diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_host_config_manager.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_host_config_manager.py
index 65d29035fd..e7c7c5082e 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_host_config_manager.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_host_config_manager.py
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ options:
     - If C(cluster_name) is not given, this parameter is required.
   options:
     description:
-    - A dictionary of advance configuration parameter.
-    - Invalid configuration parameters are ignored.
+    - A dictionary of advance configuration parameters.
+    - Invalid options will cause module to error.
     default: {}
 extends_documentation_fragment: vmware.documentation
 '''
@@ -81,13 +81,14 @@ RETURN = r'''#
 '''
 
 try:
-    from pyVmomi import vim, vmodl
+    from pyVmomi import vim, vmodl, VmomiSupport
 except ImportError:
     pass
 
 from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 from ansible.module_utils.vmware import vmware_argument_spec, PyVmomi
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_native
+from ansible.module_utils.six import integer_types, string_types
 
 
 class VmwareConfigManager(PyVmomi):
@@ -98,18 +99,70 @@ class VmwareConfigManager(PyVmomi):
         self.options = self.params.get('options', dict())
         self.hosts = self.get_all_host_objs(cluster_name=cluster_name, esxi_host_name=esxi_host_name)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_integer(value, type_of='int'):
+        try:
+            VmomiSupport.vmodlTypes[type_of](value)
+            return True
+        except (TypeError, ValueError):
+            return False
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_boolean(value):
+        if str(value).lower() in ['true', 'on', 'yes', 'false', 'off', 'no']:
+            return True
+        return False
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_truthy(value):
+        if str(value).lower() in ['true', 'on', 'yes']:
+            return True
+        return False
+
     def set_host_configuration_facts(self):
         changed = False
         for host in self.hosts:
             option_manager = host.configManager.advancedOption
             host_facts = {}
             for option in option_manager.QueryOptions():
-                host_facts[option.key] = option.value
+                host_facts[option.key] = dict(value=option.value)
+
+            for s_option in option_manager.supportedOption:
+                host_facts[s_option.key].update(
+                    option_type=s_option.optionType,
+                )
+
             change_option_list = []
             for option_key, option_value in self.options.items():
-                if option_key in host_facts and option_value != host_facts[option_key]:
-                    change_option_list.append(vim.option.OptionValue(key=option_key, value=option_value))
-                    changed = True
+                if option_key in host_facts:
+                    # Make sure option_type is defined some values do not have
+                    # it defined and appear to be read only.
+                    if 'option_type' in host_facts[option_key]:
+                        # We handle all supported types here so we can give meaningful errors.
+                        option_type = host_facts[option_key]['option_type']
+                        if self.is_boolean(option_value) and isinstance(option_type, vim.option.BoolOption):
+                            option_value = self.is_truthy(option_value)
+                        elif (isinstance(option_value, integer_types) or self.is_integer(option_value))\
+                                and isinstance(option_type, vim.option.IntOption):
+                            option_value = VmomiSupport.vmodlTypes['int'](option_value)
+                        elif (isinstance(option_value, integer_types) or self.is_integer(option_value, 'long'))\
+                                and isinstance(option_type, vim.option.LongOption):
+                            option_value = VmomiSupport.vmodlTypes['long'](option_value)
+                        elif isinstance(option_value, float) and isinstance(option_type, vim.option.FloatOption):
+                            pass
+                        elif isinstance(option_value, string_types) and isinstance(option_type, (vim.option.StringOption, vim.option.ChoiceOption)):
+                            pass
+                        else:
+                            self.module.fail_json(msg="Provided value is of type %s."
+                                                      " Option %s expects: %s" % (type(option_value), option_key, type(option_type)))
+                    else:
+                        self.module.fail_json(msg="Cannot change read only option %s to %s." % (option_key, option_value))
+
+                    if option_value != host_facts[option_key]['value']:
+                        change_option_list.append(vim.option.OptionValue(key=option_key, value=option_value))
+                        changed = True
+                else:  # Don't silently drop unknown options. This prevents typos from falling through the cracks.
+                    self.module.fail_json(msg="Unknown option %s" % option_key)
             if changed:
                 try:
                     option_manager.UpdateOptions(changedValue=change_option_list)