diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/361_maintain_proper_formating_remote_paths.yml b/changelogs/fragments/361_maintain_proper_formating_remote_paths.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f370821
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/361_maintain_proper_formating_remote_paths.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+bugfixes:
+- synchronize - maintain proper formatting of the remote paths (https://github.com/ansible-collections/ansible.posix/pull/361).
diff --git a/plugins/action/synchronize.py b/plugins/action/synchronize.py
index 34c9015..a171a2b 100644
--- a/plugins/action/synchronize.py
+++ b/plugins/action/synchronize.py
@@ -77,7 +77,14 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
 
         if self._host_is_ipv6_address(host):
             return '[%s%s]:%s' % (user_prefix, host, path)
-        return '%s%s:%s' % (user_prefix, host, path)
+
+        # preserve formatting of remote paths if host or user@host is explicitly defined in the path
+        if ':' not in path:
+            return '%s%s:%s' % (user_prefix, host, path)
+        elif '@' not in path:
+            return '%s%s' % (user_prefix, path)
+        else:
+            return path
 
     def _process_origin(self, host, path, user):