diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/paramiko_ssh.py b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/paramiko_ssh.py
index 0f329bf7e5..813abfca6e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/paramiko_ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/paramiko_ssh.py
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@ class Connection(object):
             except socket.timeout:
                 raise errors.AnsibleError('ssh timed out waiting for sudo.\n' + sudo_output)
 
-        return (chan.recv_exit_status(), chan.makefile('wb', bufsize), chan.makefile('rb', bufsize), chan.makefile_stderr('rb', bufsize))
+        stdout = ''.join(chan.makefile('rb', bufsize))
+        stderr = ''.join(chan.makefile_stderr('rb', bufsize))
+        return (chan.recv_exit_status(), '', stdout, stderr)
 
     def put_file(self, in_path, out_path):
         ''' transfer a file from local to remote '''