diff --git a/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs b/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
index a89ba6db67f..a195ea7bb97 100644
--- a/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
+++ b/src/uu/rm/src/rm.rs
@@ -326,6 +326,24 @@ pub fn remove(files: &[&OsStr], options: &Options) -> bool {
 fn handle_dir(path: &Path, options: &Options) -> bool {
     let mut had_err = false;
 
+    let del = std::path::MAIN_SEPARATOR;
+
+    if path
+        .to_str()
+        .unwrap()
+        .ends_with(format!("{}.", del).as_str())
+        || path
+            .to_str()
+            .unwrap()
+            .ends_with(format!("{}..", del).as_str())
+    {
+        show_error!(
+            "refusing to remove '.' or '..' directory: skipping {}",
+            path.quote()
+        );
+        return true;
+    }
+
     let is_root = path.has_root() && path.parent().is_none();
     if options.recursive && (!is_root || !options.preserve_root) {
         if options.interactive != InteractiveMode::Always && !options.verbose {
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs b/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
index f997688c818..3ddb99015b9 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_rm.rs
@@ -713,3 +713,31 @@ fn test_non_utf8() {
     ucmd.arg(file).succeeds();
     assert!(!at.file_exists(file));
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_rm_no_del_parent() {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+
+    let del = std::path::MAIN_SEPARATOR;
+
+    at.mkdir("test");
+    at.mkdir(&format!("test{del}dir"));
+    at.touch(&format!("test{del}dir{del}file"));
+    ucmd.arg("-rf").arg(format!("test{del}dir{del}..")).fails();
+    assert!(at.dir_exists("test"));
+    assert!(at.dir_exists(&format!("test{del}dir")));
+    assert!(at.file_exists(&format!("test{del}dir{del}file")));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_rm_no_del_cur() {
+    let (at, mut ucmd) = at_and_ucmd!();
+
+    let del = std::path::MAIN_SEPARATOR;
+
+    at.mkdir("test");
+    at.touch(&format!("test{del}file"));
+    ucmd.arg("-rf").arg(format!("test{del}.")).fails();
+    assert!(at.dir_exists("test"));
+    assert!(at.file_exists(&format!("test{del}file")));
+}