diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/3258-apache2_module.yml b/changelogs/fragments/3258-apache2_module.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a60f2125a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/3258-apache2_module.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+- "apache2_module - fix ``a2enmod``/``a2dismod`` detection, and error message when not found (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/3253)."
diff --git a/plugins/modules/web_infrastructure/apache2_module.py b/plugins/modules/web_infrastructure/apache2_module.py
index c75dc1c30c..44327fe13c 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/web_infrastructure/apache2_module.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/web_infrastructure/apache2_module.py
@@ -202,15 +202,17 @@ def _set_state(module, state):
                              result=success_msg,
                              warnings=module.warnings)
 
-        a2mod_binary = [module.get_bin_path(a2mod_binary)]
-        if a2mod_binary is None:
+        a2mod_binary_path = module.get_bin_path(a2mod_binary)
+        if a2mod_binary_path is None:
             module.fail_json(msg="%s not found. Perhaps this system does not use %s to manage apache" % (a2mod_binary, a2mod_binary))
 
+        a2mod_binary_cmd = [a2mod_binary_path]
+
         if not want_enabled and force:
             # force exists only for a2dismod on debian
-            a2mod_binary.append('-f')
+            a2mod_binary_cmd.append('-f')
 
-        result, stdout, stderr = module.run_command(a2mod_binary + [name])
+        result, stdout, stderr = module.run_command(a2mod_binary_cmd + [name])
 
         if _module_is_enabled(module) == want_enabled:
             module.exit_json(changed=True,