diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/ios.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/ios.py
index d03c8f0600..61b756cc5a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/ios.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/ios.py
@@ -71,13 +71,13 @@ def get_defaults_flag(module):
 
     commands = set()
     for line in out.splitlines():
-        if line:
+        if line.strip():
             commands.add(line.strip().split()[0])
 
     if 'all' in commands:
-        return 'all'
+        return ['all']
     else:
-        return 'full'
+        return ['full']
 
 
 def get_config(module, flags=[]):
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_config.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_config.py
index 22ddb17eb1..2ee15aaec7 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_config.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_config.py
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ def get_running_config(module, current_config=None):
         if not module.params['defaults'] and current_config:
             contents, banners = extract_banners(current_config.config_text)
         else:
-            flags = get_defaults_flag(module) if module.params['defaults'] else None
+            flags = get_defaults_flag(module) if module.params['defaults'] else []
             contents = get_config(module, flags=flags)
     contents, banners = extract_banners(contents)
     return NetworkConfig(indent=1, contents=contents), banners