diff --git a/src/kernel-install/kernel-install.c b/src/kernel-install/kernel-install.c
index 1cf0fa28f45..d33a3ddf2f3 100644
--- a/src/kernel-install/kernel-install.c
+++ b/src/kernel-install/kernel-install.c
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ static int verb_add(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         assert(argv);
 
         if (arg_root)
-                return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EOPNOTSUPP), "'add' does not support --root=.");
+                return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EOPNOTSUPP), "'add' does not support --root= or --image=.");
 
         if (bypass())
                 return 0;
@@ -1221,6 +1221,9 @@ static int verb_add_all(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
 
         assert(argv);
 
+        if (arg_root)
+                return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EOPNOTSUPP), "'add-all' does not support --root= or --image=.");
+
         if (bypass())
                 return 0;
 
@@ -1309,7 +1312,7 @@ static int verb_remove(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         assert(argv);
 
         if (arg_root)
-                return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EOPNOTSUPP), "'remove' does not support --root=.");
+                return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EOPNOTSUPP), "'remove' does not support --root= or --image=.");
 
         if (argc > 2)
                 log_debug("Too many arguments specified. 'kernel-install remove' takes only kernel version. "
@@ -1450,6 +1453,9 @@ static int verb_list(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         _cleanup_close_ int fd = -EBADF;
         int r;
 
+        if (arg_root)
+                return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EOPNOTSUPP), "'list' does not support --root= or --image=.");
+
         fd = open("/usr/lib/modules", O_DIRECTORY|O_RDONLY|O_CLOEXEC);
         if (fd < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(fd, "Failed to open /usr/lib/modules/: %m");