diff --git a/CHANGES/602.bugfix b/CHANGES/602.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d5fc3e5e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGES/602.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Deprecated `--fields` and `--exclude-fields` on `pulp ansible content list` in favor of `--[exclude-]field`.
diff --git a/pulpcore/cli/ansible/content.py b/pulpcore/cli/ansible/content.py
index 47a65319b..20ef9e674 100644
--- a/pulpcore/cli/ansible/content.py
+++ b/pulpcore/cli/ansible/content.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from typing import IO, Any, Optional, Union
+from typing import IO, Any, Callable, Optional, Union
 
 import click
 
@@ -46,6 +46,40 @@ def _content_callback(ctx: click.Context, param: click.Parameter, value: Any) ->
     return value
 
 
+def _fields_callback(ctx: click.Context, param: click.Parameter, value: Any) -> Any:
+    if value:
+        click.echo(_("Option {name} is deprecated.").format(name=param.opts[0]), err=True)
+        value = tuple(value.split(","))
+        print(value)
+
+    return value
+
+
+def _list_command_wrapper(list_command: click.Command) -> click.Command:
+    assert list_command.callback is not None
+    _old_callback: Callable[[Any], Any] = list_command.callback
+
+    def _new_callback(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
+        _fields = kwargs.pop("_fields")
+        if _fields:
+            kwargs["fields"] += _fields
+        _exclude_fields = kwargs.pop("_exclude_fields")
+        if _exclude_fields:
+            kwargs["exclude_fields"] += _exclude_fields
+
+        if not kwargs["fields"] and not kwargs["exclude_fields"]:
+            kwargs["exclude_fields"] = (
+                "files",
+                "manifest",
+                "docs_blob",
+            )
+
+        return _old_callback(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    list_command.callback = _new_callback
+    return list_command
+
+
 repository_option = resource_option(
     "--repository",
     default_plugin="ansible",
@@ -119,12 +153,20 @@ def content(ctx: click.Context, pulp_ctx: PulpContext, content_type: str) -> Non
     ),
 ]
 
+# Deprecated fields options
+
 fields_options = [
-    pulp_option("--fields", help=_("String list of fields to include in the result")),
+    pulp_option(
+        "--fields",
+        "_fields",
+        help=_("String list of fields to include in the result [DEPRECATED]"),
+        callback=_fields_callback,
+    ),
     pulp_option(
         "--exclude-fields",
-        default="files,manifest,docs_blob",
-        help=_("String list of fields to exclude from result"),
+        "_exclude_fields",
+        help=_("String list of fields to exclude from result [DEPRECATED]"),
+        callback=_fields_callback,
     ),
 ]
 
@@ -175,7 +217,7 @@ def content(ctx: click.Context, pulp_ctx: PulpContext, content_type: str) -> Non
     href_option,
 ]
 
-content.add_command(list_command(decorators=list_options + fields_options))
+content.add_command(_list_command_wrapper(list_command(decorators=list_options + fields_options)))
 content.add_command(show_command(decorators=lookup_options))