diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/2648-proxmox_kvm-fix-vmid-return-value.yml b/changelogs/fragments/2648-proxmox_kvm-fix-vmid-return-value.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7971fc24eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/2648-proxmox_kvm-fix-vmid-return-value.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - proxmox_kvm - fixed ``vmid`` return value when VM with ``name`` already exists (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/2648).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/cloud/misc/proxmox_kvm.py b/plugins/modules/cloud/misc/proxmox_kvm.py
index 2dcb1ab573..2bd73b9575 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/cloud/misc/proxmox_kvm.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/cloud/misc/proxmox_kvm.py
@@ -1226,7 +1226,7 @@ def main():
             if get_vm(proxmox, vmid) and not (update or clone):
                 module.exit_json(changed=False, vmid=vmid, msg="VM with vmid <%s> already exists" % vmid)
             elif get_vmid(proxmox, name) and not (update or clone):
-                module.exit_json(changed=False, vmid=vmid, msg="VM with name <%s> already exists" % name)
+                module.exit_json(changed=False, vmid=get_vmid(proxmox, name)[0], msg="VM with name <%s> already exists" % name)
             elif not (node, name):
                 module.fail_json(msg='node, name is mandatory for creating/updating vm')
             elif not node_check(proxmox, node):