diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/facts.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/facts.py
index a3f8c05d65..cdc0faffa3 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/facts.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/facts.py
@@ -186,16 +186,21 @@ class Facts(object):
         if self.facts['system'] == 'Linux':
             self.get_distribution_facts()
         elif self.facts['system'] == 'AIX':
-            try:
-                rc, out, err = module.run_command("/usr/sbin/bootinfo -p")
+            # Attempt to use getconf to figure out architechture
+            # fall back to bootinfo if needed
+            if module.get_bin_path('getconf'):
+                rc, out, err = module.run_command([module.get_bin_path('getconf'),
+                                                   'MACHINE_ARCHITECTURE'])
+                data = out.split('\n')
+                self.facts['architecture'] = data[0]
+            else:
+                rc, out, err = module.run_command([module.get_bin_path('bootinfo'),
+                                                   '-p'])
                 data = out.split('\n')
                 self.facts['architecture'] = data[0]
-            except:
-                self.facts['architecture'] = 'Not Available'
         elif self.facts['system'] == 'OpenBSD':
             self.facts['architecture'] = platform.uname()[5]
 
-
     def get_local_facts(self):
 
         fact_path = module.params.get('fact_path', None)