diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/__init__.py
index 414eddc611..e140bdab15 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/__init__.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
 from functools import wraps
 
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleError, AnsibleConnectionFailure
+from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes
 from ansible.module_utils.six import with_metaclass
 
 try:
@@ -99,10 +100,16 @@ class CliconfBase(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
         the results to the caller.  The command output will be returned as a
         string
         """
+        kwargs = {'command': to_bytes(command), 'sendonly': sendonly}
+        if prompt is not None:
+            kwargs['prompt'] = to_bytes(prompt)
+        if answer is not None:
+            kwargs['answer'] = to_bytes(answer)
+
         if not signal.getsignal(signal.SIGALRM):
             signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, self._alarm_handler)
         signal.alarm(self._connection._play_context.timeout)
-        resp = self._connection.send(command, prompt, answer, sendonly)
+        resp = self._connection.send(**kwargs)
         signal.alarm(0)
         return resp
 
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/vyos.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/vyos.py
index 8425721dc5..57b60b3761 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/vyos.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/cliconf/vyos.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class Cliconf(CliconfBase):
             self.send_command(to_bytes(cmd))
 
     def get(self, command, prompt=None, answer=None, sendonly=False):
-        return self.send_command(to_bytes(command), prompt=to_bytes(prompt), answer=to_bytes(answer), sendonly=sendonly)
+        return self.send_command(command, prompt=prompt, answer=answer, sendonly=sendonly)
 
     def commit(self, comment=None):
         if comment: