diff --git a/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs b/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
index 466a8d6c1..e858e3b0a 100644
--- a/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
+++ b/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
@@ -305,16 +305,28 @@ fn remove_dir(path: &Path, options: &Options) -> bool {
         true
     };
     if response {
-        match fs::remove_dir(path) {
-            Ok(_) => {
-                if options.verbose {
-                    println!("removed '{}'", path.display());
+        if let Ok(mut read_dir) = fs::read_dir(path) {
+            if options.dir && read_dir.next().is_none() {
+                match fs::remove_dir(path) {
+                    Ok(_) => {
+                        if options.verbose {
+                            println!("removed directory '{}'", path.display());
+                        }
+                    }
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        show_error!("cannot remove '{}': {}", path.display(), e);
+                        return true;
+                    }
                 }
-            }
-            Err(e) => {
-                show_error!("removing '{}': {}", path.display(), e);
+            } else {
+                // directory can be read but is not empty
+                show_error!("cannot remove '{}': Directory not empty", path.display());
                 return true;
             }
+        } else {
+            // GNU's rm shows this message if directory is empty but not readable
+            show_error!("cannot remove '{}': Directory not empty", path.display());
+            return true;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs b/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
index 27568957a..06d1d435d 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
@@ -115,6 +115,23 @@ fn test_rm_empty_directory() {
     assert!(!at.dir_exists(dir));
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_rm_non_empty_directory() {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+    let dir = "test_rm_non_empty_dir";
+    let file_a = &format!("{}/test_rm_non_empty_file_a", dir);
+
+    at.mkdir(dir);
+    at.touch(file_a);
+
+    let result = ucmd.arg("-d").arg(dir).fails();
+    assert!(result
+        .stderr
+        .contains(&format!("cannot remove '{}': Directory not empty", dir)));
+    assert!(at.file_exists(file_a));
+    assert!(at.dir_exists(dir));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_rm_recursive() {
     let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();