diff --git a/cmd/nerdctl/image/image_remove_test.go b/cmd/nerdctl/image/image_remove_test.go
index 5e48372332c..c95f94ba600 100644
--- a/cmd/nerdctl/image/image_remove_test.go
+++ b/cmd/nerdctl/image/image_remove_test.go
@@ -351,3 +351,18 @@ func TestIssue3016(t *testing.T) {
 
 	testCase.Run(t)
 }
+
+func TestForceRemoveImage(t *testing.T) {
+	base := testutil.NewBase(t)
+	tID := testutil.Identifier(t)
+	base.Cmd("image", "prune", "--force", "--all").AssertOK()
+	base.Cmd("pull", testutil.CommonImage).AssertOK()
+	base.Cmd("run", "-d", "--name", tID+"-force", testutil.CommonImage, "sleep", "10s").AssertOK()
+	base.Cmd("rmi", "-f", testutil.CommonImage).AssertOK()
+	// Ensure that the image is deleted
+	base.Cmd("images").AssertOutNotContains(testutil.ImageRepo(testutil.CommonImage))
+	// Ensure that the container is still running
+	base.Cmd("ps", "-a").AssertOutContains(tID + "-force")
+	// Force remove to clean
+	base.Cmd("rm", "-f", tID+"-force").AssertOK()
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/image/remove.go b/pkg/cmd/image/remove.go
index 3afa2bff80b..7218755beb4 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/image/remove.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/image/remove.go
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ func Remove(ctx context.Context, client *containerd.Client, args []string, optio
 				return nil
 			}
 
-			if cid, ok := runningImages[found.Image.Name]; ok {
-				return fmt.Errorf("conflict: unable to delete %s (cannot be forced) - image is being used by running container %s", found.Req, cid)
+			if cid, ok := runningImages[found.Image.Name]; !options.Force && ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("conflict: unable to delete %s - image is being used by running container %s", found.Req, cid)
 			}
 			if cid, ok := usedImages[found.Image.Name]; ok && !options.Force {
 				return fmt.Errorf("conflict: unable to delete %s (must be forced) - image is being used by stopped container %s", found.Req, cid)