diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/pkgng.py b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/pkgng.py
index 02aa83fc8b..f1fe3c460b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/pkgng.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/pkgng.py
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ def main():
     module = AnsibleModule(
             argument_spec       = dict(
                 state           = dict(default="present", choices=["present","absent"], required=False),
-                name            = dict(aliases=["pkg"], required=True),
+                name            = dict(aliases=["pkg"], required=True, type='list'),
                 cached          = dict(default=False, type='bool'),
                 annotation      = dict(default="", required=False),
                 pkgsite         = dict(default="", required=False),
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def main():
 
     p = module.params
 
-    pkgs = p["name"].split(",")
+    pkgs = p["name"]
 
     changed = False
     msgs = []