diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_common.py b/lib/ansible/module_common.py
index 29db24dd98..c237656441 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_common.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_common.py
@@ -202,6 +202,34 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
         log_args = re.sub(r'login_password=.+ (.*)', r"login_password=NOT_LOGGING_PASSWORD \1", log_args)
         syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_NOTICE, 'Invoked with %s' % log_args)
 
+    def get_bin_path(self, arg, required=False, opt_dirs=[]):
+        '''
+        find system executable in PATH.
+        Optional arguments:
+           - required:  if executable is not found and required is true, fail_json
+           - opt_dirs:  optional list of directories to search in addition to PATH
+        if found return full path; otherwise return None
+        '''
+        sbin_paths = ['/sbin', '/usr/sbin', '/usr/local/sbin']
+        paths = []
+        for d in opt_dirs:
+            if d is not None and os.path.exists(d):
+                paths.append(d)
+        paths += os.environ.get('PATH').split(':')
+        bin_path = None
+        # mangle PATH to include /sbin dirs
+        for p in sbin_paths:
+            if p not in paths and os.path.exists(p):
+                paths.append(p)
+        for d in paths:
+            path = os.path.join(d, arg)
+            if os.path.exists(path) and os.access(path, os.X_OK):
+                bin_path = path
+                break
+        if required and bin_path is None:
+            self.fail_json(msg='Failed to find required executable %s' % arg)
+        return bin_path
+
     def boolean(self, arg):
         ''' return a bool for the arg '''
         if arg is None or type(arg) == bool:
diff --git a/library/apt_repository b/library/apt_repository
index 3815937f81..d117bfc0fd 100755
--- a/library/apt_repository
+++ b/library/apt_repository
@@ -26,17 +26,7 @@
 import platform
 
 APT = "/usr/bin/apt-get"
-
-
-def _find_binary(module):
-    binaries = ['/usr/bin/add-apt-repository']
-
-    for e in binaries:
-        if os.path.exists(e):
-            return e
-
-    module.fail_json(msg='Unabled to find any of the following executables '
-                         '%s' % binaries)
+ADD_APT_REPO = 'add-apt-repository'
 
 def _run(cmd):
     if platform.dist()[0] == 'debian' or float(platform.dist()[1]) >= 11.10:
@@ -58,7 +48,7 @@ def main():
 
     module = AnsibleModule(argument_spec=arg_spec)
 
-    add_apt_repository = _find_binary(module)
+    add_apt_repository = module.get_bin_path(ADD_APT_REPO, True)
 
     repo = module.params['repo']
     state = module.params['state']
diff --git a/library/easy_install b/library/easy_install
index 47d3f2c823..cacd5203ed 100755
--- a/library/easy_install
+++ b/library/easy_install
@@ -19,18 +19,6 @@
 # along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-def _find_easy_install(env):
-    if env:
-        return os.path.join(env, 'bin', 'easy_install')
-
-    paths = ['/usr/local/bin', '/usr/bin']
-
-    for p in paths:
-        e = p + '/easy_install'
-        if os.path.exists(e):
-            return e
-
-
 def _ensure_virtualenv(env, virtualenv):
     if os.path.exists(os.path.join(env, 'bin', 'activate')):
         return 0, '', ''
@@ -62,14 +50,18 @@ def main():
 
     name = module.params['name']
     env = module.params['virtualenv']
-    easy_install = _find_easy_install(env)
+    easy_install = module.get_bin_path('easy_install', True, ['%s/bin' % env])
 
     rc = 0
     err = ''
     out = ''
 
     if env:
-        rc_venv, out_venv, err_venv = _ensure_virtualenv(env, '/usr/local/bin/virtualenv')
+        virtualenv = module.get_bin_path('virtualenv', True)
+        if virtualenv is None:
+            module.fail_json(msg='virtualenv is not installed')
+
+        rc_venv, out_venv, err_venv = _ensure_virtualenv(env, virtualenv)
 
         rc += rc_venv
         out += out_venv
diff --git a/library/group b/library/group
index 23e8703c49..6df242d63a 100755
--- a/library/group
+++ b/library/group
@@ -20,23 +20,15 @@
 
 import grp
 
-def get_bin_path(module, arg):
-    if os.path.exists('/usr/sbin/%s' % arg):
-        return '/usr/sbin/%s' % arg
-    elif os.path.exists('/sbin/%s' % arg):
-        return '/sbin/%s' % arg
-    else:
-        module.fail_json(msg="Cannot find %s" % arg)
-
 def group_del(module, group):
-    cmd = [get_bin_path(module, 'groupdel'), group]
+    cmd = [module.get_bin_path('groupdel', True), group]
     p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=False, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
     (out, err) = p.communicate()
     rc = p.returncode
     return (rc, out, err)
 
 def group_add(module, group, **kwargs):
-    cmd = [get_bin_path(module, 'groupadd')]
+    cmd = [module.get_bin_path('groupadd', True)]
     for key in kwargs:
         if key == 'gid' and kwargs[key] is not None:
             cmd.append('-g')
@@ -50,7 +42,7 @@ def group_add(module, group, **kwargs):
     return (rc, out, err)
 
 def group_mod(module, group, **kwargs):
-    cmd = [get_bin_path(module, 'groupmod')]
+    cmd = [module.get_bin_path('groupmod', True)]
     info = group_info(group)
     for key in kwargs:
         if key == 'gid':
diff --git a/library/pip b/library/pip
index a2a337457c..7ff047082f 100755
--- a/library/pip
+++ b/library/pip
@@ -27,32 +27,6 @@ def _get_full_name(name, version=None):
         resp = name + '==' + version
     return resp
 
-
-def _find_pip(module, env):
-    paths = ['/usr/local/bin', '/usr/bin']
-
-    if env:
-        paths = [os.path.join(env, 'bin')] + paths
-
-    for p in paths:
-        pe = p + '/pip'
-        if os.path.exists(pe):
-            return pe
-
-    module.fail_json(msg='pip is not installed')
-
-
-def _find_virtualenv(module):
-    paths = ['/usr/local/bin', '/usr/bin']
-
-    for p in paths:
-        ve = p + '/virtualenv'
-        if os.path.exists(ve):
-            return ve
-
-    module.fail_json(msg='virtualenv is not installed')
-
-
 def _ensure_virtualenv(module, env, virtualenv):
     if os.path.exists(os.path.join(env, 'bin', 'activate')):
         return 0, '', ''
@@ -103,7 +77,7 @@ def main():
     env = module.params['virtualenv']
 
     if env:
-        virtualenv = _find_virtualenv(module)
+        virtualenv = module.get_bin_path('virtualenv', True)
 
         rc_venv, out_venv, err_venv = _ensure_virtualenv(module, env, virtualenv)
 
@@ -111,7 +85,7 @@ def main():
         out += out_venv
         err += err_venv
 
-    pip = _find_pip(module, env)
+    pip = module.get_bin_path('pip', True, ['%s/bin' % env])
 
     state = module.params['state']
     name = module.params['name']
diff --git a/library/service b/library/service
index e884f902ed..0d918d4903 100755
--- a/library/service
+++ b/library/service
@@ -39,10 +39,7 @@ def _find_binaries(m):
         location[binary] = None
 
     for binary in binaries:
-        for path in paths:
-            if os.path.exists(path + '/' + binary):
-                location[binary] = path + '/' + binary
-                break
+        location[binary] = m.get_bin_path(binary)
 
     if location.get('systemctl', None):
         CHKCONFIG = location['systemctl']
diff --git a/library/setup b/library/setup
index 4ed85620cd..005919157b 100755
--- a/library/setup
+++ b/library/setup
@@ -436,7 +436,9 @@ class LinuxNetwork(Network):
         Network.__init__(self)
 
     def populate(self):
-        ip_path = self.get_ip_path()
+        ip_path = module.get_bin_path('ip')
+        if ip_path is None:
+            return self.facts
         default_ipv4, default_ipv6 = self.get_default_interfaces(ip_path)
         interfaces, ips = self.get_interfaces_info(ip_path, default_ipv4, default_ipv6)
         self.facts['interfaces'] = interfaces.keys()
@@ -448,15 +450,6 @@ class LinuxNetwork(Network):
         self.facts['all_ipv6_addresses'] = ips['all_ipv6_addresses']
         return self.facts
 
-    def get_ip_path(self):
-        paths = ['/sbin/ip', '/usr/sbin/ip']
-        ip_path = None
-        for path in paths:
-            if os.path.exists(path):
-                ip_path = path
-                break
-        return ip_path
-
     def get_default_interfaces(self, ip_path):
         # Use the commands:
         #     ip -4 route get 8.8.8.8                     -> Google public DNS
@@ -730,6 +723,7 @@ def run_setup(module):
     return setup_result
 
 def main():
+    global module
     module = AnsibleModule(
         argument_spec = dict()
     )
diff --git a/library/supervisorctl b/library/supervisorctl
index 9b00b6e8c8..2f33c37ecd 100755
--- a/library/supervisorctl
+++ b/library/supervisorctl
@@ -19,20 +19,12 @@
 # along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-def _find_supervisorctl():
-    paths = ['/usr/local/bin', '/usr/bin']
-
-    for p in paths:
-        e = p + '/supervisorctl'
-        if os.path.exists(e):
-            return e
-
 def _is_present(name):
     rc, out, err = _run('%s status' % _find_supervisorctl())
     return name in out
 
-def _is_running(name):
-    rc, out, err = _run('%s status %s' % (_find_supervisorctl(), name))
+def _is_running(name, supervisorctl):
+    rc, out, err = _run('%s status %s' % (supervisorctl, name))
     return 'RUNNING' in out
 
 
@@ -55,7 +47,7 @@ def main():
     name = module.params['name']
     state = module.params['state']
 
-    SUPERVISORCTL = _find_supervisorctl()
+    SUPERVISORCTL = module.get_bin_path('supervisorctl', True)
 
     if SUPERVISORCTL is None:
         module.fail_json(msg='supervisorctl is not installed')
@@ -74,7 +66,7 @@ def main():
 
         module.exit_json(changed=False, name=name, state=state)
 
-    running = _is_running(name)
+    running = _is_running(name, SUPERVISORCTL)
 
     if running and state == 'started':
         module.exit_json(changed=False, name=name, state=state)
diff --git a/library/user b/library/user
index c90037efe6..d36c0cffce 100755
--- a/library/user
+++ b/library/user
@@ -35,16 +35,8 @@ if os.path.exists('/etc/master.passwd'):
 # invoke adduser in lieu of useradd, nor pw in lieu of usermod.
 # That is, this won't work on FreeBSD.
 
-def get_bin_path(module, arg):
-    if os.path.exists('/usr/sbin/%s' % arg):
-        return '/usr/sbin/%s' % arg
-    elif os.path.exists('/sbin/%s' % arg):
-        return '/sbin/%s' % arg
-    else:
-        module.fail_json(msg="Cannot find %s" % arg)
-
 def user_del(module, user, **kwargs):
-    cmd = [get_bin_path(module, 'userdel')]
+    cmd = [module.get_bin_path('userdel', True)]
     for key in kwargs:
         if key == 'force' and kwargs[key] == 'yes':
             cmd.append('-f')
@@ -57,7 +49,7 @@ def user_del(module, user, **kwargs):
     return (rc, out, err)
 
 def user_add(module, user, **kwargs):
-    cmd = [get_bin_path(module, 'useradd')]
+    cmd = [module.get_bin_path('useradd', True)]
     for key in kwargs:
         if key == 'uid' and kwargs[key] is not None:
             cmd.append('-u')
@@ -104,7 +96,7 @@ Without spwd, we would have to resort to reading /etc/shadow
 to get the encrypted string.  For now, punt on idempotent password changes.
 """
 def user_mod(module, user, **kwargs):
-    cmd = [get_bin_path(module, 'usermod')]
+    cmd = [module.get_bin_path('usermod', True)]
     info = user_info(user)
     for key in kwargs:
         if key == 'uid':