diff --git a/doc/api/fs.md b/doc/api/fs.md
index 5ffd9df27451..899929a01db6 100644
--- a/doc/api/fs.md
+++ b/doc/api/fs.md
@@ -1048,6 +1048,16 @@ Renames `oldPath` to `newPath`.
 <!-- YAML
 added: v10.0.0
 changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37216
+    description: "Using `fsPromises.rmdir(path, { recursive: true })` on a `path`
+                 that is a file is no longer permitted and results in an
+                 `ENOENT` error on Windows and an `ENOTDIR` error on POSIX."
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37216
+    description: "Using `fsPromises.rmdir(path, { recursive: true })` on a `path`
+                 that does not exist is no longer permitted and results in a
+                 `ENOENT` error."
   - version: REPLACEME
     pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37302
     description: The `recursive` option is deprecated, using it triggers a
@@ -1075,8 +1085,8 @@ changes:
     represents the number of retries. This option is ignored if the `recursive`
     option is not `true`. **Default:** `0`.
   * `recursive` {boolean} If `true`, perform a recursive directory removal. In
-    recursive mode, errors are not reported if `path` does not exist, and
-    operations are retried on failure. **Default:** `false`. **Deprecated**.
+    recursive mode, operations are retried on failure. **Default:** `false`.
+    **Deprecated**.
   * `retryDelay` {integer} The amount of time in milliseconds to wait between
     retries. This option is ignored if the `recursive` option is not `true`.
     **Default:** `100`.
@@ -1088,10 +1098,8 @@ Using `fsPromises.rmdir()` on a file (not a directory) results in the
 promise being rejected with an `ENOENT` error on Windows and an `ENOTDIR`
 error on POSIX.
 
-Setting `recursive` to `true` results in behavior similar to the Unix command
-`rm -rf`: an error will not be raised for paths that do not exist, and paths
-that represent files will be deleted. The `recursive` option is deprecated,
-`ENOTDIR` and `ENOENT` will be thrown in the future.
+To get a behavior similar to the `rm -rf` Unix command, use
+[`fsPromises.rm()`][] with options `{ recursive: true, force: true }`.
 
 ### `fsPromises.rm(path[, options])`
 <!-- YAML
@@ -3146,6 +3154,16 @@ rename('oldFile.txt', 'newFile.txt', (err) => {
 <!-- YAML
 added: v0.0.2
 changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37216
+    description: "Using `fs.rmdir(path, { recursive: true })` on a `path` that is
+                 a file is no longer permitted and results in an `ENOENT` error
+                 on Windows and an `ENOTDIR` error on POSIX."
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37216
+    description: "Using `fs.rmdir(path, { recursive: true })` on a `path` that
+                 does not exist is no longer permitted and results in a `ENOENT`
+                 error."
   - version: REPLACEME
     pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37302
     description: The `recursive` option is deprecated, using it triggers a
@@ -3185,8 +3203,8 @@ changes:
     represents the number of retries. This option is ignored if the `recursive`
     option is not `true`. **Default:** `0`.
   * `recursive` {boolean} If `true`, perform a recursive directory removal. In
-    recursive mode, errors are not reported if `path` does not exist, and
-    operations are retried on failure. **Default:** `false`. **Deprecated**.
+    recursive mode, operations are retried on failure. **Default:** `false`.
+    **Deprecated**.
   * `retryDelay` {integer} The amount of time in milliseconds to wait between
     retries. This option is ignored if the `recursive` option is not `true`.
     **Default:** `100`.
@@ -3199,10 +3217,8 @@ to the completion callback.
 Using `fs.rmdir()` on a file (not a directory) results in an `ENOENT` error on
 Windows and an `ENOTDIR` error on POSIX.
 
-Setting `recursive` to `true` results in behavior similar to the Unix command
-`rm -rf`: an error will not be raised for paths that do not exist, and paths
-that represent files will be deleted. The `recursive` option is deprecated,
-`ENOTDIR` and `ENOENT` will be thrown in the future.
+To get a behavior similar to the `rm -rf` Unix command, use [`fs.rm()`][]
+with options `{ recursive: true, force: true }`.
 
 ### `fs.rm(path[, options], callback)`
 <!-- YAML
@@ -4777,6 +4793,16 @@ See the POSIX rename(2) documentation for more details.
 <!-- YAML
 added: v0.1.21
 changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37216
+    description: "Using `fs.rmdirSync(path, { recursive: true })` on a `path`
+                 that is a file is no longer permitted and results in an
+                 `ENOENT` error on Windows and an `ENOTDIR` error on POSIX."
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37216
+    description: "Using `fs.rmdirSync(path, { recursive: true })` on a `path`
+                 that does not exist is no longer permitted and results in a
+                 `ENOENT` error."
   - version: REPLACEME
     pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/37302
     description: The `recursive` option is deprecated, using it triggers a
@@ -4808,8 +4834,8 @@ changes:
     represents the number of retries. This option is ignored if the `recursive`
     option is not `true`. **Default:** `0`.
   * `recursive` {boolean} If `true`, perform a recursive directory removal. In
-    recursive mode, errors are not reported if `path` does not exist, and
-    operations are retried on failure. **Default:** `false`. **Deprecated**.
+    recursive mode, operations are retried on failure. **Default:** `false`.
+    **Deprecated**.
   * `retryDelay` {integer} The amount of time in milliseconds to wait between
     retries. This option is ignored if the `recursive` option is not `true`.
     **Default:** `100`.
@@ -4819,10 +4845,8 @@ Synchronous rmdir(2). Returns `undefined`.
 Using `fs.rmdirSync()` on a file (not a directory) results in an `ENOENT` error
 on Windows and an `ENOTDIR` error on POSIX.
 
-Setting `recursive` to `true` results in behavior similar to the Unix command
-`rm -rf`: an error will not be raised for paths that do not exist, and paths
-that represent files will be deleted. The `recursive` option is deprecated,
-`ENOTDIR` and `ENOENT` will be thrown in the future.
+To get a behavior similar to the `rm -rf` Unix command, use [`fs.rmSync()`][]
+with options `{ recursive: true, force: true }`.
 
 ### `fs.rmSync(path[, options])`
 <!-- YAML
@@ -6670,6 +6694,8 @@ the file contents.
 [`fs.readdirSync()`]: #fs_fs_readdirsync_path_options
 [`fs.readv()`]: #fs_fs_readv_fd_buffers_position_callback
 [`fs.realpath()`]: #fs_fs_realpath_path_options_callback
+[`fs.rm()`]: #fs_fs_rm_path_options_callback
+[`fs.rmSync()`]: #fs_fs_rmsync_path_options
 [`fs.rmdir()`]: #fs_fs_rmdir_path_options_callback
 [`fs.stat()`]: #fs_fs_stat_path_options_callback
 [`fs.symlink()`]: #fs_fs_symlink_target_path_type_callback
@@ -6681,6 +6707,7 @@ the file contents.
 [`fs.writev()`]: #fs_fs_writev_fd_buffers_position_callback
 [`fsPromises.open()`]: #fs_fspromises_open_path_flags_mode
 [`fsPromises.opendir()`]: #fs_fspromises_opendir_path_options
+[`fsPromises.rm()`]: #fs_fspromises_rm_path_options
 [`fsPromises.utimes()`]: #fs_fspromises_utimes_path_atime_mtime
 [`inotify(7)`]: https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man7/inotify.7.html
 [`kqueue(2)`]: https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=kqueue&sektion=2
diff --git a/lib/fs.js b/lib/fs.js
index 743c330aacb3..d396d3a80c99 100644
--- a/lib/fs.js
+++ b/lib/fs.js
@@ -898,15 +898,20 @@ function rmdir(path, options, callback) {
     emitRecursiveRmdirWarning();
     validateRmOptions(
       path,
-      { ...options, force: true },
+      { ...options, force: false },
       true,
       (err, options) => {
+        if (err === false) {
+          const req = new FSReqCallback();
+          req.oncomplete = callback;
+          return binding.rmdir(path, req);
+        }
         if (err) {
           return callback(err);
         }
 
         lazyLoadRimraf();
-        return rimraf(path, options, callback);
+        rimraf(path, options, callback);
       });
   } else {
     validateRmdirOptions(options);
@@ -921,12 +926,15 @@ function rmdirSync(path, options) {
 
   if (options?.recursive) {
     emitRecursiveRmdirWarning();
-    options = validateRmOptionsSync(path, { ...options, force: true }, true);
-    lazyLoadRimraf();
-    return rimrafSync(pathModule.toNamespacedPath(path), options);
+    options = validateRmOptionsSync(path, { ...options, force: false }, true);
+    if (options !== false) {
+      lazyLoadRimraf();
+      return rimrafSync(pathModule.toNamespacedPath(path), options);
+    }
+  } else {
+    validateRmdirOptions(options);
   }
 
-  validateRmdirOptions(options);
   const ctx = { path };
   binding.rmdir(pathModule.toNamespacedPath(path), undefined, ctx);
   return handleErrorFromBinding(ctx);
diff --git a/lib/internal/fs/promises.js b/lib/internal/fs/promises.js
index 26e4fd8f73be..87704a60074f 100644
--- a/lib/internal/fs/promises.js
+++ b/lib/internal/fs/promises.js
@@ -505,7 +505,10 @@ async function rmdir(path, options) {
 
   if (options.recursive) {
     emitRecursiveRmdirWarning();
-    return rimrafPromises(path, options);
+    const stats = await stat(path);
+    if (stats.isDirectory()) {
+      return rimrafPromises(path, options);
+    }
   }
 
   return binding.rmdir(path, kUsePromises);
diff --git a/lib/internal/fs/utils.js b/lib/internal/fs/utils.js
index fab2c0d68a86..b3efe293ccef 100644
--- a/lib/internal/fs/utils.js
+++ b/lib/internal/fs/utils.js
@@ -698,20 +698,24 @@ const defaultRmdirOptions = {
   recursive: false,
 };
 
-const validateRmOptions = hideStackFrames((path, options, warn, callback) => {
+const validateRmOptions = hideStackFrames((path, options, expectDir, cb) => {
   options = validateRmdirOptions(options, defaultRmOptions);
   validateBoolean(options.force, 'options.force');
 
   lazyLoadFs().stat(path, (err, stats) => {
     if (err) {
       if (options.force && err.code === 'ENOENT') {
-        return callback(null, options);
+        return cb(null, options);
       }
-      return callback(err, options);
+      return cb(err, options);
+    }
+
+    if (expectDir && !stats.isDirectory()) {
+      return cb(false);
     }
 
     if (stats.isDirectory() && !options.recursive) {
-      return callback(new ERR_FS_EISDIR({
+      return cb(new ERR_FS_EISDIR({
         code: 'EISDIR',
         message: 'is a directory',
         path,
@@ -719,18 +723,22 @@ const validateRmOptions = hideStackFrames((path, options, warn, callback) => {
         errno: EISDIR
       }));
     }
-    return callback(null, options);
+    return cb(null, options);
   });
 });
 
-const validateRmOptionsSync = hideStackFrames((path, options, warn) => {
+const validateRmOptionsSync = hideStackFrames((path, options, expectDir) => {
   options = validateRmdirOptions(options, defaultRmOptions);
   validateBoolean(options.force, 'options.force');
 
-  if (!options.force || warn || !options.recursive) {
+  if (!options.force || expectDir || !options.recursive) {
     const isDirectory = lazyLoadFs()
       .statSync(path, { throwIfNoEntry: !options.force })?.isDirectory();
 
+    if (expectDir && !isDirectory) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
     if (isDirectory && !options.recursive) {
       throw new ERR_FS_EISDIR({
         code: 'EISDIR',
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-sync-warns-not-found.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-sync-warns-not-found.js
index 2606a243dc87..64ae85a0496f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-sync-warns-not-found.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-sync-warns-not-found.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
 const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 
@@ -14,5 +15,9 @@ tmpdir.refresh();
       'will be removed. Use fs.rm(path, { recursive: true }) instead',
     'DEP0147'
   );
-  fs.rmdirSync(path.join(tmpdir.path, 'noexist.txt'), { recursive: true });
+  assert.throws(
+    () => fs.rmdirSync(path.join(tmpdir.path, 'noexist.txt'),
+                       { recursive: true }),
+    { code: 'ENOENT' }
+  );
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-sync-warns-on-file.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-sync-warns-on-file.js
index a0a5be7dbe1d..197a9cfbc711 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-sync-warns-on-file.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-sync-warns-on-file.js
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
 const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 
 tmpdir.refresh();
 
 {
-  // Should warn when trying to delete a file
   common.expectWarning(
     'DeprecationWarning',
     'In future versions of Node.js, fs.rmdir(path, { recursive: true }) ' +
@@ -16,5 +16,8 @@ tmpdir.refresh();
   );
   const filePath = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'rmdir-recursive.txt');
   fs.writeFileSync(filePath, '');
-  fs.rmdirSync(filePath, { recursive: true });
+  assert.throws(
+    () => fs.rmdirSync(filePath, { recursive: true }),
+    { code: common.isWindows ? 'ENOENT' : 'ENOTDIR' }
+  );
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-throws-not-found.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-throws-not-found.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..530f561f131d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-throws-not-found.js
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../common');
+const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+tmpdir.refresh();
+
+{
+  assert.throws(
+    () =>
+      fs.rmdirSync(path.join(tmpdir.path, 'noexist.txt'), { recursive: true }),
+    {
+      code: 'ENOENT',
+    }
+  );
+}
+{
+  fs.rmdir(
+    path.join(tmpdir.path, 'noexist.txt'),
+    { recursive: true },
+    common.mustCall((err) => {
+      assert.strictEqual(err.code, 'ENOENT');
+    })
+  );
+}
+{
+  assert.rejects(
+    () => fs.promises.rmdir(path.join(tmpdir.path, 'noexist.txt'),
+                            { recursive: true }),
+    {
+      code: 'ENOENT',
+    }
+  ).then(common.mustCall());
+}
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-throws-on-file.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-throws-on-file.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bf91bb676e2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-throws-on-file.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+'use strict';
+const common = require('../common');
+const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+tmpdir.refresh();
+
+const code = common.isWindows ? 'ENOENT' : 'ENOTDIR';
+
+{
+  const filePath = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'rmdir-recursive.txt');
+  fs.writeFileSync(filePath, '');
+  assert.throws(() => fs.rmdirSync(filePath, { recursive: true }), { code });
+}
+{
+  const filePath = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'rmdir-recursive.txt');
+  fs.writeFileSync(filePath, '');
+  fs.rmdir(filePath, { recursive: true }, common.mustCall((err) => {
+    assert.strictEqual(err.code, code);
+  }));
+}
+{
+  const filePath = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'rmdir-recursive.txt');
+  fs.writeFileSync(filePath, '');
+  assert.rejects(() => fs.promises.rmdir(filePath, { recursive: true }),
+                 { code }).then(common.mustCall());
+}
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-warns-on-file.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-warns-on-file.js
index c32dcdb28bd1..bb5460792c54 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-warns-on-file.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive-warns-on-file.js
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
 const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 
 tmpdir.refresh();
 
 {
-  // Should warn when trying to delete a file
   common.expectWarning(
     'DeprecationWarning',
     'In future versions of Node.js, fs.rmdir(path, { recursive: true }) ' +
@@ -16,5 +16,7 @@ tmpdir.refresh();
   );
   const filePath = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'rmdir-recursive.txt');
   fs.writeFileSync(filePath, '');
-  fs.rmdir(filePath, { recursive: true }, common.mustSucceed());
+  fs.rmdir(filePath, { recursive: true }, common.mustCall((err) => {
+    assert.strictEqual(err.code, common.isWindows ? 'ENOENT' : 'ENOTDIR');
+  }));
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive.js
index 533a4e7c7cca..39934b5e42a1 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-rmdir-recursive.js
@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ function removeAsync(dir) {
 
       // Recursive removal should succeed.
       fs.rmdir(dir, { recursive: true }, common.mustSucceed(() => {
-        // No error should occur if recursive and the directory does not exist.
-        fs.rmdir(dir, { recursive: true }, common.mustSucceed(() => {
+        // An error should occur if recursive and the directory does not exist.
+        fs.rmdir(dir, { recursive: true }, common.mustCall((err) => {
+          assert.strictEqual(err.code, 'ENOENT');
           // Attempted removal should fail now because the directory is gone.
           fs.rmdir(dir, common.mustCall((err) => {
             assert.strictEqual(err.syscall, 'rmdir');
@@ -126,8 +127,9 @@ function removeAsync(dir) {
   // Recursive removal should succeed.
   fs.rmdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
 
-  // No error should occur if recursive and the directory does not exist.
-  fs.rmdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+  // An error should occur if recursive and the directory does not exist.
+  assert.throws(() => fs.rmdirSync(dir, { recursive: true }),
+                { code: 'ENOENT' });
 
   // Attempted removal should fail now because the directory is gone.
   assert.throws(() => fs.rmdirSync(dir), { syscall: 'rmdir' });
@@ -147,8 +149,9 @@ function removeAsync(dir) {
   // Recursive removal should succeed.
   await fs.promises.rmdir(dir, { recursive: true });
 
-  // No error should occur if recursive and the directory does not exist.
-  await fs.promises.rmdir(dir, { recursive: true });
+  // An error should occur if recursive and the directory does not exist.
+  await assert.rejects(fs.promises.rmdir(dir, { recursive: true }),
+                       { code: 'ENOENT' });
 
   // Attempted removal should fail now because the directory is gone.
   assert.rejects(fs.promises.rmdir(dir), { syscall: 'rmdir' });