diff --git a/library/packaging/apt b/library/packaging/apt
index ed29e6f393..5173ce60c7 100644
--- a/library/packaging/apt
+++ b/library/packaging/apt
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ def upgrade(m, mode="yes", force=False,
                                     force_yes, check_arg, upgrade_command)
     rc, out, err = m.run_command(cmd)
     if rc:
-        m.fail_json(msg="'%s %s' failed: %s" % (apt_cmd, upgrade_command, err), stdout=out, stderr=err)
+        m.fail_json(msg="'%s %s' failed: %s" % (apt_cmd, upgrade_command, err), stdout=out)
     if (apt_cmd == APT_GET_CMD and APT_GET_ZERO in out) or (apt_cmd == APTITUDE_CMD and APTITUDE_ZERO in out):
         m.exit_json(changed=False, msg=out, stdout=out, stderr=err)
     m.exit_json(changed=True, msg=out, stdout=out, stderr=err)