diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
index 20fcdc9b1d..b6ee8880fb 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ PASS_VARS = {
     'shell_executable': '_shell',
     'socket': '_socket_path',
     'syslog_facility': '_syslog_facility',
+    'tempdir': 'tempdir',
     'verbosity': '_verbosity',
     'version': 'ansible_version',
 }
@@ -845,9 +846,6 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
         self._legal_inputs = ['_ansible_%s' % k for k in PASS_VARS]
         self._options_context = list()
 
-        # set tempdir to remote tmp
-        self.tempdir = os.environ.get('ANSIBLE_REMOTE_TEMP', None)
-
         if add_file_common_args:
             for k, v in FILE_COMMON_ARGUMENTS.items():
                 if k not in self.argument_spec:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
index 27f858d024..ce0f26f7a4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
@@ -631,6 +631,9 @@ class ActionBase(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
         # make sure all commands use the designated shell executable
         module_args['_ansible_shell_executable'] = self._play_context.executable
 
+        # make sure all commands use the designated temporary directory
+        module_args['_ansible_tempdir'] = self._connection._shell.tempdir
+
     def _update_connection_options(self, options, variables=None):
         ''' ensures connections have the appropriate information '''
         update = {}