin_dir = 'lib/ansible/plugins/action'
     unused_skip = set(skip)
 
-    for filename in os.listdir(action_plugin_dir):
-        name, ext = os.path.splitext(filename)
+    for path in paths:
+        if not path.startswith('lib/ansible/plugins/action/'):
+            continue
 
-        if ext == '.py' and name not in module_names:
+        name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(path))[0]
+
+        if name not in module_names:
             if name in skip:
                 unused_skip.remove(name)
                 continue
 
-            path = os.path.join(action_plugin_dir, filename)
-
             print('%s: action plugin has no matching module to provide documentation' % path)
 
     for filename in sorted(unused_skip):