diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
index f017b5e1f5..6452d27e3a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/copy.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
                 return ReturnData(conn=conn, result=dict(changed=True), diff=diff)
 
             # transfer the file to a remote tmp location
-            tmp_src = tmp + os.path.basename(source)
+            tmp_src = tmp + 'source'
             conn.put_file(source, tmp_src)
             if content is not None:
                 os.remove(tmp_content)
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
                 self.runner._low_level_exec_command(conn, "chmod a+r %s" % tmp_src, tmp)
 
             # run the copy module
-            module_args = "%s src=%s" % (module_args, pipes.quote(tmp_src))
+            module_args = "%s src=%s original_basename=%s" % (module_args, pipes.quote(tmp_src), pipes.quote(os.path.basename(source)))
             return self.runner._execute_module(conn, tmp, 'copy', module_args, inject=inject, complex_args=complex_args)
 
         else:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/template.py b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/template.py
index a4c9bdd4ab..0f7b49352c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/action_plugins/template.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class ActionModule(object):
                 self.runner._low_level_exec_command(conn, "chmod a+r %s" % xfered, tmp)
 
             # run the copy module
-            module_args = "%s src=%s dest=%s" % (module_args, pipes.quote(xfered), pipes.quote(dest))
+            module_args = "%s src=%s dest=%s original_basename=%s" % (module_args, pipes.quote(xfered), pipes.quote(dest), pipes.quote(os.path.basename(source)))
 
             if self.runner.check:
                 return ReturnData(conn=conn, comm_ok=True, result=dict(changed=True), diff=dict(before_header=dest, after_header=source, before=dest_contents, after=resultant))
diff --git a/library/copy b/library/copy
index d8d5410b8a..b1b95bf2df 100644
--- a/library/copy
+++ b/library/copy
@@ -82,11 +82,12 @@ def main():
     module = AnsibleModule(
         # not checking because of daisy chain to file module
         argument_spec = dict(
-            src     = dict(required=False),
-            content = dict(required=False),
-            dest    = dict(required=True),
-            backup  = dict(default=False, type='bool'),
-            force   = dict(default=True, aliases=['thirsty'], type='bool'),
+            src               = dict(required=False),
+            original_basename = dict(required=False), # used to handle 'dest is a directory' via template, a slight hack 
+            content           = dict(required=False),
+            dest              = dict(required=True),
+            backup            = dict(default=False, type='bool'),
+            force             = dict(default=True, aliases=['thirsty'], type='bool'),
         ),
         add_file_common_args=True,
     )
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ def main():
     dest   = os.path.expanduser(module.params['dest'])
     backup = module.params['backup']
     force  = module.params['force']
+    original_basename = module.params.get('original_basename',None)
 
     if not os.path.exists(src):
         module.fail_json(msg="Source %s failed to transfer" % (src))
@@ -109,6 +111,8 @@ def main():
             module.exit_json(msg="file already exists", src=src, dest=dest, changed=False)
         if (os.path.isdir(dest)):
             basename = os.path.basename(src)
+            if original_basename:
+                basename = original_basename
             dest = os.path.join(dest, basename)
         if os.access(dest, os.R_OK):
             md5sum_dest = module.md5(dest)
@@ -128,7 +132,7 @@ def main():
             if os.path.islink(dest):
                 os.unlink(dest)
                 open(dest, 'w').close()
-            #TODO:pid + epoch should avoid most collisions, hostname/mac for those using nfs?
+            # TODO:pid + epoch should avoid most collisions, hostname/mac for those using nfs?
             # might be an issue with exceeding path length
             dest_tmp = "%s.%s.%s.tmp" % (dest,os.getpid(),time.time())
             shutil.copyfile(src, dest_tmp)