diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/556-ansible_httpapi_explicit_proxy.yml b/changelogs/fragments/556-ansible_httpapi_explicit_proxy.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9abe4a62d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/556-ansible_httpapi_explicit_proxy.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - httpapi - New ansible_explicit_proxy variable for setting HTTP/HTTPS proxy with ansible variable instead of environment variable
diff --git a/docs/ansible.netcommon.httpapi_connection.rst b/docs/ansible.netcommon.httpapi_connection.rst
index 5131703c8..6962f25b1 100644
--- a/docs/ansible.netcommon.httpapi_connection.rst
+++ b/docs/ansible.netcommon.httpapi_connection.rst
@@ -105,6 +105,24 @@ Parameters
                         <div>This option will have no effect on ansible-core&lt;2.14 but a warning will be emitted.</div>
                 </td>
             </tr>
+            <tr>
+                <td colspan="1">
+                    <div class="ansibleOptionAnchor" id="parameter-"></div>
+                    <b>explicit_proxy</b>
+                    <a class="ansibleOptionLink" href="#parameter-" title="Permalink to this option"></a>
+                    <div style="font-size: small">
+                        <span style="color: purple">string</span>
+                    </div>
+                </td>
+                <td>
+                </td>
+                    <td>
+                                <div>var: ansible_httpapi_explicit_proxy</div>
+                    </td>
+                <td>
+                        <div>Define an explicit proxy for the connection. Will reset HTTPS_PROXY and HTTP_PROXY env variable</div>
+                </td>
+            </tr>
             <tr>
                 <td colspan="1">
                     <div class="ansibleOptionAnchor" id="parameter-"></div>
diff --git a/plugins/connection/httpapi.py b/plugins/connection/httpapi.py
index f6bdf6949..d72298c6e 100644
--- a/plugins/connection/httpapi.py
+++ b/plugins/connection/httpapi.py
@@ -101,6 +101,12 @@
     default: true
     vars:
     - name: ansible_httpapi_use_proxy
+  explicit_proxy:
+    type: string
+    description:
+    - Define an explicit proxy for the connection. Will reset HTTPS_PROXY and HTTP_PROXY env variable
+    vars:
+    - name: ansible_httpapi_explicit_proxy
   ciphers:
     description:
       - SSL/TLS Ciphers to use for requests
@@ -156,6 +162,7 @@
 """
 
 from io import BytesIO
+from os import environ
 
 from ansible.errors import AnsibleConnectionFailure
 from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes
@@ -284,6 +291,11 @@ def send(self, path, data, retries=None, **kwargs):
         )
         url_kwargs.update(kwargs)
 
+        explicit_proxy = self.get_option("explicit_proxy")
+        if explicit_proxy and explicit_proxy != "":
+            environ["HTTPS_PROXY"] = explicit_proxy
+            environ["HTTP_PROXY"] = explicit_proxy
+
         ciphers = self.get_option("ciphers")
         if ciphers:
             if Version(ANSIBLE_CORE_VERSION) >= Version("2.14.0"):