diff --git a/parser.go b/parser.go
index b7487c3..d9e31a5 100644
--- a/parser.go
+++ b/parser.go
@@ -562,15 +562,38 @@ func parseActionSpecString(raw string) (string, map[string]any) {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 
-	module := parts[0]
+	module := ""
+	start := 0
+	if kv := strings.SplitN(parts[0], "=", 2); len(kv) == 2 && kv[0] == "module" && kv[1] != "" {
+		module = kv[1]
+		start = 1
+	} else {
+		module = parts[0]
+		start = 1
+	}
 	if module == "" {
 		return "", nil
 	}
 
-	if len(parts) == 1 {
+	if start >= len(parts) {
 		return module, nil
 	}
 
+	args := make(map[string]any)
+	allKeyValues := true
+	for _, part := range parts[start:] {
+		key, value, ok := strings.Cut(part, "=")
+		if !ok || key == "" {
+			allKeyValues = false
+			break
+		}
+		args[key] = value
+	}
+
+	if allKeyValues && len(args) > 0 {
+		return module, args
+	}
+
 	sepIndex := strings.IndexFunc(raw, unicode.IsSpace)
 	if sepIndex < 0 || sepIndex >= len(raw)-1 {
 		return module, nil
diff --git a/types_test.go b/types_test.go
index 1f9252e..6b44a04 100644
--- a/types_test.go
+++ b/types_test.go
@@ -320,6 +320,22 @@ action: command echo hello world
 	assert.Equal(t, "echo hello world", task.Args["_raw_params"])
 }
 
+func TestTypes_Task_UnmarshalYAML_Good_ActionAliasKeyValue(t *testing.T) {
+	input := `
+name: Legacy action with args
+action: module=copy src=/tmp/source dest=/tmp/dest mode=0644
+`
+	var task Task
+	err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(input), &task)
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "copy", task.Module)
+	require.NotNil(t, task.Args)
+	assert.Equal(t, "/tmp/source", task.Args["src"])
+	assert.Equal(t, "/tmp/dest", task.Args["dest"])
+	assert.Equal(t, "0644", task.Args["mode"])
+}
+
 func TestTypes_Task_UnmarshalYAML_Good_LocalAction(t *testing.T) {
 	input := `
 name: Legacy local action
@@ -335,11 +351,26 @@ local_action: shell echo local
 	assert.Equal(t, "echo local", task.Args["_raw_params"])
 }
 
+func TestTypes_Task_UnmarshalYAML_Good_LocalActionKeyValue(t *testing.T) {
+	input := `
+name: Legacy local action with args
+local_action: module=command chdir=/tmp
+`
+	var task Task
+	err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(input), &task)
+
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "command", task.Module)
+	assert.Equal(t, "localhost", task.Delegate)
+	require.NotNil(t, task.Args)
+	assert.Equal(t, "/tmp", task.Args["chdir"])
+}
+
 func TestTypes_Task_UnmarshalYAML_Good_WithNested(t *testing.T) {
 	input := `
 name: Nested loop values
 debug:
-  msg: "{{ item.0 }} {{ item.1 }}"
+ msg: "{{ item.0 }} {{ item.1 }}"
 with_nested:
   - - red
     - blue