diff --git a/man/modprobe.8.scd b/man/modprobe.8.scd
index 509d445..aaf04c3 100644
--- a/man/modprobe.8.scd
+++ b/man/modprobe.8.scd
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ database.
 *--remove-holders*
 	This option causes *modprobe* to remove the mentioned module(s), alongside
 	other modules that depend on it/them - aka the reverse dependency list.
+	This options implies --remove.
 
 	For compatibility reasons *--remove-dependencies* is also accepted for
 	this option but will be removed after kmod 36.
diff --git a/tools/modprobe.c b/tools/modprobe.c
index 81b1960..fa9757e 100644
--- a/tools/modprobe.c
+++ b/tools/modprobe.c
@@ -827,6 +827,7 @@ static int do_modprobe(int argc, char **orig_argv)
 			/* fall through */
 		case 5:
 			remove_holders = 1;
+			do_remove = 1;
 			break;
 		case 'w': {
 			char *endptr = NULL;