diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/vyos/vyos_config.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/vyos/vyos_config.py
index 6c2b5f07d4..c4f0e8c948 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/vyos/vyos_config.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/vyos/vyos_config.py
@@ -146,12 +146,17 @@ CONFIG_FILTERS = [
 def get_candidate(module):
     contents = module.params['src'] or module.params['lines']
 
-    if module.params['lines']:
-        contents = '\n'.join(contents)
+    if module.params['src']:
+        contents = format_commands(contents.splitlines())
 
+    contents = '\n'.join(contents)
     return contents
 
 
+def format_commands(commands):
+    return [line for line in commands if len(line.strip()) > 0]
+
+
 def diff_config(commands, config):
     config = [str(c).replace("'", '') for c in config.splitlines()]
 
diff --git a/test/units/modules/network/vyos/fixtures/vyos_config_src.cfg b/test/units/modules/network/vyos/fixtures/vyos_config_src.cfg
index ca6abebc9a..18cd793718 100644
--- a/test/units/modules/network/vyos/fixtures/vyos_config_src.cfg
+++ b/test/units/modules/network/vyos/fixtures/vyos_config_src.cfg
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 set system host-name foo
+
 delete interfaces ethernet eth0 address
 set interfaces ethernet eth1 address '6.7.8.9/24'
 set interfaces ethernet eth1 description 'test string'
diff --git a/test/units/modules/network/vyos/test_vyos_config.py b/test/units/modules/network/vyos/test_vyos_config.py
index bd73b7540e..a923193af9 100644
--- a/test/units/modules/network/vyos/test_vyos_config.py
+++ b/test/units/modules/network/vyos/test_vyos_config.py
@@ -75,15 +75,17 @@ class TestVyosConfigModule(TestVyosModule):
     def test_vyos_config_src(self):
         src = load_fixture('vyos_config_src.cfg')
         set_module_args(dict(src=src))
+        candidate = '\n'.join(self.module.format_commands(src.splitlines()))
         commands = ['set system host-name foo', 'delete interfaces ethernet eth0 address']
-        self.conn.get_diff = MagicMock(return_value=self.cliconf_obj.get_diff(src, self.running_config))
+        self.conn.get_diff = MagicMock(return_value=self.cliconf_obj.get_diff(candidate, self.running_config))
         self.execute_module(changed=True, commands=commands)
 
     def test_vyos_config_src_brackets(self):
         src = load_fixture('vyos_config_src_brackets.cfg')
         set_module_args(dict(src=src))
+        candidate = '\n'.join(self.module.format_commands(src.splitlines()))
         commands = ['set interfaces ethernet eth0 address 10.10.10.10/24', 'set system host-name foo']
-        self.conn.get_diff = MagicMock(return_value=self.cliconf_obj.get_diff(src, self.running_config))
+        self.conn.get_diff = MagicMock(return_value=self.cliconf_obj.get_diff(candidate, self.running_config))
         self.execute_module(changed=True, commands=commands)
 
     def test_vyos_config_backup(self):