diff --git a/plugins/module_utils/nat_port_forward.py b/plugins/module_utils/nat_port_forward.py
index 41649ad8..a20200d2 100644
--- a/plugins/module_utils/nat_port_forward.py
+++ b/plugins/module_utils/nat_port_forward.py
@@ -123,8 +123,12 @@ def _parse_target_address(self, obj):
         else:
             self.module.fail_json(msg='"%s" is not a valid redirect target IP address or host alias.' % (param))
 
-        if ports is None and self.params['protocol'] in ["tcp", "udp", "tcp/udp"]:
-            self.module.fail_json(msg='Must specify a target port with protocol "{0}".'.format(self.params['protocol']))
+        if ports is None:
+            if self.params['protocol'] in ["tcp", "udp", "tcp/udp"]:
+                self.module.fail_json(msg='Must specify a target port with protocol "{0}".'.format(self.params['protocol']))
+            else:
+                # pfSense seems to always add an empty local-port element
+                obj['local-port'] = ''
 
         if ports is not None:
             if self.params['protocol'] not in ["tcp", "udp", "tcp/udp"]:
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_pfsense_nat_port_forward.py b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_pfsense_nat_port_forward.py
index 5173d1b1..9d2e6858 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_pfsense_nat_port_forward.py
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_pfsense_nat_port_forward.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ def check_target_elt(self, obj, target_elt, target_idx=-1):
         self.check_value_equal(target_elt, 'interface', self.unalias_interface(obj['interface']))
         self.check_param_equal(obj, target_elt, 'ipprotocol', 'inet')
         self.check_param_equal(obj, target_elt, 'protocol', 'tcp')
+        self.check_param_equal_or_present(obj, target_elt, 'local-port')
 
         self.check_rule_idx(obj, target_idx)
         if 'associated_rule' not in obj: