diff --git a/userspace/programs/rm/main.cpp b/userspace/programs/rm/main.cpp
index 8ce474ee..d3e61981 100644
--- a/userspace/programs/rm/main.cpp
+++ b/userspace/programs/rm/main.cpp
@@ -1,20 +1,50 @@
 #include <BAN/String.h>
+
 #include <dirent.h>
+#include <getopt.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-bool delete_recursive(const char* path)
+bool prompt_removal(const char* path, struct stat st)
+{
+	const char* type = "file";
+	if (S_ISREG(st.st_mode))
+		type = st.st_size ? "regular file" : "regular empty file";
+	else if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
+		type = "directory";
+	else if (S_ISCHR(st.st_mode))
+		type = "character special file";
+	else if (S_ISBLK(st.st_mode))
+		type = "block special file";
+	else if (S_ISLNK(st.st_mode))
+		type = "symbolic link";
+	else if (S_ISFIFO(st.st_mode))
+		type = "fifo";
+
+	fprintf(stderr, "remove %s '%s'? ", type, path);
+
+	char buffer[128];
+	if (fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), stdin) == nullptr)
+		return false;
+	return buffer[0] == 'Y' || buffer[0] == 'y';
+}
+
+bool delete_recursive(const char* path, bool force, bool interactive)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 	if (stat(path, &st) == -1)
 	{
+		if (force && errno == ENOENT)
+			return true;
 		perror(path);
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	if (interactive && !prompt_removal(path, st))
+		return true;
+
 	bool ret = true;
 
 	if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
@@ -32,11 +62,13 @@ bool delete_recursive(const char* path)
 
 			if (dirent->d_type == DT_DIR)
 			{
-				if (!delete_recursive(dirent_path.data()))
+				if (!delete_recursive(dirent_path.data(), force, interactive))
 					ret = false;
 			}
 			else
 			{
+				if (interactive && !prompt_removal(dirent_path.data(), st))
+					continue;
 				if (unlink(dirent_path.data()) == -1)
 				{
 					perror(dirent_path.data());
@@ -57,75 +89,97 @@ bool delete_recursive(const char* path)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-void usage(const char* argv0, int ret)
-{
-	FILE* out = (ret == 0) ? stdout : stderr;
-	fprintf(out, "usage: %s [OPTIONS]... FILE...\n", argv0);
-	fprintf(out, "  remove each FILE\n");
-	fprintf(out, "OPTIONS:\n");
-	fprintf(out, "  -r           remove directories and their contents recursively\n");
-	fprintf(out, "  -h, --help   show this message and exit\n");
-	exit(ret);
-}
-
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
+	bool force = false;
+	bool interactive = false;
 	bool recursive = false;
 
-	int i = 1;
-	for (; i < argc; i++)
+	for (;;)
 	{
-		if (argv[i][0] != '-')
+		static option long_options[] {
+			{ "recursive",   no_argument, nullptr, 'r' },
+			{ "interactive", no_argument, nullptr, 'i' },
+			{ "force",       no_argument, nullptr, 'f' },
+			{ "help",        no_argument, nullptr, 'h' },
+		};
+
+		int ch = getopt_long(argc, argv, "rRifh", long_options, nullptr);
+		if (ch == -1)
 			break;
 
-		if (strcmp(argv[i], "-r") == 0)
-			recursive = true;
-		else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-h") == 0 || strcmp(argv[i], "--help") == 0)
-			usage(argv[0], 0);
-		else
+		switch (ch)
 		{
-			fprintf(stderr, "unrecognized argument %s. use --help for more information\n", argv[i]);
-			return 1;
+			case 'h':
+				fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s [OPTIONS]... FILE...\n", argv[0]);
+				fprintf(stderr, "  remove each FILE\n");
+				fprintf(stderr, "OPTIONS:\n");
+				fprintf(stderr, "  -r, -R, --recursive  remove directories and their contents recursively\n");
+				fprintf(stderr, "  -i, --interactive    prompt removal for all files\n");
+				fprintf(stderr, "  -f, --force          ignore nonexistent files and never prompt\n");
+				fprintf(stderr, "  -h, --help           show this message and exit\n");
+				return 0;
+			case 'r': case 'R':
+				recursive = true;
+				break;
+			case 'f':
+				force = true;
+				interactive = false;
+				break;
+			case 'i':
+				force = false;
+				interactive = true;
+				break;
+			case '?':
+				fprintf(stderr, "invalid option %c\n", optopt);
+				fprintf(stderr, "see '%s --help' for usage\n", argv[0]);
+				return 1;
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (i >= argc)
+	if (optind >= argc && !force)
 	{
 		fprintf(stderr, "missing operand. use --help for more information\n");
 		return 1;
 	}
 
 	int ret = 0;
-	for (; i < argc; i++)
+	for (int i = optind; i < argc; i++)
 	{
 		if (recursive)
 		{
-			if (!delete_recursive(argv[i]))
+			if (!delete_recursive(argv[i], force, interactive))
 				ret = 1;
+			continue;
 		}
-		else
+
+		struct stat st;
+		if (stat(argv[i], &st) == -1)
 		{
-			struct stat st;
-			if (stat(argv[i], &st) == -1)
-			{
-				perror(argv[i]);
-				ret = 1;
+			if (force && errno == ENOENT)
 				continue;
-			}
+			perror(argv[i]);
+			ret = 1;
+			continue;
+		}
 
-			if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
-			{
-				fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s\n", argv[i], strerror(EISDIR));
-				ret = 1;
-				continue;
-			}
+		if (interactive && !prompt_removal(argv[i], st))
+			continue;
 
-			if (unlink(argv[i]) == -1)
-			{
-				perror(argv[i]);
-				ret = 1;
-			}
+		if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode))
+		{
+			errno = EISDIR;
+			perror(argv[i]);
+			ret = 1;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (unlink(argv[i]) == -1)
+		{
+			perror(argv[i]);
+			ret = 1;
 		}
 	}
+
 	return ret;
 }