diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigip.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigip.py
index 2065d41299..cb4e7c29ed 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigip.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigip.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class F5Client(F5BaseClient):
         if self._client:
             return self._client
 
-        for x in range(0, 60):
+        for x in range(0, 10):
             try:
                 result = ManagementRoot(
                     self.provider['server'],
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class F5Client(F5BaseClient):
                 exc = ex
                 time.sleep(1)
         error = 'Unable to connect to {0} on port {1}.'.format(
-            self.params['server'], self.params['server_port']
+            self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
         )
 
         if exc is not None:
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ class F5RestClient(F5BaseClient):
         exc = None
         if self._client:
             return self._client
-
         for x in range(0, 10):
             try:
                 url = "https://{0}:{1}/mgmt/shared/authn/login".format(
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
index fbae3a676b..6ff374b4db 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/network/f5/bigiq.py
@@ -29,32 +29,33 @@ except ImportError:
 
 
 class F5Client(F5BaseClient):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(F5Client, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.provider = self.merge_provider_params()
+
     @property
     def api(self):
         exc = None
         if self._client:
             return self._client
-        for x in range(0, 3):
+        for x in range(0, 10):
             try:
-                server = self.params['provider']['server'] or self.params['server']
-                user = self.params['provider']['user'] or self.params['user']
-                password = self.params['provider']['password'] or self.params['password']
-                server_port = self.params['provider']['server_port'] or self.params['server_port'] or 443
-                validate_certs = self.params['provider']['validate_certs'] or self.params['validate_certs']
-
                 result = ManagementRoot(
-                    server,
-                    user,
-                    password,
-                    port=server_port,
-                    verify=validate_certs
+                    self.provider['server'],
+                    self.provider['user'],
+                    self.provider['password'],
+                    port=self.provider['server_port'],
+                    verify=self.provider['validate_certs']
                 )
                 self._client = result
                 return self._client
             except Exception as ex:
                 exc = ex
                 time.sleep(1)
-        error = 'Unable to connect to {0} on port {1}.'.format(self.params['server'], self.params['server_port'])
+        error = 'Unable to connect to {0} on port {1}.'.format(
+            self.provider['server'], self.provider['server_port']
+        )
+
         if exc is not None:
             error += ' The reported error was "{0}".'.format(str(exc))
         raise F5ModuleError(error)