diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/os/apt.py b/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/os/apt.py
index 20306cd6de..5d20dbee86 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/os/apt.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/os/apt.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ EXAMPLES = '''
   apt:
     upgrade: dist
     update_cache: yes
-    dpkg_options: force-confold,force-confdef
+    dpkg_options: 'force-confold,force-confdef'
 
 - name: Install a .deb package
   apt: