diff --git a/src/rm.c b/src/rm.c
index 13a5714..100d02e 100644
--- a/src/rm.c
+++ b/src/rm.c
@@ -287,6 +287,9 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
           break;

         case NO_PRESERVE_ROOT:
+          if (! STREQ (argv[optind - 1], "--no-preserve-root"))
+            error (EXIT_FAILURE, 0,
+                   "you may not abbreviate the --no-preserve-root option");
           preserve_root = false;
           break;