diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/crypto/openssl_certificate.py b/lib/ansible/modules/crypto/openssl_certificate.py
index b22f3fd786..583802654a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/crypto/openssl_certificate.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/crypto/openssl_certificate.py
@@ -691,6 +691,14 @@ class Certificate(crypto_utils.OpenSSLObject):
 
         return True
 
+
+class CertificateAbsent(Certificate):
+    def __init__(self, module):
+        super(CertificateAbsent, self).__init__(module, 'cryptography')  # backend doesn't matter
+
+    def generate(self, module):
+        pass
+
     def dump(self, check_mode=False):
         # Use only for absent
 
@@ -1684,8 +1692,7 @@ def main():
     )
 
     if module.params['state'] == 'absent':
-        # backend doesn't matter
-        certificate = Certificate(module, 'cryptography')
+        certificate = CertificateAbsent(module)
 
     else:
         if module.params['provider'] != 'assertonly' and module.params['csr_path'] is None:
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/openssl_certificate/tasks/impl.yml b/test/integration/targets/openssl_certificate/tasks/impl.yml
index aab83cbf08..f215591f60 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/openssl_certificate/tasks/impl.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/openssl_certificate/tasks/impl.yml
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@
 - import_tasks: expired.yml
 - import_tasks: selfsigned.yml
 - import_tasks: ownca.yml
+- import_tasks: removal.yml
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/openssl_certificate/tasks/removal.yml b/test/integration/targets/openssl_certificate/tasks/removal.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f51d673fd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/openssl_certificate/tasks/removal.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+---
+- name: (Removal, {{select_crypto_backend}}) Generate privatekey
+  openssl_privatekey:
+    path: '{{ output_dir }}/removal_privatekey.pem'
+
+- name: (Removal, {{select_crypto_backend}}) Generate CSR
+  openssl_csr:
+    path: '{{ output_dir }}/removal_csr.csr'
+    privatekey_path: '{{ output_dir }}/removal_privatekey.pem'
+
+- name: (Removal, {{select_crypto_backend}}) Generate selfsigned certificate
+  openssl_certificate:
+    path: '{{ output_dir }}/removal_cert.pem'
+    csr_path: '{{ output_dir }}/removal_csr.csr'
+    privatekey_path: '{{ output_dir }}/removal_privatekey.pem'
+    provider: selfsigned
+    selfsigned_digest: sha256
+    select_crypto_backend: '{{ select_crypto_backend }}'
+
+- name: "(Removal, {{select_crypto_backend}}) Check that file is not gone"
+  stat:
+    path: "{{ output_dir }}/removal_cert.pem"
+  register: removal_1_prestat
+
+- name: "(Removal, {{select_crypto_backend}}) Remove certificate"
+  openssl_certificate:
+    path: "{{ output_dir }}/removal_cert.pem"
+    state: absent
+    select_crypto_backend: '{{ select_crypto_backend }}'
+  register: removal_1
+
+- name: "(Removal, {{select_crypto_backend}}) Check that file is gone"
+  stat:
+    path: "{{ output_dir }}/removal_cert.pem"
+  register: removal_1_poststat
+
+- name: "(Removal, {{select_crypto_backend}}) Remove certificate (idempotent)"
+  openssl_certificate:
+    path: "{{ output_dir }}/removal_cert.pem"
+    state: absent
+    select_crypto_backend: '{{ select_crypto_backend }}'
+  register: removal_2
+
+- name: (Removal, {{select_crypto_backend}}) Ensure removal worked
+  assert:
+    that:
+    - removal_1_prestat.stat.exists
+    - removal_1 is changed
+    - not removal_1_poststat.stat.exists
+    - removal_2 is not changed