diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/xml.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/xml.py
index e574965cd0..1f29e03165 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/xml.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/xml.py
@@ -251,15 +251,14 @@ EXAMPLES = r'''
     value: 1976-08-05
 
 # How to read an attribute value and access it in Ansible
-- name: Read attribute value
+- name: Read an element's attribute values
   xml:
     path: /foo/bar.xml
     xpath: /business/website/validxhtml
     content: attribute
-    attribute: validatedon
   register: xmlresp
 
-- name: Show attribute value
+- name: Show an attribute value
   debug:
     var: xmlresp.matches[0].validxhtml.validatedon
 
@@ -833,7 +832,8 @@ def main():
         supports_check_mode=True,
         required_by=dict(
             add_children=['xpath'],
-            attribute=['value'],
+            # TODO: Reinstate this in Ansible v2.12 when we have deprecated the incorrect use below
+            # attribute=['value'],
             content=['xpath'],
             set_children=['xpath'],
             value=['xpath'],
@@ -882,6 +882,11 @@ def main():
     elif LooseVersion('.'.join(to_native(f) for f in etree.LXML_VERSION)) < LooseVersion('3.0.0'):
         module.warn('Using lxml version lower than 3.0.0 does not guarantee predictable element attribute order.')
 
+    # Report wrongly used attribute parameter when using content=attribute
+    # TODO: Remove this in Ansible v2.12 (and reinstate strict parameter test above) and remove the integration test example
+    if content == 'attribute' and attribute is not None:
+        module.deprecate("Parameter 'attribute=%s' is ignored when using 'content=attribute' only 'xpath' is used. Please remove entry." % attribute, '2.12')
+
     # Check if the file exists
     if xml_string:
         infile = BytesIO(to_bytes(xml_string, errors='surrogate_or_strict'))
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/xml/tasks/test-get-element-content.yml b/test/integration/targets/xml/tasks/test-get-element-content.yml
index 893003eec7..58ca7767e7 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/xml/tasks/test-get-element-content.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/xml/tasks/test-get-element-content.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,27 @@
     assert:
       that:
       - get_element_attribute.changed == false
-      - get_element_attribute.matches[0]['rating'] is defined and get_element_attribute.matches[0]['rating']['subjective'] == 'true'
+      - get_element_attribute.matches[0]['rating'] is defined
+      - get_element_attribute.matches[0]['rating']['subjective'] == 'true'
+
+  # TODO: Remove this in Ansible v2.12 when this incorrect use of attribute is deprecated
+  - name: Get element attributes
+    xml:
+      path: /tmp/ansible-xml-beers.xml
+      xpath: /business/rating
+      content: attribute
+      attribute: subjective
+    register: get_element_attribute_wrong
+
+  - name: Test expected result
+    assert:
+      that:
+      - get_element_attribute_wrong.changed == false
+      - get_element_attribute_wrong.matches[0]['rating'] is defined
+      - get_element_attribute_wrong.matches[0]['rating']['subjective'] == 'true'
+      - get_element_attribute_wrong.deprecations is defined
+      - get_element_attribute_wrong.deprecations[0].msg == "Parameter 'attribute=subjective' is ignored when using 'content=attribute' only 'xpath' is used. Please remove entry."
+      - get_element_attribute_wrong.deprecations[0].version == '2.12'
 
   - name: Get element text
     xml: