diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/6648_ldap_search_page_size.yml b/changelogs/fragments/6648_ldap_search_page_size.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..361186db97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/6648_ldap_search_page_size.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - ldap_search - add a new ``page_size`` option to enable paged searches (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/6648).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/ldap_search.py b/plugins/modules/ldap_search.py
index c6dbac4bf9..d8fa2efd07 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/ldap_search.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/ldap_search.py
@@ -61,6 +61,14 @@ options:
     description:
       - Set to C(true) to return the full attribute schema of entries, not
         their attribute values. Overrides I(attrs) when provided.
+  page_size:
+    default: 0
+    type: int
+    description:
+      - The page size when performing a simple paged result search (RFC 2696).
+        This setting can be tuned to reduce issues with timeouts and server limits.
+      - Setting the page size to V(0) (default) disables paged searching.
+    version_added: 7.1.0
   base64_attributes:
     description:
       - If provided, all attribute values returned that are listed in this option
@@ -133,6 +141,7 @@ def main():
             filter=dict(type='str', default='(objectClass=*)'),
             attrs=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
             schema=dict(type='bool', default=False),
+            page_size=dict(type='int', default=0),
             base64_attributes=dict(type='list', elements='str'),
         ),
         supports_check_mode=True,
@@ -181,6 +190,7 @@ class LdapSearch(LdapGeneric):
 
         self.filterstr = self.module.params['filter']
         self.attrlist = []
+        self.page_size = self.module.params['page_size']
         self._load_scope()
         self._load_attrs()
         self._load_schema()
@@ -210,22 +220,32 @@ class LdapSearch(LdapGeneric):
         self.module.exit_json(changed=False, results=results)
 
     def perform_search(self):
+        ldap_entries = []
+        controls = []
+        if self.page_size > 0:
+            controls.append(ldap.controls.libldap.SimplePagedResultsControl(True, size=self.page_size, cookie=''))
         try:
-            results = self.connection.search_s(
-                self.dn,
-                self.scope,
-                filterstr=self.filterstr,
-                attrlist=self.attrlist,
-                attrsonly=self.attrsonly
-            )
-            ldap_entries = []
-            for result in results:
-                if isinstance(result[1], dict):
-                    if self.schema:
-                        ldap_entries.append(dict(dn=result[0], attrs=list(result[1].keys())))
-                    else:
-                        ldap_entries.append(_extract_entry(result[0], result[1], self._base64_attributes))
-            return ldap_entries
+            while True:
+                response = self.connection.search_ext(
+                    self.dn,
+                    self.scope,
+                    filterstr=self.filterstr,
+                    attrlist=self.attrlist,
+                    attrsonly=self.attrsonly,
+                    serverctrls=controls,
+                )
+                rtype, results, rmsgid, serverctrls = self.connection.result3(response)
+                for result in results:
+                    if isinstance(result[1], dict):
+                        if self.schema:
+                            ldap_entries.append(dict(dn=result[0], attrs=list(result[1].keys())))
+                        else:
+                            ldap_entries.append(_extract_entry(result[0], result[1], self._base64_attributes))
+                cookies = [c.cookie for c in serverctrls if c.controlType == ldap.controls.libldap.SimplePagedResultsControl.controlType]
+                if self.page_size > 0 and cookies and cookies[0]:
+                    controls[0].cookie = cookies[0]
+                else:
+                    return ldap_entries
         except ldap.NO_SUCH_OBJECT:
             self.module.fail_json(msg="Base not found: {0}".format(self.dn))
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/basic.yml b/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/basic.yml
index 36d245d396..11e5d6562c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/basic.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/basic.yml
@@ -23,3 +23,17 @@
        - output is not failed
        - output.results | length == 1
        - output.results.0.displayName == "LDAP Test"
+
+- name: Test simple search for a user with no results
+  ldap_search:
+    dn: "ou=users,dc=example,dc=com"
+    scope: "onelevel"
+    filter: "(uid=nonexistent)"
+  ignore_errors: true
+  register: output
+
+- name: assert that the output is empty
+  assert:
+    that:
+       - output is not failed
+       - output.results | length == 0
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/pages.yml b/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/pages.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32575854ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/pages.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+---
+# Copyright (c) Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+- debug:
+    msg: Running tests/pages.yml
+
+####################################################################
+## Search ##########################################################
+####################################################################
+- name: Test paged search for all users
+  ldap_search:
+    dn: "ou=users,dc=example,dc=com"
+    scope: "onelevel"
+    page_size: 1
+  ignore_errors: true
+  register: output
+
+- name: assert that the right number of results are returned
+  assert:
+    that:
+       - output is not failed
+       - output.results | length == 2
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/schema.yml b/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/schema.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..892eac3cb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/ldap_search/tasks/tests/schema.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+---
+# Copyright (c) Ansible Project
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see LICENSES/GPL-3.0-or-later.txt or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+- debug:
+    msg: Running tests/schema.yml
+
+####################################################################
+## Search ##########################################################
+####################################################################
+- name: Test for ldap schema output
+  ldap_search:
+    dn: "ou=users,dc=example,dc=com"
+    scope: "onelevel"
+    schema: true
+  ignore_errors: true
+  register: output
+
+- name: Assert that the schema output is correct
+  assert:
+    that:
+       - output is not failed
+       - output.results | length >= 1
+       - "{{ 'displayName' in output.results.0.attrs }}"
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/setup_openldap/files/initial_config.ldif b/tests/integration/targets/setup_openldap/files/initial_config.ldif
index 6f2c940c15..cb21f2cfdb 100644
--- a/tests/integration/targets/setup_openldap/files/initial_config.ldif
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/setup_openldap/files/initial_config.ldif
@@ -21,3 +21,21 @@ displayName: LDAP Test
 userPassword: test1pass!
 mail: ldap.test@example.com
 sn: Test
+
+dn: uid=second,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com
+uid: second
+uidNumber: 1112
+gidNUmber: 102
+objectClass: top
+objectClass: posixAccount
+objectClass: shadowAccount
+objectClass: person
+objectClass: organizationalPerson
+objectClass: inetOrgPerson
+loginShell: /bin/sh
+homeDirectory: /home/second
+cn: Second Test
+gecos: Second Test
+displayName: Second Test
+mail: second.test@example.com
+sn: Test