diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index 6118c2b8a6..6563c24884 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -584,9 +584,12 @@ class Runner(object):
         actual_user = inject.get('ansible_ssh_user', self.remote_user)
         actual_pass = inject.get('ansible_ssh_pass', self.remote_pass)
         actual_transport = inject.get('ansible_connection', self.transport)
-        actual_private_key_file = os.path.expanduser(inject.get('ansible_ssh_private_key_file', self.private_key_file))
+        actual_private_key_file = inject.get('ansible_ssh_private_key_file', self.private_key_file)
         self.sudo_pass = inject.get('ansible_sudo_pass', self.sudo_pass)
 
+        if actual_private_key_file is not None:
+          actual_private_key_file = os.path.expanduser(actual_private_key_file)
+
         if self.accelerate and actual_transport != 'local':
             #Fix to get the inventory name of the host to accelerate plugin
             if inject.get('ansible_ssh_host', None):
@@ -626,6 +629,10 @@ class Runner(object):
                 actual_private_key_file = os.path.expanduser(delegate_info.get('ansible_ssh_private_key_file', self.private_key_file))
                 actual_transport = delegate_info.get('ansible_connection', self.transport)
                 self.sudo_pass = delegate_info.get('ansible_sudo_pass', self.sudo_pass)
+
+                if actual_private_key_file is not None:
+                  actual_private_key_file = os.path.expanduser(actual_private_key_file)
+
                 for i in delegate_info:
                     if i.startswith("ansible_") and i.endswith("_interpreter"):
                         inject[i] = delegate_info[i]
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/synchronize.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/synchronize.py
index 3ff74cb053..004deded22 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/synchronize.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/synchronize.py
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ class ActionModule(object):
         if not dest_host is src_host:
             user = inject.get('ansible_ssh_user',
                               self.runner.remote_user)
-            private_key = os.path.expanduser(inject.get('ansible_ssh_private_key_file', self.runner.private_key_file))
+            private_key = inject.get('ansible_ssh_private_key_file', self.runner.private_key_file)
             if not private_key is None:
+                private_key = os.path.expanduser(private_key)
                 options['private_key'] = private_key
+                
             src = self._process_origin(src_host, src, user)
             dest = self._process_origin(dest_host, dest, user)