diff --git a/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs b/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
index 2afa1093691..cda217f1158 100644
--- a/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
+++ b/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
@@ -248,23 +248,27 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
 
     let force_flag = matches.get_flag(OPT_FORCE);
 
-    if files.is_empty() && !force_flag {
-        // Still check by hand and not use clap
-        // Because "rm -f" is a thing
-        return Err(RmError::MissingOperand.into());
-    }
-
     // If -f(--force) is before any -i (or variants) we want prompts else no prompts
     let force_prompt_never = force_flag && {
         let force_index = matches.index_of(OPT_FORCE).unwrap_or(0);
-        ![OPT_PROMPT_ALWAYS, OPT_PROMPT_ONCE, OPT_INTERACTIVE]
-            .iter()
-            .any(|flag| {
-                matches.value_source(flag) == Some(ValueSource::CommandLine)
-                    && matches.index_of(flag).unwrap_or(0) > force_index
-            })
+        let is_later = |flag: &str| {
+            matches.value_source(flag) == Some(ValueSource::CommandLine)
+                && matches.index_of(flag).unwrap_or(0) > force_index
+        };
+        // `--interactive=never` does not cancel an earlier `-f`.
+        let interactive_cancels_force = is_later(OPT_INTERACTIVE)
+            && matches
+                .get_one::<String>(OPT_INTERACTIVE)
+                .is_some_and(|mode| mode != "never");
+        !is_later(OPT_PROMPT_ALWAYS) && !is_later(OPT_PROMPT_ONCE) && !interactive_cancels_force
     };
 
+    if files.is_empty() && !force_prompt_never {
+        // Still check by hand and not use clap.
+        // Because "rm -f" is a thing, but a later -i/-I/--interactive cancels it.
+        return Err(RmError::MissingOperand.into());
+    }
+
     let preserve_root = !matches.get_flag(OPT_NO_PRESERVE_ROOT);
     let preserve_root_all = matches
         .get_one::<String>(OPT_PRESERVE_ROOT)
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs b/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
index 2a41460b1cb..3acad56c46e 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
@@ -495,7 +495,9 @@ fn test_invalid_symlink() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_force_no_operand() {
-    new_ucmd!().arg("-f").succeeds().no_stderr();
+    for args in [&["-f"][..], &["-f", "--interactive=never"], &["-i", "-f"]] {
+        new_ucmd!().args(args).succeeds().no_stderr();
+    }
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -503,6 +505,23 @@ fn test_no_operand() {
     new_ucmd!().fails().usage_error("missing operand");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_force_then_interactive_no_operand() {
+    // A later -i, -I or --interactive=always/once cancels -f,
+    // so the missing operand must be reported.
+    for args in [
+        &["-f", "-i"][..],
+        &["--force", "-I"],
+        &["-f", "--interactive=always"],
+        &["-f", "--interactive=once"],
+    ] {
+        new_ucmd!()
+            .args(args)
+            .fails()
+            .usage_error("missing operand");
+    }
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_verbose_slash() {
     let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();