diff --git a/WHATS_NEW b/WHATS_NEW
index f16c3fb0e..592262ef6 100644
--- a/WHATS_NEW
+++ b/WHATS_NEW
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Version 2.02.03 - 
 ===================================
+  pvremove without -f now fails if there's no PV label.
   Support lvconvert -s.
   Suppress locking library load failure message if --ignorelockingfailure.
   Propagate partial mode around cluster.
diff --git a/tools/pvremove.c b/tools/pvremove.c
index 1fce587a3..75ea7f56a 100644
--- a/tools/pvremove.c
+++ b/tools/pvremove.c
@@ -33,9 +33,14 @@ static int pvremove_check(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *name)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	/* is there a pv here already */
-	if (!(pv = pv_read(cmd, name, NULL, NULL, 1)))
-		return 1;
+	/* Is there a pv here already? */
+	/* If not, this is an error unless you used -f. */
+	if (!(pv = pv_read(cmd, name, NULL, NULL, 1))) {
+		if (arg_count(cmd, force_ARG))
+			return 1;
+		else
+			return 0;
+	}
 
 	/* orphan ? */
 	if (!pv->vg_name[0])