diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
index 3ee0d621cb..e78b04e5d8 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/task.py
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ class Task(Base, Conditional, Taggable, Become):
     _delegate_to          = FieldAttribute(isa='string')
     _delegate_facts       = FieldAttribute(isa='bool', default=False)
     _failed_when          = FieldAttribute(isa='list', default=[])
-    _first_available_file = FieldAttribute(isa='list')
     _loop                 = FieldAttribute(isa='string', private=True, inherit=False)
     _loop_args            = FieldAttribute(isa='list', private=True, inherit=False)
     _loop_control         = FieldAttribute(isa='class', class_type=LoopControl, inherit=False)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
index 434315417b..1a9805fbc0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/__init__.py
@@ -792,29 +792,6 @@ class ActionBase(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
         display.debug(u"_low_level_execute_command() done: rc=%d, stdout=%s, stderr=%s" % (rc, out, err))
         return dict(rc=rc, stdout=out, stdout_lines=out.splitlines(), stderr=err)
 
-    def _get_first_available_file(self, faf, of=None, searchdir='files'):
-
-        display.deprecated("first_available_file, use with_first_found or lookup('first_found',...) instead")
-        for fn in faf:
-            fnt = self._templar.template(fn)
-            if self._task._role is not None:
-                lead = self._task._role._role_path
-            else:
-                lead = fnt
-            fnd = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(lead, searchdir, fnt)
-
-            if not os.path.exists(fnd) and of is not None:
-                if self._task._role is not None:
-                    lead = self._task._role._role_path
-                else:
-                    lead = of
-                fnd = self._loader.path_dwim_relative(lead, searchdir, of)
-
-            if os.path.exists(fnd):
-                return fnd
-
-        return None
-
     def _get_diff_data(self, destination, source, task_vars, source_file=True):
 
         diff = {}
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/copy.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/copy.py
index 40de82f4e3..d743887c68 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/copy.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/copy.py
@@ -44,15 +44,14 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
         dest    = self._task.args.get('dest', None)
         raw     = boolean(self._task.args.get('raw', 'no'))
         force   = boolean(self._task.args.get('force', 'yes'))
-        faf     = self._task.first_available_file
         remote_src = boolean(self._task.args.get('remote_src', False))
         follow  = boolean(self._task.args.get('follow', False))
 
-        if (source is None and content is None and faf is None) or dest is None:
+        if (source is None and content is None) or dest is None:
             result['failed'] = True
             result['msg'] = "src (or content) and dest are required"
             return result
-        elif (source is not None or faf is not None) and content is not None:
+        elif source is not None and content is not None:
             result['failed'] = True
             result['msg'] = "src and content are mutually exclusive"
             return result
@@ -86,8 +85,6 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
 
         # if we have first_available_file in our vars
         # look up the files and use the first one we find as src
-        elif faf:
-            source = self._get_first_available_file(faf, task_vars.get('_original_file', None))
         elif remote_src:
             result.update(self._execute_module(module_name='copy', module_args=self._task.args, task_vars=task_vars, delete_remote_tmp=False))
             return result
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/template.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/template.py
index 1daca6073e..488b53ba38 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/template.py
@@ -57,21 +57,15 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
 
         source = self._task.args.get('src', None)
         dest   = self._task.args.get('dest', None)
-        faf    = self._task.first_available_file
         force  = boolean(self._task.args.get('force', True))
         state  = self._task.args.get('state', None)
 
         if state is not None:
             result['failed'] = True
             result['msg'] = "'state' cannot be specified on a template"
-        elif (source is None and faf is not None) or dest is None:
+        elif source is None or dest is None:
             result['failed'] = True
             result['msg'] = "src and dest are required"
-        elif faf:
-            source = self._get_first_available_file(faf, task_vars.get('_original_file', None, 'templates'))
-            if source is None:
-                result['failed'] = True
-                result['msg'] = "could not find src in first_available_file list"
         else:
             try:
                 source = self._find_needle('templates', source)