diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/3526-pkgng-add-integration-tests.yml b/changelogs/fragments/3526-pkgng-add-integration-tests.yml
index 53648082da..4c407d7694 100644
--- a/changelogs/fragments/3526-pkgng-add-integration-tests.yml
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/3526-pkgng-add-integration-tests.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 bugfixes:
   - 'pkgng - `name=* state=latest` check for upgrades did not count "Number of packages to be reinstalled" as a `changed` action, giving incorrect results in both regular and check mode'
   - 'pkgng - PR #3393 (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/3393) broke `check_mode` so that the module always reports `not changed`; fix regression so module reports number of upgrade or install actions that would be performed'
+  - 'pkgng - The module will now convert a single space- or comma-separated name parameter to a list. The documentation had given wrong examples in which multiple space- or comma-separated packages were specified in the `name` parameter, rather than using correct YAML list syntax. `pkgng` module documentation has also been updated'
diff --git a/plugins/modules/packaging/os/pkgng.py b/plugins/modules/packaging/os/pkgng.py
index 27aceaba0b..0abcf80121 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/packaging/os/pkgng.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/packaging/os/pkgng.py
@@ -113,12 +113,16 @@ EXAMPLES = '''
 
 - name: Annotate package foo and bar
   community.general.pkgng:
-    name: foo,bar
+    name:
+      - foo
+      - bar
     annotation: '+test1=baz,-test2,:test3=foobar'
 
 - name: Remove packages foo and bar
   community.general.pkgng:
-    name: foo,bar
+    name:
+      - foo
+      - bar
     state: absent
 
 # "latest" support added in 2.7
@@ -476,6 +480,12 @@ def main():
         msgs.append(_msg)
 
     # Operate on named packages
+    if len(pkgs) == 1:
+        # The documentation used to show multiple packages specified in one line
+        # with comma or space delimiters. That doesn't result in a YAML list, and
+        # wrong actions (install vs upgrade) can be reported if those
+        # comma- or space-delimited strings make it to the pkg command line.
+        pkgs = re.split(r'[,\s]', pkgs[0])
     named_packages = [pkg for pkg in pkgs if pkg != '*']
     if p["state"] in ("present", "latest") and named_packages:
         _changed, _msg, _out, _err = install_packages(module, pkgng_path, named_packages,