diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/173-acme_certificate-wrong-challenge.yml b/changelogs/fragments/173-acme_certificate-wrong-challenge.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9826d0c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/173-acme_certificate-wrong-challenge.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+- "acme_certificate - error when requested challenge type is not found for non-valid challenges, instead of hanging on step 2 (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.crypto/issues/171, https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.crypto/pull/173)."
diff --git a/plugins/modules/acme_certificate.py b/plugins/modules/acme_certificate.py
index cf16051a..1f204933 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/acme_certificate.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/acme_certificate.py
@@ -738,11 +738,13 @@ class ACMEClient(object):
         Validate the authorization provided in the auth dict. Returns True
         when the validation was successful and False when it was not.
         '''
+        found_challenge = False
         for challenge in auth['challenges']:
             if self.challenge != challenge['type']:
                 continue
 
             uri = challenge['uri'] if self.version == 1 else challenge['url']
+            found_challenge = True
 
             challenge_response = {}
             if self.version == 1:
@@ -755,6 +757,10 @@ class ACMEClient(object):
             if info['status'] not in [200, 202]:
                 raise ModuleFailException("Error validating challenge: CODE: {0} RESULT: {1}".format(info['status'], result))
 
+        if not found_challenge:
+            raise ModuleFailException("Found no challenge of type '{0}' for identifier {1}:{2}!".format(
+                self.challenge, identifier_type, identifier))
+
         status = ''
 
         while status not in ['valid', 'invalid', 'revoked']:
@@ -945,7 +951,7 @@ class ACMEClient(object):
             self._new_order_v2()
         self.changed = True
 
-    def get_challenges_data(self):
+    def get_challenges_data(self, first_step):
         '''
         Get challenge details for the chosen challenge type.
         Return a tuple of generic challenge details, and specialized DNS challenge details.
@@ -961,6 +967,9 @@ class ACMEClient(object):
                 continue
             # We drop the type from the key to preserve backwards compatibility
             data[identifier] = self._get_challenge_data(auth, identifier_type, identifier)
+            if first_step and self.challenge not in data[identifier]:
+                raise ModuleFailException("Found no challenge of type '{0}' for identifier {1}!".format(
+                    self.challenge, type_identifier))
         # Get DNS challenge data
         data_dns = {}
         if self.challenge == 'dns-01':
@@ -1247,7 +1256,8 @@ def main():
                 client = ACMEClient(module)
                 client.cert_days = cert_days
                 other = dict()
-                if client.is_first_step():
+                is_first_step = client.is_first_step()
+                if is_first_step:
                     # First run: start challenges / start new order
                     client.start_challenges()
                 else:
@@ -1260,7 +1270,7 @@ def main():
                     finally:
                         if module.params['deactivate_authzs']:
                             client.deactivate_authzs()
-                data, data_dns = client.get_challenges_data()
+                data, data_dns = client.get_challenges_data(first_step=is_first_step)
                 auths = dict()
                 for k, v in client.authorizations.items():
                     # Remove "type:" from key