diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/iosxr.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/iosxr.py
index 40a39b68df..9c978a21f0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/iosxr.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/iosxr.py
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
         del tmp  # tmp no longer has any effect
 
         socket_path = None
+        force_cli = self._task.action in ('iosxr_netconf', 'iosxr_config', 'iosxr_command', 'iosxr_facts')
 
         if self._play_context.connection == 'local':
             provider = load_provider(iosxr_provider_spec, self._task.args)
             pc = copy.deepcopy(self._play_context)
-            if self._task.action in ['iosxr_netconf', 'iosxr_config', 'iosxr_command'] or \
-                    (provider['transport'] == 'cli'):
+            if force_cli or provider['transport'] == 'cli':
                 pc.connection = 'network_cli'
                 pc.port = int(provider['port'] or self._play_context.port or 22)
             elif provider['transport'] == 'netconf':
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ class ActionModule(_ActionModule):
 
             task_vars['ansible_socket'] = socket_path
         elif self._play_context.connection in ('netconf', 'network_cli'):
+            if force_cli and self._play_context.connection != 'network_cli':
+                return {'failed': True, 'msg': 'Connection type %s is not valid for module %s' %
+                        (self._play_context.connection, self._task.action)}
             provider = self._task.args.get('provider', {})
             if any(provider.values()):
                 display.warning('provider is unnecessary when using {0} and will be ignored'.format(self._play_context.connection))
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/netconf/iosxr.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/netconf/iosxr.py
index 13216bba2a..ed189e30c4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/netconf/iosxr.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/netconf/iosxr.py
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ def transform_reply():
     if sys.version < '3':
         return reply
     else:
-        print("utf8")
         return reply.encode('UTF-8')