diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/ios_defaults_fetch.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/ios_defaults_fetch.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..666895ace0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/ios_defaults_fetch.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+- ios_config - If defaults is enabled append default flag to command (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/39741)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_config.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_config.py
index 98fb22a686..788f13ff1c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_config.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/ios/ios_config.py
@@ -373,13 +373,13 @@ def load_banners(module, banners):
         run_commands(module, ['\n'])
 
 
-def get_running_config(module, current_config=None):
+def get_running_config(module, current_config=None, flags=None):
     contents = module.params['running_config']
+
     if not contents:
         if not module.params['defaults'] and current_config:
             contents, banners = extract_banners(current_config.config_text)
         else:
-            flags = get_defaults_flag(module) if module.params['defaults'] else []
             contents = get_config(module, flags=flags)
     contents, banners = extract_banners(contents)
     return NetworkConfig(indent=1, contents=contents), banners
@@ -467,9 +467,10 @@ def main():
     result['warnings'] = warnings
 
     config = None
+    flags = get_defaults_flag(module) if module.params['defaults'] else []
 
     if module.params['backup'] or (module._diff and module.params['diff_against'] == 'running'):
-        contents = get_config(module)
+        contents = get_config(module, flags=flags)
         config = NetworkConfig(indent=1, contents=contents)
         if module.params['backup']:
             result['__backup__'] = contents
@@ -482,7 +483,7 @@ def main():
         candidate, want_banners = get_candidate(module)
 
         if match != 'none':
-            config, have_banners = get_running_config(module, config)
+            config, have_banners = get_running_config(module, config, flags=flags)
             path = module.params['parents']
             configobjs = candidate.difference(config, path=path, match=match, replace=replace)
         else: