diff --git a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
index d8fb002ccc..ce7ec70b0b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
+++ b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
@@ -1590,6 +1590,20 @@ PLUGIN_FILTERS_CFG:
   - key: plugin_filters_cfg
     section: defaults
   type: path
+PYTHON_MODULE_RLIMIT_NOFILE:
+  name: Adjust maximum file descriptor soft limit during Python module execution
+  description:
+  - Attempts to set RLIMIT_NOFILE soft limit to the specified value when executing Python modules (can speed up subprocess usage on
+    Python 2.x. See https://bugs.python.org/issue11284). The value will be limited by the existing hard limit. Default
+    value of 0 does not attempt to adjust existing system-defined limits.
+  default: 0
+  env:
+  - {name: ANSIBLE_PYTHON_MODULE_RLIMIT_NOFILE}
+  ini:
+  - {key: python_module_rlimit_nofile, section: defaults}
+  vars:
+  - {name: ansible_python_module_rlimit_nofile}
+  version_added: '2.8'
 RETRY_FILES_ENABLED:
   name: Retry files
   default: True
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/module_common.py b/lib/ansible/executor/module_common.py
index 8402f21217..d3a9c9fee8 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/module_common.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/module_common.py
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ _ANSIBALLZ_WRAPPER = True # For test-module script to tell this is a ANSIBALLZ_W
 # LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE
 # USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 def _ansiballz_main():
+%(rlimit)s
     import os
     import os.path
     import sys
@@ -350,6 +351,22 @@ ANSIBALLZ_COVERAGE_TEMPLATE = '''
         cov.start()
 '''
 
+ANSIBALLZ_RLIMIT_TEMPLATE = '''
+    import resource
+
+    existing_soft, existing_hard = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE)
+
+    # adjust soft limit subject to existing hard limit
+    requested_soft = min(existing_hard, %(rlimit_nofile)d)
+
+    if requested_soft != existing_soft:
+        try:
+            resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE, (requested_soft, existing_hard))
+        except ValueError:
+            # some platforms (eg macOS) lie about their hard limit
+            pass
+'''
+
 
 def _strip_comments(source):
     # Strip comments and blank lines from the wrapper
@@ -764,6 +781,19 @@ def _find_module_utils(module_name, b_module_data, module_path, module_args, tas
         interpreter_parts = interpreter.split(u' ')
         interpreter = u"'{0}'".format(u"', '".join(interpreter_parts))
 
+        # FUTURE: the module cache entry should be invalidated if we got this value from a host-dependent source
+        rlimit_nofile = C.config.get_config_value('PYTHON_MODULE_RLIMIT_NOFILE', variables=task_vars)
+
+        if not isinstance(rlimit_nofile, int):
+            rlimit_nofile = int(templar.template(rlimit_nofile))
+
+        if rlimit_nofile:
+            rlimit = ANSIBALLZ_RLIMIT_TEMPLATE % dict(
+                rlimit_nofile=rlimit_nofile,
+            )
+        else:
+            rlimit = ''
+
         coverage_config = os.environ.get('_ANSIBLE_COVERAGE_CONFIG')
 
         if coverage_config:
@@ -791,6 +821,7 @@ def _find_module_utils(module_name, b_module_data, module_path, module_args, tas
             minute=now.minute,
             second=now.second,
             coverage=coverage,
+            rlimit=rlimit,
         )))
         b_module_data = output.getvalue()
 
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/aliases b/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/aliases
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a6dafcf8cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/aliases
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+shippable/posix/group1
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/library/check_rlimit_and_maxfd.py b/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/library/check_rlimit_and_maxfd.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a01ee99763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/library/check_rlimit_and_maxfd.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+#
+# Copyright 2018 Red Hat | Ansible
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+import resource
+import subprocess
+
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
+
+
+def main():
+    module = AnsibleModule(
+        argument_spec=dict()
+    )
+
+    rlimit_nofile = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE)
+
+    try:
+        maxfd = subprocess.MAXFD
+    except AttributeError:
+        maxfd = -1
+
+    module.exit_json(rlimit_nofile=rlimit_nofile, maxfd=maxfd, infinity=resource.RLIM_INFINITY)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f9ca58898a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/ansiballz_python/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+- name: get the ansible-test imposed file descriptor limit
+  check_rlimit_and_maxfd:
+  register: rlimit_limited_return
+
+- name: get existing file descriptor limit
+  check_rlimit_and_maxfd:
+  register: rlimit_original_return
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_module_rlimit_nofile: 0  # ignore limit set by ansible-test
+
+- name: attempt to set a value lower than existing soft limit
+  check_rlimit_and_maxfd:
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_module_rlimit_nofile: '{{ rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[0] - 1 }}'
+  register: rlimit_below_soft_return
+
+- name: attempt to set a value higher than existing soft limit
+  check_rlimit_and_maxfd:
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_module_rlimit_nofile: '{{ rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[0] + 1 }}'
+  register: rlimit_above_soft_return
+
+- name: attempt to set a value lower than existing hard limit
+  check_rlimit_and_maxfd:
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_module_rlimit_nofile: '{{ rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[1] - 1 }}'
+  register: rlimit_below_hard_return
+
+- name: attempt to set a value higher than existing hard limit
+  check_rlimit_and_maxfd:
+  vars:
+    ansible_python_module_rlimit_nofile: '{{ rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[1] + 1 }}'
+  register: rlimit_above_hard_return
+
+- assert:
+    that:
+      # make sure ansible-test was able to set the limit unless it exceeds the hard limit or the value is lower on macOS
+      - rlimit_limited_return.rlimit_nofile[0] == 1024 or rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[1] < 1024 or (rlimit_limited_return.rlimit_nofile[0] < 1024 and ansible_distribution == 'MacOSX')
+      # make sure that maxfd matches the soft limit on Python 2.x (-1 on Python 3.x)
+      - rlimit_limited_return.maxfd == rlimit_limited_return.rlimit_nofile[0] or rlimit_limited_return.maxfd == -1
+
+      # we should always be able to set the limit lower than the existing soft limit
+      - rlimit_below_soft_return.rlimit_nofile[0] == rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[0] - 1
+      # the hard limit should not have changed
+      - rlimit_below_soft_return.rlimit_nofile[1] == rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[1]
+      # lowering the limit should also lower the max file descriptors reported by Python 2.x (-1 on Python 3.x)
+      - rlimit_below_soft_return.maxfd == rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[0] - 1 or rlimit_below_soft_return.maxfd == -1
+
+      # we should be able to set the limit higher than the existing soft limit if it does not exceed the hard limit (except on macOS)
+      - rlimit_above_soft_return.rlimit_nofile[0] == rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[0] + 1 or rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[0] == rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[1] or ansible_distribution == 'MacOSX'
+
+      # we should be able to set the limit lower than the existing hard limit (except on macOS)
+      - rlimit_below_hard_return.rlimit_nofile[0] == rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[1] - 1 or ansible_distribution == 'MacOSX'
+
+      # setting the limit higher than the existing hard limit should use the hard limit (except on macOS)
+      - rlimit_above_hard_return.rlimit_nofile[0] == rlimit_original_return.rlimit_nofile[1] or ansible_distribution == 'MacOSX'
diff --git a/test/runner/lib/ansible_util.py b/test/runner/lib/ansible_util.py
index bef1e99bee..512be0c024 100644
--- a/test/runner/lib/ansible_util.py
+++ b/test/runner/lib/ansible_util.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ def ansible_environment(args, color=True, ansible_config=None):
         raise ApplicationError('Configuration not found: %s' % ansible_config)
 
     ansible = dict(
+        ANSIBLE_PYTHON_MODULE_RLIMIT_NOFILE='1024',
         ANSIBLE_FORCE_COLOR='%s' % 'true' if args.color and color else 'false',
         ANSIBLE_DEPRECATION_WARNINGS='false',
         ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING='false',
diff --git a/test/units/plugins/action/test_action.py b/test/units/plugins/action/test_action.py
index 79e4456a27..b01b0e703a 100644
--- a/test/units/plugins/action/test_action.py
+++ b/test/units/plugins/action/test_action.py
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ class TestActionBase(unittest.TestCase):
         mock_module_loader.find_plugin.side_effect = mock_find_plugin
         mock_shared_obj_loader = MagicMock()
         mock_shared_obj_loader.module_loader = mock_module_loader
+        mock_templar = MagicMock()
 
         # we're using a real play context here
         play_context = PlayContext()
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ class TestActionBase(unittest.TestCase):
             connection=mock_connection,
             play_context=play_context,
             loader=fake_loader,
-            templar=None,
+            templar=mock_templar,
             shared_loader_obj=mock_shared_obj_loader,
         )