diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index 6351e2aab8..8f271f0500 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -1159,6 +1159,27 @@ class Runner(object):
 
     # *****************************************************
 
+    def _remote_expand_user(self, conn, path, tmp):
+        ''' takes a remote path and performs tilde expansion on the remote host '''
+        if not path.startswith('~'):
+            return path
+        split_path = path.split(os.path.sep, 1)
+        cmd = conn.shell.expand_user(split_path[0])
+        data = self._low_level_exec_command(conn, cmd, tmp, sudoable=False, su=False)
+        initial_fragment = utils.last_non_blank_line(data['stdout'])
+
+        if not initial_fragment:
+            # Something went wrong trying to expand the path remotely.  Return
+            # the original string
+            return path
+
+        if len(split_path) > 1:
+            return os.path.join(initial_fragment, *split_path[1:])
+        else:
+            return initial_fragment
+
+    # *****************************************************
+
     def _remote_checksum(self, conn, tmp, path, inject):
         ''' takes a remote checksum and returns 1 if no file '''
         python_interp = inject['hostvars'][inject['inventory_hostname']].get('ansible_python_interpreter', 'python')
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/assemble.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/assemble.py
index b0a45c4970..287e934865 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/assemble.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/assemble.py
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
         path = self._assemble_from_fragments(src, delimiter, _re)
 
         path_checksum = utils.checksum_s(path)
+        dest = self.runner._remote_expand_user(conn, dest, tmp)
         remote_checksum = self.runner._remote_checksum(conn, tmp, dest, inject)
 
         if path_checksum != remote_checksum:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
index 55524bca38..b180448988 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ class ActionModule(object):
             if "-tmp-" not in tmp_path:
                 tmp_path = self.runner._make_tmp_path(conn)
 
+        # expand any user home dir specifier
+        dest = self.runner._remote_expand_user(conn, dest, tmp_path)
+
         for source_full, source_rel in source_files:
             # Generate a hash of the local file.
             local_checksum = utils.checksum(source_full)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/fetch.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/fetch.py
index 030058498a..20574e6433 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/fetch.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/fetch.py
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
             return ReturnData(conn=conn, result=results)
 
         source = conn.shell.join_path(source)
+        source = self.runner._remote_expand_user(conn, source, tmp)
 
         # calculate checksum for the remote file
         remote_checksum = self.runner._remote_checksum(conn, tmp, source, inject)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/template.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/template.py
index 75fd7ff5a6..fd38c61063 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/template.py
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ class ActionModule(object):
             else:
                 source = utils.path_dwim(self.runner.basedir, source)
 
+        # Expand any user home dir specification
+        dest = self.runner._remote_expand_user(conn, dest, tmp)
 
         if dest.endswith("/"): # CCTODO: Fix path for Windows hosts.
             base = os.path.basename(source)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/unarchive.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/unarchive.py
index f570a29d5c..2a1c8d1cd6 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/unarchive.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/unarchive.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
             result = dict(failed=True, msg="src (or content) and dest are required")
             return ReturnData(conn=conn, result=result)
 
-        dest = os.path.expanduser(dest) # CCTODO: Fix path for Windows hosts.
+        dest = self.runner._remote_expand_user(conn, dest, tmp) # CCTODO: Fix path for Windows hosts.
         source = template.template(self.runner.basedir, os.path.expanduser(source), inject)
         if copy:
             if '_original_file' in inject:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/shell_plugins/sh.py b/lib/ansible/runner/shell_plugins/sh.py
index 713e41b3f6..38698e7b4e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/shell_plugins/sh.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/shell_plugins/sh.py
@@ -37,12 +37,10 @@ class ShellModule(object):
         return path.endswith('/')
 
     def chmod(self, mode, path):
-        #path = os.path.expanduser(path)
         path = pipes.quote(path)
         return 'chmod %s %s' % (mode, path)
 
     def remove(self, path, recurse=False):
-        #path = os.path.expanduser(path)
         path = pipes.quote(path)
         if recurse:
             return "rm -rf %s >/dev/null 2>&1" % path
@@ -61,8 +59,11 @@ class ShellModule(object):
         cmd += ' && echo %s' % basetmp
         return cmd
 
+    def expand_user(self, user_path):
+        # Quote the user portion but leave the tilde to be expanded
+        return 'echo ~%s' % pipes.quote(user_path[1:])
+
     def checksum(self, path, python_interp):
-        #path = os.path.expanduser(path)
         path = pipes.quote(path)
         # The following test needs to be SH-compliant.  BASH-isms will
         # not work if /bin/sh points to a non-BASH shell.