diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/site/markdown/filesystem/filesystem.md b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/site/markdown/filesystem/filesystem.md
index 9440b4e050a72..1e92666fa7a4e 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/site/markdown/filesystem/filesystem.md
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/site/markdown/filesystem/filesystem.md
@@ -973,6 +973,9 @@ There is no consistent return code from an attempt to delete the root directory.
 Implementations SHOULD return true; this avoids code which checks for a false
 return value from overreacting.
 
+Note: Some of the object store based filesystem implementations always return
+false when deleting the root.
+
 ##### Empty (non-root) directory `recursive == False`
 
 Deleting an empty directory that is not root will remove the path from the FS and
@@ -1019,6 +1022,9 @@ Any filesystem client which interacts with a remote filesystem which lacks
 such a security model, MAY reject calls to `delete("/", true)` on the basis
 that it makes it too easy to lose data.
 
+Note: Some of the object store based filesystem implementations always return
+false when deleting the root.
+
 ##### Recursive delete of non-root directory
 
 Deleting a non-root path with children `recursive==true`
diff --git a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/S3AFileSystem.java b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/S3AFileSystem.java
index f9148ef47bbfb..340be51c5f447 100644
--- a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/S3AFileSystem.java
+++ b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/S3AFileSystem.java
@@ -2195,6 +2195,10 @@ void removeKeys(
   public boolean delete(Path f, boolean recursive) throws IOException {
     try {
       entryPoint(INVOCATION_DELETE);
+      if (f.isRoot()) {
+        return rejectRootDirectoryDelete(f, recursive);
+      }
+
       boolean outcome = innerDelete(innerGetFileStatus(f, true), recursive);
       if (outcome) {
         try {
@@ -2250,10 +2254,6 @@ private boolean innerDelete(S3AFileStatus status, boolean recursive)
         key = key + "/";
       }
 
-      if (key.equals("/")) {
-        return rejectRootDirectoryDelete(status, recursive);
-      }
-
       if (!recursive && status.isEmptyDirectory() == Tristate.FALSE) {
         throw new PathIsNotEmptyDirectoryException(f.toString());
       }
@@ -2308,29 +2308,16 @@ private boolean innerDelete(S3AFileStatus status, boolean recursive)
    * The caller must return the result of this call, rather than
    * attempt to continue with the delete operation: deleting root
    * directories is never allowed. This method simply implements
-   * the policy of when to return an exit code versus raise an exception.
-   * @param status filesystem status
+   * the policy of when to return false versus raise an exception.
+   * @param path path for deletion
    * @param recursive recursive flag from command
    * @return a return code for the operation
    * @throws PathIOException if the operation was explicitly rejected.
    */
-  private boolean rejectRootDirectoryDelete(S3AFileStatus status,
-      boolean recursive) throws IOException {
-    LOG.info("s3a delete the {} root directory. Path: {}. Recursive: {}",
-        bucket, status.getPath(), recursive);
-    boolean emptyRoot = status.isEmptyDirectory() == Tristate.TRUE;
-    if (emptyRoot) {
-      return true;
-    }
-    if (recursive) {
-      LOG.error("Cannot delete root path: {}", status.getPath());
-      return false;
-    } else {
-      // reject
-      String msg = "Cannot delete root path: " + status.getPath();
-      LOG.error(msg);
-      throw new PathIOException(bucket, msg);
-    }
+  private boolean rejectRootDirectoryDelete(Path path, boolean recursive) {
+    LOG.error("S3A: Cannot delete the {} root directory. Path: {}. Recursive: "
+            + "{}", bucket, path, recursive);
+    return false;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/contract/s3a/ITestS3AContractRootDir.java b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/contract/s3a/ITestS3AContractRootDir.java
index 9ef3763bfc39a..3c41f07ba1565 100644
--- a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/contract/s3a/ITestS3AContractRootDir.java
+++ b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/contract/s3a/ITestS3AContractRootDir.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.contract.AbstractFSContract;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.s3a.S3AFileSystem;
 
+import org.junit.Ignore;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@ public S3AFileSystem getFileSystem() {
     return (S3AFileSystem) super.getFileSystem();
   }
 
+  @Override
+  @Ignore("S3 always return false when non-recursively remove root dir")
+  public void testRmNonEmptyRootDirNonRecursive() throws Throwable {
+  }
+
   /**
    * This is overridden to allow for eventual consistency on listings,
    * but only if the store does not have S3Guard protecting it.
diff --git a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/s3guard/ITestS3GuardDDBRootOperations.java b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/s3guard/ITestS3GuardDDBRootOperations.java
index 74c406978e3e9..e2c95e194bbf6 100644
--- a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/s3guard/ITestS3GuardDDBRootOperations.java
+++ b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-aws/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/s3a/s3guard/ITestS3GuardDDBRootOperations.java
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ public void test_400_rm_root_recursive() throws Throwable {
       assertDeleted(file, false);
 
 
-      assertTrue("Root directory delete failed",
+      assertFalse("Root directory delete failed",
           fs.delete(root, true));
 
       ContractTestUtils.touch(fs, file2);