diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/storage/netapp/na_ontap_vserver_peer.py b/lib/ansible/modules/storage/netapp/na_ontap_vserver_peer.py
index e50f23eec6..d1e57d5239 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/storage/netapp/na_ontap_vserver_peer.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/storage/netapp/na_ontap_vserver_peer.py
@@ -37,11 +37,11 @@ options:
   peer_cluster:
     description:
       - Specifies name of the peer Cluster.
-      - If peer Cluster is not given, it considers local Cluster.
+      - Required for creating the vserver peer relationship with a remote cluster
   dest_hostname:
     description:
      - Destination hostname or IP address.
-     - Required for creating the vserver peer relationship
+     - Required for creating the vserver peer relationship with a remote cluster
   dest_username:
     description:
      - Destination username.
@@ -111,9 +111,6 @@ class NetAppONTAPVserverPeer(object):
 
         self.module = AnsibleModule(
             argument_spec=self.argument_spec,
-            required_if=[
-                ('state', 'present', ['dest_hostname'])
-            ],
             supports_check_mode=True
         )
 
@@ -207,6 +204,8 @@ class NetAppONTAPVserverPeer(object):
         """
         if self.parameters.get('applications') is None:
             self.module.fail_json(msg='applications parameter is missing')
+        if self.parameters.get('peer_cluster') is not None and self.parameters.get('dest_hostname') is None:
+            self.module.fail_json(msg='dest_hostname is required for peering a vserver in remote cluster')
         if self.parameters.get('peer_cluster') is None:
             self.parameters['peer_cluster'] = self.get_peer_cluster_name()
         vserver_peer_create = netapp_utils.zapi.NaElement.create_node_with_children(
@@ -235,7 +234,9 @@ class NetAppONTAPVserverPeer(object):
             'vserver-peer-accept', **{'peer-vserver': self.parameters['vserver'],
                                       'vserver': self.parameters['peer_vserver']})
         try:
-            self.dest_server.invoke_successfully(vserver_peer_accept, enable_tunneling=True)
+            # accept only if the peer relationship is on a remote cluster
+            if self.parameters.get('dest_hostname') is not None:
+                self.dest_server.invoke_successfully(vserver_peer_accept, enable_tunneling=True)
         except netapp_utils.zapi.NaApiError as error:
             self.module.fail_json(msg='Error accepting vserver peer %s: %s'
                                       % (self.parameters['peer_vserver'], to_native(error)),