diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index e4fe7c17e4ca2e..72b4cbc35726ab 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -171,7 +171,11 @@ def _load_handlers(self, attr, ds):
         Bare handlers outside of a block are given an implicit block.
         '''
         try:
-            return load_list_of_blocks(ds=ds, play=self, use_handlers=True, variable_manager=self._variable_manager, loader=self._loader)
+            return self._extend_value(
+                self.handlers,
+                load_list_of_blocks(ds=ds, play=self, use_handlers=True, variable_manager=self._variable_manager, loader=self._loader),
+                prepend=True
+            )
         except AssertionError as e:
             raise AnsibleParserError("A malformed block was encountered while loading handlers", obj=self._ds, orig_exc=e)