diff --git a/plugins/modules/nsupdate_zone.py b/plugins/modules/nsupdate_zone.py
index c80471e..03b9c76 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/nsupdate_zone.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/nsupdate_zone.py
@@ -873,25 +873,26 @@ class DNSZoneManager:
     
     def _format_diff(self, changes: dict) -> dict:
         """Format changes as a diff structure for diff mode using zone file format."""
-        diff_lines = []
+        before_lines = []
+        after_lines = []
         
-        # Process deletes - records being removed
+        # Process deletes - records being removed (appear in before)
         for record in sorted(changes['deletes'], key=lambda r: (r['name'].to_text(), r['type'])):
             record_name = record['name'].to_text().rstrip('.')
             record_type = record['type']
             ttl = record.get('ttl', self.soa_minimum_ttl)
             values = sorted(str(v) for v in record['values'])
             for value in values:
-                diff_lines.append(f"-{record_name:<35} {ttl:<10} {record_type:<10} {value}")
+                before_lines.append(f"{record_name:<35} {ttl:<10} {record_type:<10} {value}")
         
-        # Process adds - records being added
+        # Process adds - records being added (appear in after)
         for record in sorted(changes['adds'], key=lambda r: (r['name'].to_text(), r['type'])):
             record_name = record['name'].to_text().rstrip('.')
             record_type = record['type']
             ttl = record.get('ttl', self.soa_minimum_ttl)
             values = sorted(str(v) for v in record['values'])
             for value in values:
-                diff_lines.append(f"+{record_name:<35} {ttl:<10} {record_type:<10} {value}")
+                after_lines.append(f"{record_name:<35} {ttl:<10} {record_type:<10} {value}")
         
         # Process updates - records being changed
         for record in sorted(changes['updates'], key=lambda r: (r['name'].to_text(), r['type'])):
@@ -902,18 +903,17 @@ class DNSZoneManager:
             old_values = sorted(str(v) for v in record['old_values'])
             new_values = sorted(str(v) for v in record['new_values'])
             
-            # Show old values with -
+            # Show old values in before
             for value in old_values:
-                diff_lines.append(f"-{record_name:<35} {old_ttl:<10} {record_type:<10} {value}")
-            # Show new values with +
+                before_lines.append(f"{record_name:<35} {old_ttl:<10} {record_type:<10} {value}")
+            # Show new values in after
             for value in new_values:
-                diff_lines.append(f"+{record_name:<35} {new_ttl:<10} {record_type:<10} {value}")
+                after_lines.append(f"{record_name:<35} {new_ttl:<10} {record_type:<10} {value}")
         
-        # Return diff with content - using actual line breaks, not escaped strings
-        diff_output = '\n'.join(diff_lines) if diff_lines else 'No changes'
+        # Return diff with before/after as lists - Ansible will display these properly
         return {
-            'before': diff_output,
-            'after': diff_output
+            'before': before_lines if before_lines else ['No changes'],
+            'after': after_lines if after_lines else ['No changes']
         }