diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/commands/telnet.py b/lib/ansible/modules/commands/telnet.py
index 38eb32d521..f0dcc7b37f 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/commands/telnet.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/commands/telnet.py
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ options:
         - Seconds to pause between each command issued
     required: False
     default: 1
+  send_newline:
+    description:
+      - Sends a newline character upon successful connection to start the
+        terminal session.
+    required: False
+    default: False
+    type: bool
+    version_added: "2.7"
 notes:
     - The C(environment) keyword does not work with this task
 author:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/telnet.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/telnet.py
index 81de2a3383..c0c5548fb6 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/telnet.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/telnet.py
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
 from ansible.module_utils.six import text_type
 from ansible.plugins.action import ActionBase
 
+try:
+    from __main__ import display
+except ImportError:
+    from ansible.utils.display import Display
+    display = Display()
+
 
 class ActionModule(ActionBase):
     TRANSFERS_FILES = False
@@ -41,9 +47,11 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
             timeout = self._task.args.get('timeout', 120)
             pause = self._task.args.get('pause', 1)
 
+            send_newline = self._task.args.get('send_newline', False)
+
             login_prompt = self._task.args.get('login_prompt', "login: ")
             password_prompt = self._task.args.get('password_prompt', "Password: ")
-            prompts = self._task.args.get('prompts', "$ ")
+            prompts = self._task.args.get('prompts', ["$ "])
             commands = self._task.args.get('command') or self._task.args.get('commands')
 
             if isinstance(commands, text_type):
@@ -55,6 +63,9 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
 
                 output = []
                 try:
+                    if send_newline:
+                        tn.write('\n')
+
                     tn.read_until(login_prompt)
                     tn.write('%s\n' % to_native(user))
 
@@ -65,8 +76,10 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
                     tn.expect(prompts)
 
                     for cmd in commands:
+                        display.vvvvv('>>> %s' % cmd)
                         tn.write('%s\n' % to_native(cmd))
                         index, match, out = tn.expect(prompts)
+                        display.vvvvv('<<< %s' % cmd)
                         output.append(out)
                         sleep(pause)