ansible only works without `ControlPersist=60s`

The default ssh arguments in ansible's ansible.cfg are:

#ssh_args = -C -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s

However, using the default values, ansible host -m ping fails after a timeout of approx. 60 seconds. Removing -o ControlPersist=60s from the default ssh_args line and uncommenting it fixes the issue. Why is that?

I'm using ansible 2.8.2 on an Arch Linux host, target host is a fresh installed Raspberry Pi, both machines are up-to-date. Both have python installed and an ssh key is deployed on the target machine. See the output of ansible host -vvvvm ping:

$ ansible host -vvvv -m ping
ansible 2.8.2
  config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = ['/home/user/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3.7/site-packages/ansible
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible
  python version = 3.7.3 (default, Jun 24 2019, 04:54:02) [GCC 9.1.0]
Using /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg as config file
setting up inventory plugins
host_list declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass it's verify_file() method
script declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass it's verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass it's verify_file() method
Set default localhost to localhost
Parsed /etc/ansible/hosts inventory source with ini plugin
Loading callback plugin minimal of type stdout, v2.0 from /usr/lib/python3.7/site-packages/ansible/plugins/callback/minimal.py
META: ran handlers
<host> ESTABLISH SSH CONNECTION FOR USER: root
<host> SSH: EXEC ssh -vvv -C -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s -o KbdInteractiveAuthentication=no -o PreferredAuthentications=gssapi-with-mic,gssapi-keyex,hostbased,publickey -o PasswordAuthentication=no -o 'User="root"' -o ConnectTimeout=10 -o ControlPath=/home/user/.ansible/cp/436e5de645 host '/bin/sh -c '"'"'echo ~root && sleep 0'"'"''
<host> (255, b'/root\n', b'OpenSSH_8.0p1, OpenSSL 1.1.1c  28 May 2019
<snip, see OpenSSH debug log in error message>
')
host | UNREACHABLE! => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "Failed to connect to the host via ssh: OpenSSH_8.0p1, OpenSSL 1.1.1c  28 May 2019
debug1: Reading configuration data /home/user/.ssh/config
debug1: /home/user/.ssh/config line 21: Applying options for host
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug2: resolve_canonicalize: hostname ip is address
debug1: auto-mux: Trying existing master
debug1: Control socket \"/home/user/.ansible/cp/436e5de645\" does not exist
debug2: ssh_connect_direct
debug1: Connecting to ip [ip] port 22.
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: fd 3 clearing O_NONBLOCK
debug1: Connection established.
debug3: timeout: 9943 ms remain after connect
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa type 0
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa type -1
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa type -1
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519 type 3
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_xmss type -1
debug1: identity file /home/user/.ssh/id_xmss-cert type -1
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_8.0
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_7.9p1 Raspbian-10
debug1: match: OpenSSH_7.9p1 Raspbian-10 pat OpenSSH* compat 0x04000000
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: Authenticating to ip:22 as 'root'
debug3: hostkeys_foreach: reading file \"/home/user/.ssh/known_hosts\"
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ECDSA in file /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts:158
debug3: load_hostkeys: loaded 1 keys from ip
debug3: order_hostkeyalgs: prefer hostkeyalgs: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521
debug3: send packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug3: receive packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: local client KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,ext-info-c
debug2: host key algorithms: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-rsa-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-ed25519,rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256,ssh-rsa
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: compression ctos: zlib@openssh.com,zlib,none
debug2: compression stoc: zlib@openssh.com,zlib,none
debug2: languages ctos: 
debug2: languages stoc: 
debug2: first_kex_follows 0 
debug2: reserved 0 
debug2: peer server KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1
debug2: host key algorithms: rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256,ssh-rsa,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ssh-ed25519
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha1
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: languages ctos: 
debug2: languages stoc: 
debug2: first_kex_follows 0 
debug2: reserved 0 
debug1: kex: algorithm: curve25519-sha256
debug1: kex: host key algorithm: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256
debug1: kex: server->client cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: zlib@openssh.com
debug1: kex: client->server cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: zlib@openssh.com
debug3: send packet: type 30
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY
debug3: receive packet: type 31
debug1: Server host key: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256 <key fingerprint>
debug3: hostkeys_foreach: reading file \"/home/user/.ssh/known_hosts\"
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ECDSA in file /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts:158
debug3: load_hostkeys: loaded 1 keys from ip
debug1: Host 'ip' is known and matches the ECDSA host key.
debug1: Found key in /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts:158
debug3: send packet: type 21
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: rekey out after 134217728 blocks
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug3: receive packet: type 21
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: rekey in after 134217728 blocks
debug1: Will attempt key: /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa RSA <key fingerprint> agent
debug1: Will attempt key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519 ED25519 <key fingerprint> agent
debug1: Will attempt key: /home/user/.ssh/id_dsa 
debug1: Will attempt key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ecdsa 
debug1: Will attempt key: /home/user/.ssh/id_xmss 
debug2: pubkey_prepare: done
debug3: send packet: type 5
debug3: receive packet: type 7
debug1: SSH2_MSG_EXT_INFO received
debug1: kex_input_ext_info: server-sig-algs=<ssh-ed25519,ssh-rsa,rsa-sha2-256,rsa-sha2-512,ssh-dss,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521>
debug3: receive packet: type 6
debug2: service_accept: ssh-userauth
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
debug3: start over, passed a different list publickey
debug3: preferred gssapi-with-mic,gssapi-keyex,hostbased,publickey
debug3: authmethod_lookup publickey
debug3: remaining preferred: ,gssapi-keyex,hostbased,publickey
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled publickey
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering public key: /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa RSA <key fingerprint> agent
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey
debug1: Offering public key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519 ED25519 <key fingerprint> agent
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 60
debug1: Server accepts key: /home/user/.ssh/id_ed25519 ED25519 <key fingerprint> agent
debug3: sign_and_send_pubkey: ED25519 <key fingerprint>
debug3: sign_and_send_pubkey: signing using ssh-ed25519
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug3: receive packet: type 52
debug1: Enabling compression at level 6.
debug1: Authentication succeeded (publickey).
Authenticated to ip ([ip]:22).
debug1: setting up multiplex master socket
debug3: muxserver_listen: temporary control path /home/user/.ansible/cp/436e5de645.NGPF6PjoD1wQOBW3
debug2: fd 4 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug3: fd 4 is O_NONBLOCK
debug3: fd 4 is O_NONBLOCK
debug1: channel 0: new [/home/user/.ansible/cp/436e5de645]
debug3: muxserver_listen: mux listener channel 0 fd 4
debug2: fd 3 setting TCP_NODELAY
debug3: ssh_packet_set_tos: set IP_TOS 0x20
debug1: control_persist_detach: backgrounding master process
debug2: control_persist_detach: background process is 4
debug2: fd 4 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: forking to background
debug1: Entering interactive session.
debug1: pledge: id
debug2: set_control_persist_exit_time: schedule exit in 60 seconds
debug1: multiplexing control connection
debug2: fd 5 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug3: fd 5 is O_NONBLOCK
debug1: channel 1: new [mux-control]
debug3: channel_post_mux_listener: new mux channel 1 fd 5
debug3: mux_master_read_cb: channel 1: hello sent
debug2: set_control_persist_exit_time: cancel scheduled exit
debug3: mux_master_read_cb: channel 1 packet type 0x00000001 len 4
debug2: mux_master_process_hello: channel 1 slave version 4
debug2: mux_client_hello_exchange: master version 4
debug3: mux_client_forwards: request forwardings: 0 local, 0 remote
debug3: mux_client_request_session: entering
debug3: mux_client_request_alive: entering
debug3: mux_master_read_cb: channel 1 packet type 0x10000004 len 4
debug2: mux_master_process_alive_check: channel 1: alive check
debug3: mux_client_request_alive: done pid = 6
debug3: mux_client_request_session: session request sent
debug3: mux_master_read_cb: channel 1 packet type 0x10000002 len 84
debug2: mux_master_process_new_session: channel 1: request tty 0, X 0, agent 0, subsys 0, term \"xterm-256color\", cmd \"/bin/sh -c 'echo ~root && sleep 0'\", env 0
debug3: mux_master_process_new_session: got fds stdin 6, stdout 7, stderr 8
debug2: fd 7 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug2: fd 8 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: channel 2: new [client-session]
debug2: mux_master_process_new_session: channel_new: 2 linked to control channel 1
debug2: channel 2: send open
debug3: send packet: type 90
debug3: receive packet: type 80
debug1: client_input_global_request: rtype hostkeys-00@openssh.com want_reply 0
debug3: receive packet: type 4
debug1: Remote: /root/.ssh/authorized_keys:1: key options: agent-forwarding port-forwarding pty user-rc x11-forwarding
debug3: receive packet: type 4
debug1: Remote: /root/.ssh/authorized_keys:1: key options: agent-forwarding port-forwarding pty user-rc x11-forwarding
debug3: receive packet: type 91
debug2: channel_input_open_confirmation: channel 2: callback start
debug2: client_session2_setup: id 2
debug1: Sending command: /bin/sh -c 'echo ~root && sleep 0'
debug2: channel 2: request exec confirm 1
debug3: send packet: type 98
debug3: mux_session_confirm: sending success reply
debug2: channel_input_open_confirmation: channel 2: callback done
debug2: channel 2: open confirm rwindow 0 rmax 32768
debug2: channel 2: rcvd adjust 2097152
debug3: receive packet: type 99
debug2: channel_input_status_confirm: type 99 id 2
debug2: exec request accepted on channel 2
debug3: receive packet: type 96
debug2: channel 2: rcvd eof
debug2: channel 2: output open -> drain
debug2: channel 2: obuf empty
debug2: channel 2: chan_shutdown_write (i0 o1 sock -1 wfd 7 efd 8 [write])
debug2: channel 2: output drain -> closed
debug3: receive packet: type 98
debug1: client_input_channel_req: channel 2 rtype exit-status reply 0
debug3: mux_exit_message: channel 2: exit message, exitval 0
debug3: receive packet: type 98
debug1: client_input_channel_req: channel 2 rtype eow@openssh.com reply 0
debug2: channel 2: rcvd eow
debug2: channel 2: chan_shutdown_read (i0 o3 sock -1 wfd 6 efd 8 [write])
debug2: channel 2: input open -> closed
debug3: receive packet: type 97
debug2: channel 2: rcvd close
debug3: channel 2: will not send data after close
debug2: channel 2: send close
debug3: send packet: type 97
debug2: channel 2: is dead
debug2: channel 2: gc: notify user
debug3: mux_master_session_cleanup_cb: entering for channel 2
debug2: channel 1: rcvd close
debug2: channel 1: output open -> drain
debug2: channel 1: chan_shutdown_read (i0 o1 sock 5 wfd 5 efd -1 [closed])
debug2: channel 1: input open -> closed
debug2: channel 2: gc: user detached
debug2: channel 2: is dead
debug2: channel 2: garbage collecting
debug1: channel 2: free: client-session, nchannels 3
debug3: channel 2: status: The following connections are open:
  #1 mux-control (t16 nr0 i3/0 o1/16 e[closed]/0 fd 5/5/-1 sock 5 cc -1)
  #2 client-session (t4 r0 i3/0 o3/0 e[write]/0 fd -1/-1/8 sock -1 cc -1)

debug2: channel 1: obuf empty
debug2: channel 1: chan_shutdown_write (i3 o1 sock 5 wfd 5 efd -1 [closed])
debug2: channel 1: output drain -> closed
debug2: channel 1: is dead (local)
debug2: channel 1: gc: notify user
debug3: mux_master_control_cleanup_cb: entering for channel 1
debug2: channel 1: gc: user detached
debug2: channel 1: is dead (local)
debug2: channel 1: garbage collecting
debug1: channel 1: free: mux-control, nchannels 2
debug3: channel 1: status: The following connections are open:
  #1 mux-control (t16 nr0 i3/0 o3/0 e[closed]/0 fd 5/5/-1 sock 5 cc -1)

debug2: set_control_persist_exit_time: schedule exit in 60 seconds
debug3: mux_client_read_packet: read header failed: Broken pipe
debug2: Received exit status from master 0
debug1: ControlPersist timeout expired
debug3: send packet: type 1
debug1: channel 0: free: /home/user/.ansible/cp/436e5de645, nchannels 1
debug3: channel 0: status: The following connections are open:

debug3: fd 0 is not O_NONBLOCK
debug3: fd 1 is not O_NONBLOCK
debug1: fd 2 clearing O_NONBLOCK
Transferred: sent 2380, received 2484 bytes, in 60.2 seconds
Bytes per second: sent 39.5, received 41.2
debug1: Exit status -1
debug1: compress outgoing: raw data 114, compressed 110, factor 0.96
debug1: compress incoming: raw data 805, compressed 643, factor 0.80",
    "unreachable": true
}