diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/become.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/become.py
index 643f2b555d..1e579751d4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/become.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/become.py
@@ -90,16 +90,18 @@ class Become:
 
             display.deprecated("Instead of su/su_user, use become/become_user and set become_method to 'su' (default is sudo)")
 
-        # if we are becoming someone else, but some fields are unset,
-        # make sure they're initialized to the default config values
-        if ds.get('become', False):
-            if ds.get('become_method', None) is None:
-                ds['become_method'] = C.DEFAULT_BECOME_METHOD
-            if ds.get('become_user', None) is None:
-                ds['become_user'] = C.DEFAULT_BECOME_USER
 
         return ds
 
+    def set_become_defaults(self, become, become_method, become_user):
+        ''' if we are becoming someone else, but some fields are unset,
+            make sure they're initialized to the default config values  '''
+        if become:
+            if become_method is None:
+                become_method = C.DEFAULT_BECOME_METHOD
+            if become_user is None:
+                become_user = C.DEFAULT_BECOME_USER
+
     def _get_attr_become(self):
         '''
         Override for the 'become' getattr fetcher, used from Base.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
index 5c02093980..9320a23ed9 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play_context.py
@@ -392,6 +392,9 @@ class PlayContext(Base):
         if new_info.no_log is None:
             new_info.no_log = C.DEFAULT_NO_LOG
 
+        # set become defaults if not previouslly set
+        task.set_become_defaults(new_info.become, new_info.become_method, new_info.become_user)
+
         return new_info
 
     def make_become_cmd(self, cmd, executable=None):