diff --git a/guix/build/bournish.scm b/guix/build/bournish.scm
index 51dad17ba7..e948cd03d3 100644
--- a/guix/build/bournish.scm
+++ b/guix/build/bournish.scm
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
 ;;; Copyright © 2016 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2016 Efraim Flashner <efraim@flashner.co.il>
+;;; Copyright © 2017 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -105,6 +106,14 @@ characters."
        ((@ (guix build utils) dump-port) port (current-output-port))
        *unspecified*)))
 
+(define (rm-command . args)
+  "Emit code for the 'rm' command."
+  (cond ((member "-r" args)
+         `(for-each (@ (guix build utils) delete-file-recursively)
+                    (list ,@(delete "-r" args))))
+        (else
+         `(for-each delete-file (list ,@args)))))
+
 (define (lines+chars port)
   "Return the number of lines and number of chars read from PORT."
   (let loop ((lines 0) (chars 0))
@@ -194,7 +203,7 @@ commands such as 'ls' and 'cd'; it lacks globbing, pipes---everything.\n"))
   `(("echo"   ,(lambda strings `(list ,@strings)))
     ("cd"     ,(lambda (dir) `(chdir ,dir)))
     ("pwd"    ,(lambda () `(getcwd)))
-    ("rm"     ,(lambda (file) `(delete-file ,file)))
+    ("rm"     ,rm-command)
     ("cp"     ,(lambda (source dest) `(copy-file ,source ,dest)))
     ("help"   ,help-command)
     ("ls"     ,ls-command)
diff --git a/tests/bournish.scm b/tests/bournish.scm
index 0f529ce42f..3b40ce2643 100644
--- a/tests/bournish.scm
+++ b/tests/bournish.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
 ;;; Copyright © 2016 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2017 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -38,5 +39,16 @@
   (read-and-compile (open-input-string "cd /foo\npwd\nls")
                     #:from %bournish-language #:to 'scheme))
 
+(test-equal "rm"
+  '(for-each delete-file (list "foo" "bar"))
+  (read-and-compile (open-input-string "rm foo bar\n")
+                    #:from %bournish-language #:to 'scheme))
+
+(test-equal "rm -r"
+  '(for-each (@ (guix build utils) delete-file-recursively)
+             (list "/foo" "/bar"))
+  (read-and-compile (open-input-string "rm -r /foo /bar\n")
+                    #:from %bournish-language #:to 'scheme))
+
 (test-end "bournish")