diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/3074-ini_file-3031-empty-value-inconsistency.yml b/changelogs/fragments/3074-ini_file-3031-empty-value-inconsistency.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7bfe958a12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/3074-ini_file-3031-empty-value-inconsistency.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+  - ini_file - fix inconsistency between empty value and no value
+    (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/3031).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/files/ini_file.py b/plugins/modules/files/ini_file.py
index 7d6a988e85..a9c2e290b0 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/files/ini_file.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/files/ini_file.py
@@ -205,11 +205,11 @@ def do_ini(module, filename, section=None, option=None, value=None,
                     for i in range(index, 0, -1):
                         # search backwards for previous non-blank or non-comment line
                         if not non_blank_non_comment_pattern.match(ini_lines[i - 1]):
-                            if option and value:
+                            if option and value is not None:
                                 ini_lines.insert(i, assignment_format % (option, value))
                                 msg = 'option added'
                                 changed = True
-                            elif option and not value and allow_no_value:
+                            elif option and value is None and allow_no_value:
                                 ini_lines.insert(i, '%s\n' % option)
                                 msg = 'option added'
                                 changed = True
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def do_ini(module, filename, section=None, option=None, value=None,
                 if state == 'present':
                     # change the existing option line
                     if match_opt(option, line):
-                        if not value and allow_no_value:
+                        if value is None and allow_no_value:
                             newline = u'%s\n' % option
                         else:
                             newline = assignment_format % (option, value)
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ def main():
     create = module.params['create']
 
     if state == 'present' and not allow_no_value and value is None:
-        module.fail_json("Parameter 'value' must not be empty if state=present and allow_no_value=False")
+        module.fail_json("Parameter 'value' must be defined if state=present and allow_no_value=False")
 
     (changed, backup_file, diff, msg) = do_ini(module, path, section, option, value, state, backup, no_extra_spaces, create, allow_no_value)
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/main.yml b/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/main.yml
index 210dafe2ca..96c6771b9e 100644
--- a/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/main.yml
@@ -215,10 +215,10 @@
     path: "{{ output_file }}"
     section: mysqld
     option: "{{ item.o }}"
-    value: "{{ item.v }}"
+    value: "{{ item.v | d(omit) }}"
     allow_no_value: yes
   with_items:
-    - { o: "skip-name-resolve", v: null }
+    - { o: "skip-name-resolve" }
     - { o: "max_connections", v: "500" }
 
 - name: read content from output file
@@ -459,12 +459,23 @@
         option: like
         value: tea
         state: absent
-    - name: Test with empty string
+
+    # See https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/3031
+    - name: Tests with empty strings
       ini_file:
         path: "{{ output_file }}"
-        section: extensions
-        option: evolve
+        section: "{{ item.section | d('extensions') }}"
+        option: "{{ item.option }}"
         value: ""
+        allow_no_value: "{{ item.no_value | d(omit) }}"
+      loop:
+        - option: evolve
+        - option: regress
+        - section: foobar
+          option: foo
+          no_value: true
+        - option: improve
+          no_value: true
 
 - name: read content from output file
   slurp:
@@ -473,7 +484,7 @@
 
 - name: set expected content and get current ini file content
   set_fact:
-    expected15: "\n[extensions]\nevolve = \n"
+    expected15: "\n[extensions]\nevolve = \nregress = \nimprove = \n[foobar]\nfoo = \n"
     content15: "{{ output_content.content | b64decode }}"
 - debug: var=content15
 - name: Verify content of ini file is as expected