diff --git a/plugins/modules/sysrc.py b/plugins/modules/sysrc.py
index d554c3278b..3b44ca0fd0 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/sysrc.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/sysrc.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class Sysrc(object):
         if self.value is None:
             return self.name in conf
         else:
-            return conf[self.name] == '"%s"' % self.value
+            return self.name in conf and conf[self.name] == '"%s"' % self.value
 
     def contains(self):
         (rc, out, err) = self.run_sysrc('-n', self.name)