diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
index f994ed6f43..bc1bac413d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 
 
 import os
-import time
 
 
 try:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/icontrol.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/icontrol.py
index 43f8db7e86..7f8e294a3b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/icontrol.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/icontrol.py
@@ -14,9 +14,13 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     from io import StringIO
 
+try:
+    from BytesIO import BytesIO
+except ImportError:
+    from io import BytesIO
+
 from ansible.module_utils.urls import urlparse
 from ansible.module_utils.urls import generic_urlparse
-from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
 from ansible.module_utils.urls import Request
 
 try:
@@ -392,7 +396,7 @@ def upload_file(client, url, src, dest=None):
     Raises:
         F5ModuleError: Raised if ``retries`` limit is exceeded.
     """
-    if isinstance(src, StringIO):
+    if isinstance(src, StringIO) or isinstance(src, BytesIO):
         fileobj = src
     else:
         fileobj = open(src, 'rb')
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_iapplx_package.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_iapplx_package.py
index d868807cc2..e9269cb944 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_iapplx_package.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_iapplx_package.py
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ class ModuleManager(object):
                 raise F5ModuleError(resp.content)
         return response
 
-    def upload_to_device(self,):
+    def upload_to_device(self):
         url = 'https://{0}:{1}/mgmt/shared/file-transfer/uploads'.format(
             self.client.provider['server'],
             self.client.provider['server_port']
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_monitor_dns.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_monitor_dns.py
index 97a90e9423..e74c04d3a5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_monitor_dns.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_monitor_dns.py
@@ -279,10 +279,10 @@ allowed_divergence_value:
   type: int
   sample: 25
 description:
-    description: The description of the monitor.
-    returned: changed
-    type: str
-    sample: Important Monitor
+  description: The description of the monitor.
+  returned: changed
+  type: str
+  sample: Important Monitor
 adaptive_limit:
   description: Absolute number of milliseconds that may not be exceeded by a monitor probe.
   returned: changed
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_profile_fastl4.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_profile_fastl4.py
index f47d4a46a7..a0a629b83c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_profile_fastl4.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_profile_fastl4.py
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ class Parameters(AnsibleF5Parameters):
     ]
 
     returnables = [
-        'client_timeout'
+        'client_timeout',
         'description',
         'explicit_flow_migration',
         'idle_timeout',
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_remote_role.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_remote_role.py
index 25ceee668a..5ccb52ea3d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_remote_role.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_remote_role.py
@@ -540,8 +540,9 @@ def main():
         supports_check_mode=spec.supports_check_mode,
     )
 
+    client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
+
     try:
-        client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
         mm = ModuleManager(module=module, client=client)
         results = mm.exec_module()
         cleanup_tokens(client)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_software_image.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_software_image.py
index 72774b8f79..8ecd2a4228 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_software_image.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_software_image.py
@@ -467,8 +467,9 @@ def main():
         supports_check_mode=spec.supports_check_mode
     )
 
+    client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
+
     try:
-        client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
         mm = ModuleManager(module=module, client=client)
         results = mm.exec_module()
         cleanup_tokens(client)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_software_install.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_software_install.py
index f8b91c9736..e28af62912 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_software_install.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_software_install.py
@@ -491,8 +491,9 @@ def main():
         supports_check_mode=spec.supports_check_mode,
     )
 
+    client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
+
     try:
-        client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
         mm = ModuleManager(module=module, client=client)
         results = mm.exec_module()
         cleanup_tokens(client)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_ssl_certificate.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_ssl_certificate.py
index ebe7a890ec..6690b5d82e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_ssl_certificate.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_ssl_certificate.py
@@ -564,6 +564,7 @@ def main():
         argument_spec=spec.argument_spec,
         supports_check_mode=spec.supports_check_mode
     )
+
     client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
 
     try:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_ssl_ocsp.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_ssl_ocsp.py
index a6e0313e78..cd5ff7fd20 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_ssl_ocsp.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_ssl_ocsp.py
@@ -750,8 +750,9 @@ def main():
         required_together=spec.required_together,
     )
 
+    client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
+
     try:
-        client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
         mm = ModuleManager(module=module, client=client)
         results = mm.exec_module()
         cleanup_tokens(client)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_static_route.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_static_route.py
index 592fa23a63..b5702cdeed 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_static_route.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_static_route.py
@@ -686,8 +686,9 @@ def main():
         mutually_exclusive=spec.mutually_exclusive,
     )
 
+    client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
+
     try:
-        client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
         mm = ModuleManager(module=module, client=client)
         results = mm.exec_module()
         cleanup_tokens(client)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_tunnel.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_tunnel.py
index c4fd87f435..9961ee628b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_tunnel.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_tunnel.py
@@ -599,8 +599,9 @@ def main():
         supports_check_mode=spec.supports_check_mode,
     )
 
+    client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
+
     try:
-        client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
         mm = ModuleManager(module=module, client=client)
         results = mm.exec_module()
         cleanup_tokens(client)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_wait.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_wait.py
index 9ceafd5adf..548d7a8e53 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_wait.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/f5/bigip_wait.py
@@ -206,6 +206,9 @@ class ModuleManager(object):
                     self._wait_for_module_provisioning()
                 break
             except Exception as ex:
+                if 'Failed to validate the SSL' in str(ex):
+                    raise F5ModuleError(str(ex))
+
                 # The types of exception's we're handling here are "REST API is not
                 # ready" exceptions.
                 #
@@ -331,8 +334,9 @@ def main():
         supports_check_mode=spec.supports_check_mode
     )
 
+    client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
+
     try:
-        client = F5RestClient(**module.params)
         mm = ModuleManager(module=module, client=client)
         results = mm.exec_module()
         exit_json(module, results, client)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/module_docs_fragments/f5.py b/lib/ansible/utils/module_docs_fragments/f5.py
index 27da84473e..798bd9ced6 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/module_docs_fragments/f5.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/module_docs_fragments/f5.py
@@ -102,19 +102,15 @@ options:
         description:
           - Configures the transport connection to use when connecting to the
             remote device.
-        required: true
         choices:
           - rest
           - cli
-        default: cli
+        default: rest
 notes:
   - For more information on using Ansible to manage F5 Networks devices see U(https://www.ansible.com/integrations/networks/f5).
-  - Requires the f5-sdk Python package on the host. This is as easy as C(pip install f5-sdk).
   - Requires BIG-IP software version >= 12.
   - The F5 modules only manipulate the running configuration of the F5 product. To ensure that BIG-IP
     specific configuration persists to disk, be sure to include at least one task that uses the
     M(bigip_config) module to save the running configuration. Refer to the module's documentation for
     the correct usage of the module to save your running configuration.
-requirements:
-  - f5-sdk >= 3.0.16
 '''