diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/inventory/ini.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/inventory/ini.py
index f35e352678..ee41ae4d95 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/inventory/ini.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/inventory/ini.py
@@ -180,7 +180,17 @@ class InventoryModule(BaseFileInventoryPlugin):
                     # but [groupname:vars] is allowed only if the # group is declared elsewhere.
                     # We add the group anyway, but make a note in pending_declarations to check at the end.
                     if state == 'vars':
-                        pending_declarations[groupname] = dict(line=self.lineno, state=state, name=groupname)
+
+                        # It's possible that a group is previously pending due to being
+                        # defined as a child group, in that case we simply pass so that
+                        # the logic below to process pending declarations will take the
+                        # appropriate action for a pending child group instead of
+                        # incorrectly handling it as a var state pending declaration
+                        if groupname in pending_declarations:
+                            if pending_declarations[groupname]['state'] == 'children':
+                                pass
+                        else:
+                            pending_declarations[groupname] = dict(line=self.lineno, state=state, name=groupname)
 
                     self.inventory.add_group(groupname)