diff --git a/grub-core/commands/minicmd.c b/grub-core/commands/minicmd.c
index fc20c6563..6bbce3128 100644
--- a/grub-core/commands/minicmd.c
+++ b/grub-core/commands/minicmd.c
@@ -137,6 +137,9 @@ grub_mini_cmd_rmmod (struct grub_command *cmd __attribute__ ((unused)),
   if (! mod)
     return grub_error (GRUB_ERR_BAD_ARGUMENT, "no such module");
 
+  if (grub_dl_is_persistent (mod))
+    return grub_error (GRUB_ERR_BAD_ARGUMENT, "cannot unload persistent module");
+
   if (grub_dl_unref (mod) <= 0)
     grub_dl_unload (mod);
 
diff --git a/include/grub/dl.h b/include/grub/dl.h
index 2bca56ce0..fee27a14c 100644
--- a/include/grub/dl.h
+++ b/include/grub/dl.h
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ struct grub_dl
 {
   char *name;
   int ref_count;
+  int persistent;
   grub_dl_dep_t dep;
   grub_dl_segment_t segment;
   Elf_Sym *symtab;
@@ -240,6 +241,18 @@ grub_dl_get (const char *name)
   return 0;
 }
 
+static inline void
+grub_dl_set_persistent (grub_dl_t mod)
+{
+  mod->persistent = 1;
+}
+
+static inline int
+grub_dl_is_persistent (grub_dl_t mod)
+{
+  return mod->persistent;
+}
+
 #endif
 
 grub_err_t grub_dl_register_symbol (const char *name, void *addr,