diff --git a/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs b/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
index a55d3f2d1..32d50ee93 100644
--- a/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
+++ b/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ use clap::{crate_version, Arg, Command};
 use remove_dir_all::remove_dir_all;
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
 use std::fs;
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::ErrorKind;
 use std::io::{stderr, stdin, BufRead, Write};
 use std::ops::BitOr;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
@@ -384,7 +386,7 @@ fn remove_file(path: &Path, options: &Options) -> bool {
     } else {
         true
     };
-    if response {
+    if response && prompt_write_protected(path, false) {
         match fs::remove_file(path) {
             Ok(_) => {
                 if options.verbose {
@@ -406,6 +408,23 @@ fn remove_file(path: &Path, options: &Options) -> bool {
     false
 }
 
+fn prompt_write_protected(path: &Path, is_dir: bool) -> bool {
+    match File::open(path) {
+        Ok(_) => true,
+        Err(err) => {
+            if err.kind() == ErrorKind::PermissionDenied {
+                if is_dir {
+                    prompt(&(format!("rm: remove write-protected directory {}? ", path.quote())))
+                } else {
+                    prompt(&(format!("rm: remove write-protected file {}? ", path.quote())))
+                }
+            } else {
+                true
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn prompt_file(path: &Path, is_dir: bool) -> bool {
     if is_dir {
         prompt(&(format!("rm: remove directory {}? ", path.quote())))