diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/6980-proxmox-fix-token-auth.yml b/changelogs/fragments/6980-proxmox-fix-token-auth.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..93545fff3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/6980-proxmox-fix-token-auth.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - proxmox module utils - fix proxmoxer library version check (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/6974, https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/6975, https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/6980).
diff --git a/plugins/module_utils/proxmox.py b/plugins/module_utils/proxmox.py
index bb3912d1bb..14b49afd6f 100644
--- a/plugins/module_utils/proxmox.py
+++ b/plugins/module_utils/proxmox.py
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ class ProxmoxAnsible(object):
             module.fail_json(msg=missing_required_lib('proxmoxer'), exception=PROXMOXER_IMP_ERR)
 
         self.module = module
-        self.proxmox_api = self._connect()
         self.proxmoxer_version = proxmoxer_version
+        self.proxmox_api = self._connect()
         # Test token validity
         try:
             self.proxmox_api.version.get()
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class ProxmoxAnsible(object):
         if api_password:
             auth_args['password'] = api_password
         else:
-            if self.version() < LooseVersion('1.1.0'):
+            if self.proxmoxer_version < LooseVersion('1.1.0'):
                 self.module.fail_json('Using "token_name" and "token_value" require proxmoxer>=1.1.0')
             auth_args['token_name'] = api_token_id
             auth_args['token_value'] = api_token_secret