diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/360_syspatch_apply_patches_by_default.yml b/changelogs/fragments/360_syspatch_apply_patches_by_default.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2bc4262c941
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/360_syspatch_apply_patches_by_default.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - syspatch - fix bug where not setting ``apply=true`` would result in error (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/360).
+deprecated_features:
+  - syspatch - deprecate the redundant ``apply`` argument (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/360).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/system/syspatch.py b/plugins/modules/system/syspatch.py
index 1a26f07b4fd..4d3ade639b5 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/system/syspatch.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/system/syspatch.py
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
-# Copyright: (c) 2019, Andrew Klaus <andrewklaus@gmail.com>
+# Copyright: (c) 2019-2020, Andrew Klaus <andrewklaus@gmail.com>
 # GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
 
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
-DOCUMENTATION = '''
+DOCUMENTATION = r'''
 ---
 module: syspatch
 
@@ -14,18 +14,18 @@
 
 
 description:
-    - "Manage OpenBSD system patches using syspatch"
+    - "Manage OpenBSD system patches using syspatch."
 
 options:
     apply:
         description:
-            - Apply all available system patches
-        default: False
-        required: false
+            - Apply all available system patches.
+            - By default, apply all patches.
+            - Deprecated. Will be removed in community.general 3.0.0.
+        default: yes
     revert:
         description:
-            - Revert system patches
-        required: false
+            - Revert system patches.
         type: str
         choices: [ all, one ]
 
@@ -63,17 +63,17 @@
   returned: always
   type: int
 stdout:
-  description: syspatch standard output
+  description: syspatch standard output.
   returned: always
   type: str
   sample: "001_rip6cksum"
 stderr:
-  description: syspatch standard error
+  description: syspatch standard error.
   returned: always
   type: str
   sample: "syspatch: need root privileges"
 reboot_needed:
-  description: Whether or not a reboot is required after an update
+  description: Whether or not a reboot is required after an update.
   returned: always
   type: bool
   sample: True
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
 def run_module():
     # define available arguments/parameters a user can pass to the module
     module_args = dict(
-        apply=dict(type='bool'),
+        apply=dict(type='bool', default=True, removed_in_version='3.0.0', removed_from_collection='community.general'),
         revert=dict(type='str', choices=['all', 'one'])
     )
 
@@ -142,10 +142,10 @@ def syspatch_run(module):
         # http://openbsd-archive.7691.n7.nabble.com/Warning-applying-latest-syspatch-td354250.html
         if rc != 0 and err != 'ln: /usr/X11R6/bin/X: No such file or directory\n':
             module.fail_json(msg="Command %s failed rc=%d, out=%s, err=%s" % (cmd, rc, out, err))
-        elif out.lower().find('create unique kernel') > 0:
+        elif out.lower().find('create unique kernel') >= 0:
             # Kernel update applied
             reboot_needed = True
-        elif out.lower().find('syspatch updated itself') > 0:
+        elif out.lower().find('syspatch updated itself') >= 0:
             warnings.append('Syspatch was updated. Please run syspatch again.')
 
         # If no stdout, then warn user