diff --git a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run.go b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run.go
index bf0ebfe5c46f..55cff7ab514f 100644
--- a/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run.go
+++ b/cmd/ctr/commands/run/run.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ var Command = cli.Command{
 	Flags: append([]cli.Flag{
 		cli.BoolFlag{
 			Name:  "rm",
-			Usage: "remove the container after running",
+			Usage: "remove the container after running, cannot be used with --detach",
 		},
 		cli.BoolFlag{
 			Name:  "null-io",
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ var Command = cli.Command{
 		},
 		cli.BoolFlag{
 			Name:  "detach,d",
-			Usage: "detach from the task after it has started execution",
+			Usage: "detach from the task after it has started execution, cannot be used with --rm",
 		},
 		cli.StringFlag{
 			Name:  "fifo-dir",
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ var Command = cli.Command{
 			id  string
 			ref string
 
+			rm        = context.Bool("rm")
 			tty       = context.Bool("tty")
 			detach    = context.Bool("detach")
 			config    = context.IsSet("config")
@@ -158,6 +159,10 @@ var Command = cli.Command{
 		if id == "" {
 			return errors.New("container id must be provided")
 		}
+		if rm && detach {
+			return errors.New("flags --detach and --rm cannot be specified together")
+		}
+
 		client, ctx, cancel, err := commands.NewClient(context)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -167,7 +172,7 @@ var Command = cli.Command{
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if context.Bool("rm") && !detach {
+		if rm && !detach {
 			defer container.Delete(ctx, containerd.WithSnapshotCleanup)
 		}
 		var con console.Console