diff --git a/doc/ref/states/requisites.rst b/doc/ref/states/requisites.rst
index 0c2779e09f61..abe4e677d25b 100644
--- a/doc/ref/states/requisites.rst
+++ b/doc/ref/states/requisites.rst
@@ -852,8 +852,8 @@ In the above case, ``some_check`` will be run prior to _each_ name -- once for
 .. versionchanged:: Neon
     The ``unless`` requisite can take a module as a dictionary field in unless.
     The dictionary must contain an argument ``fun`` which is the module that is
-    being run, and everything else passed in will be kwargs passed to the module
-    function.
+    being run, and everything else must be passed in under the args key or will
+    be passed as individual kwargs to the module function.
 
     .. code-block:: yaml
 
@@ -865,6 +865,18 @@ In the above case, ``some_check`` will be run prior to _each_ name -- once for
               - fun: file.file_exists
                 path: /usr/local/bin/whatever
 
+    .. code-block:: yaml
+
+      set mysql root password:
+        debconf.set:
+          - name: mysql-server-5.7
+          - data:
+              'mysql-server/root_password': {'type': 'password', 'value': {{pillar['mysql.pass']}} }
+          - unless:
+            - fun: pkg.version
+              args:
+                - mysql-server-5.7
+
 .. _onlyif-requisite:
 
 onlyif
@@ -908,8 +920,8 @@ if the gluster commands return a 0 ret value.
 .. versionchanged:: Neon
     The ``onlyif`` requisite can take a module as a dictionary field in onlyif.
     The dictionary must contain an argument ``fun`` which is the module that is
-    being run, and everything else passed in will be kwargs passed to the module
-    function.
+    being run, and everything else must be passed in under the args key or will
+    be passed as individual kwargs to the module function.
 
     .. code-block:: yaml
 
@@ -927,6 +939,17 @@ if the gluster commands return a 0 ret value.
               - fun: match.grain
                 tgt: 'os_family: Debian'
 
+    .. code-block:: yaml
+
+      arbitrary file example:
+        file.touch:
+          - name: /path/to/file
+          - onlyif:
+            - fun: file.search
+              args:
+                - /etc/crontab
+                - 'entry1'
+
 runas
 ~~~~~
 
diff --git a/doc/topics/releases/neon.rst b/doc/topics/releases/neon.rst
index 5fc216d04f32..51b1664835e0 100644
--- a/doc/topics/releases/neon.rst
+++ b/doc/topics/releases/neon.rst
@@ -175,6 +175,36 @@ New output:
           Skipped:
               0
 
+Unless and onlyif Enhancements
+==============================
+
+The ``unless`` and ``onlyif`` requisites can now be operated with salt modules.
+The dictionary must contain an argument ``fun`` which is the module that is
+being run, and everything else must be passed in under the args key or will be
+passed as individual kwargs to the module function.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+  install apache on debian based distros:
+    cmd.run:
+      - name: make install
+      - cwd: /path/to/dir/whatever-2.1.5/
+      - unless:
+        - fun: file.file_exists
+          path: /usr/local/bin/whatever
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+  set mysql root password:
+    debconf.set:
+      - name: mysql-server-5.7
+      - data:
+          'mysql-server/root_password': {'type': 'password', 'value': {{pillar['mysql.pass']}} }
+      - unless:
+        - fun: pkg.version
+          args:
+            - mysql-server-5.7
+
 
 Keystore State and Module
 =========================
diff --git a/salt/state.py b/salt/state.py
index 758cad492bf7..0cfc38fe38e7 100644
--- a/salt/state.py
+++ b/salt/state.py
@@ -905,7 +905,11 @@ def _check_cmd(cmd):
                     ret['comment'] = 'no `fun` argument in onlyif: {0}'.format(entry)
                     log.warning(ret['comment'])
                     return ret
-                result = self.functions[entry.pop('fun')](**entry)
+
+                if 'args' in entry:
+                    result = self.functions[entry.pop('fun')](*entry.pop('args'), **entry)
+                else:
+                    result = self.functions[entry.pop('fun')](**entry)
                 if self.state_con.get('retcode', 0):
                     _check_cmd(self.state_con['retcode'])
                 elif not result:
@@ -946,10 +950,14 @@ def _check_cmd(cmd):
                 _check_cmd(cmd)
             elif isinstance(entry, dict):
                 if 'fun' not in entry:
-                    ret['comment'] = 'no `fun` argument in onlyif: {0}'.format(entry)
+                    ret['comment'] = 'no `fun` argument in unless: {0}'.format(entry)
                     log.warning(ret['comment'])
                     return ret
-                result = self.functions[entry.pop('fun')](**entry)
+
+                if 'args' in entry:
+                    result = self.functions[entry.pop('fun')](*entry.pop('args'), **entry)
+                else:
+                    result = self.functions[entry.pop('fun')](**entry)
                 if self.state_con.get('retcode', 0):
                     _check_cmd(self.state_con['retcode'])
                 elif result:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_state.py b/tests/unit/test_state.py
index 78292e17b94f..19e180dd7946 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_state.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_state.py
@@ -129,6 +129,72 @@ def test_render_requisite_require_in_disabled(self):
             run_num = ret['test_|-step_one_|-step_one_|-succeed_with_changes']['__run_num__']
             self.assertEqual(run_num, 0)
 
+    def test_verify_onlyif_parse(self):
+        low_data = {
+            "onlyif": [
+                {
+                    "fun": "file.search",
+                    "args": [
+                        "/etc/crontab",
+                        "run-parts"
+                    ]
+                }
+            ],
+            "name": "mysql-server-5.7",
+            "state": "debconf",
+            "__id__": "set root password",
+            "fun": "set",
+            "__env__": "base",
+            "__sls__": "debconf",
+            "data": {
+                "mysql-server/root_password": {
+                    "type": "password",
+                    "value": "temp123"
+                }
+            },
+            "order": 10000
+        }
+        expected_result = {'comment': 'onlyif condition is true', 'result': False}
+
+        with patch('salt.state.State._gather_pillar') as state_patch:
+            minion_opts = self.get_temp_config('minion')
+            state_obj = salt.state.State(minion_opts)
+            return_result = state_obj._run_check_onlyif(low_data, '')
+            self.assertEqual(expected_result, return_result)
+
+    def test_verify_unless_parse(self):
+        low_data = {
+            "unless": [
+                {
+                    "fun": "file.search",
+                    "args": [
+                        "/etc/crontab",
+                        "run-parts"
+                    ]
+                }
+            ],
+            "name": "mysql-server-5.7",
+            "state": "debconf",
+            "__id__": "set root password",
+            "fun": "set",
+            "__env__": "base",
+            "__sls__": "debconf",
+            "data": {
+                "mysql-server/root_password": {
+                    "type": "password",
+                    "value": "temp123"
+                }
+            },
+            "order": 10000
+        }
+        expected_result = {'comment': 'unless condition is true', 'result': True, 'skip_watch': True}
+
+        with patch('salt.state.State._gather_pillar') as state_patch:
+            minion_opts = self.get_temp_config('minion')
+            state_obj = salt.state.State(minion_opts)
+            return_result = state_obj._run_check_unless(low_data, '')
+            self.assertEqual(expected_result, return_result)
+
 
 class HighStateTestCase(TestCase, AdaptedConfigurationTestCaseMixin):
     def setUp(self):