diff --git a/lib/ansible/parsing/mod_args.py b/lib/ansible/parsing/mod_args.py
index 50e39f48d0..8c268aa95e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/parsing/mod_args.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/parsing/mod_args.py
@@ -254,7 +254,6 @@ class ModuleArgsParser:
             action, args = self._normalize_parameters(thing, additional_args=additional_args)
 
         # local_action
-        local_action = False
         if 'local_action' in self._task_ds:
             # local_action is similar but also implies a delegate_to
             if action is not None:
@@ -263,6 +262,8 @@ class ModuleArgsParser:
             delegate_to = 'localhost'
             action, args = self._normalize_parameters(thing, additional_args=additional_args)
 
+        # module: <stuff> is the more new-style invocation
+
         # walk the input dictionary to see we recognize a module name
         for (item, value) in iteritems(self._task_ds):
             if item in module_loader or item == 'meta' or item == 'include':
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index 51ba8e9869..ebf4bffe6f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -95,10 +95,6 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, Become):
         self._role         = role
         self._task_include = task_include
 
-        # special flag for local_action: tasks, to make sure their
-        # connection type of local isn't overridden incorrectly
-        self._local_action = False
-
         super(Task, self).__init__()
 
     def get_path(self):
@@ -140,16 +136,6 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, Become):
         t = Task(block=block, role=role, task_include=task_include)
         return t.load_data(data, variable_manager=variable_manager, loader=loader)
 
-    def load_data(self, ds, variable_manager=None, loader=None):
-        '''
-        We override load_data for tasks so that we can pull special flags
-        out of the task args and set them internaly only so the user never
-        sees them.
-        '''
-        t = super(Task, self).load_data(ds=ds, variable_manager=variable_manager, loader=loader)
-        t._local_action = t.args.pop('_local_action', False)
-        return t
-
     def __repr__(self):
         ''' returns a human readable representation of the task '''
         return "TASK: %s" % self.get_name()
@@ -280,7 +266,6 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, Become):
 
     def copy(self, exclude_block=False):
         new_me = super(Task, self).copy()
-        new_me._local_action = self._local_action
 
         new_me._block = None
         if self._block and not exclude_block:
@@ -298,7 +283,6 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, Become):
 
     def serialize(self):
         data = super(Task, self).serialize()
-        data['_local_action'] = self._local_action
 
         if self._block:
             data['block'] = self._block.serialize()
@@ -317,7 +301,6 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, Become):
         #from ansible.playbook.task_include import TaskInclude
 
         block_data = data.get('block')
-        self._local_action = data.get('_local_action', False)
 
         if block_data:
             b = Block()
diff --git a/test/units/parsing/test_mod_args.py b/test/units/parsing/test_mod_args.py
index 1d5f817cb0..e83ddeea37 100644
--- a/test/units/parsing/test_mod_args.py
+++ b/test/units/parsing/test_mod_args.py
@@ -109,11 +109,11 @@ class TestModArgsDwim(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_local_action_string(self):
         m = ModuleArgsParser(dict(local_action='copy src=a dest=b'))
-        mod, args, connection = m.parse()
-        self._debug(mod, args, connection)
+        mod, args, delegate_to = m.parse()
+        self._debug(mod, args, delegate_to)
         self.assertEqual(mod, 'copy')
-        self.assertEqual(args, dict(src='a', dest='b', _local_action=True))
-        self.assertIs(connection, 'local')
+        self.assertEqual(args, dict(src='a', dest='b'))
+        self.assertIs(delegate_to, 'localhost')
 
     def test_multiple_actions(self):
         m = ModuleArgsParser(dict(action='shell echo hi', local_action='shell echo hi'))