diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/unarchive.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/unarchive.py
index 16c0bc8117..1e3795955d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/unarchive.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/unarchive.py
@@ -78,7 +78,12 @@ class ActionModule(object):
         if copy:
             if self.runner.sudo and self.runner.sudo_user != 'root':
                 self.runner._remote_chmod(conn, 'a+r', tmp_src, tmp)
-            module_args = "%s src=%s original_basename=%s" % (module_args, pipes.quote(tmp_src), pipes.quote(os.path.basename(source)))
+            # Build temporary module_args.
+            new_module_args = dict(
+                src=tmp_src,
+                original_basename=os.path.basename(source),
+            )
+            module_args = utils.merge_module_args(module_args, new_module_args)
         else:
             module_args = "%s original_basename=%s" % (module_args, pipes.quote(os.path.basename(source)))
         return self.runner._execute_module(conn, tmp, 'unarchive', module_args, inject=inject, complex_args=complex_args)