diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
index 2958bdadab..5ba0747676 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/connection_plugins/ssh.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ class Connection(object):
                                  "-o", "PubkeyAuthentication=no"]
         else:
             self.common_args += ["-o", "KbdInteractiveAuthentication=no",
+                                 "-o", "PreferredAuthentications=hostbased,publickey",
                                  "-o", "PasswordAuthentication=no"]
         if self.user != pwd.getpwuid(os.geteuid())[0]:
             self.common_args += ["-o", "User="+self.user]