diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
index bc1569c404..2efee392c5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
@@ -858,9 +858,21 @@ class TaskExecutor:
         master, slave = pty.openpty()
 
         python = sys.executable
-        # Assume ansible-connection is in the same dir as sys.argv[0]
-        ansible_connection = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]), 'ansible-connection')
-        p = subprocess.Popen([python, ansible_connection, to_text(os.getppid())], stdin=slave, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+
+        def find_file_in_path(filename):
+            # Check $PATH first, followed by same directory as sys.argv[0]
+            paths = os.environ['PATH'].split(os.pathsep) + [os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])]
+            for dirname in paths:
+                fullpath = os.path.join(dirname, filename)
+                if os.path.isfile(fullpath):
+                    return fullpath
+
+            raise AnsibleError("Unable to find location of '%s'" % filename)
+
+        p = subprocess.Popen(
+            [python, find_file_in_path('ansible-connection'), to_text(os.getppid())],
+            stdin=slave, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE
+        )
         stdin = os.fdopen(master, 'wb', 0)
         os.close(slave)
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/persistent.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/persistent.py
index 16faf1a3e6..1e377a75dd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/persistent.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/connection/persistent.py
@@ -78,9 +78,21 @@ class Connection(ConnectionBase):
         master, slave = pty.openpty()
 
         python = sys.executable
-        # Assume ansible-connection is in the same dir as sys.argv[0]
-        ansible_connection = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]), 'ansible-connection')
-        p = subprocess.Popen([python, ansible_connection, to_text(os.getppid())], stdin=slave, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+
+        def find_file_in_path(filename):
+            # Check $PATH first, followed by same directory as sys.argv[0]
+            paths = os.environ['PATH'].split(os.pathsep) + [os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])]
+            for dirname in paths:
+                fullpath = os.path.join(dirname, filename)
+                if os.path.isfile(fullpath):
+                    return fullpath
+
+            raise AnsibleError("Unable to find location of '%s'" % filename)
+
+        p = subprocess.Popen(
+            [python, find_file_in_path('ansible-connection'), to_text(os.getppid())],
+            stdin=slave, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE
+        )
         stdin = os.fdopen(master, 'wb', 0)
         os.close(slave)