diff --git a/src/uu/tr/src/tr.rs b/src/uu/tr/src/tr.rs
index 6c1c0746a..f8fabd69f 100644
--- a/src/uu/tr/src/tr.rs
+++ b/src/uu/tr/src/tr.rs
@@ -125,10 +125,17 @@ impl SymbolTranslator for DeleteAndSqueezeOperation {
 
 struct TranslateOperation {
     translate_map: FnvHashMap<usize, char>,
+    complement: bool,
+    s2_last: char,
 }
 
 impl TranslateOperation {
-    fn new(set1: ExpandSet, set2: &mut ExpandSet, truncate: bool) -> TranslateOperation {
+    fn new(
+        set1: ExpandSet,
+        set2: &mut ExpandSet,
+        truncate: bool,
+        complement: bool,
+    ) -> TranslateOperation {
         let mut map = FnvHashMap::default();
         let mut s2_prev = '_';
         for i in set1 {
@@ -141,13 +148,25 @@ impl TranslateOperation {
                 map.insert(i as usize, s2_prev);
             }
         }
-        TranslateOperation { translate_map: map }
+        TranslateOperation {
+            translate_map: map,
+            complement,
+            s2_last: s2_prev,
+        }
     }
 }
 
 impl SymbolTranslator for TranslateOperation {
     fn translate(&self, c: char, _prev_c: char) -> Option<char> {
-        Some(*self.translate_map.get(&(c as usize)).unwrap_or(&c))
+        if self.complement {
+            Some(if self.translate_map.contains_key(&(c as usize)) {
+                c
+            } else {
+                self.s2_last
+            })
+        } else {
+            Some(*self.translate_map.get(&(c as usize)).unwrap_or(&c))
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -256,11 +275,6 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> i32 {
         return 1;
     }
 
-    if complement_flag && !delete_flag && !squeeze_flag {
-        show_error!("-c is only supported with -d or -s");
-        return 1;
-    }
-
     let stdin = stdin();
     let mut locked_stdin = stdin.lock();
     let stdout = stdout();
@@ -282,8 +296,8 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> i32 {
         translate_input(&mut locked_stdin, &mut buffered_stdout, op);
     } else {
         let mut set2 = ExpandSet::new(sets[1].as_ref());
-        let op = TranslateOperation::new(set1, &mut set2, truncate_flag);
-        translate_input(&mut locked_stdin, &mut buffered_stdout, op)
+        let op = TranslateOperation::new(set1, &mut set2, truncate_flag, complement_flag);
+        translate_input(&mut locked_stdin, &mut buffered_stdout, op);
     }
 
     0
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_tr.rs b/tests/by-util/test_tr.rs
index 630c305c6..637c9b109 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_tr.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_tr.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,33 @@ fn test_delete_complement() {
         .stdout_is("ac");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_complement1() {
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .args(&["-c", "a", "X"])
+        .pipe_in("ab")
+        .run()
+        .stdout_is("aX");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_complement2() {
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .args(&["-c", "0-9", "x"])
+        .pipe_in("Phone: 01234 567890")
+        .run()
+        .stdout_is("xxxxxxx01234x567890");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_complement3() {
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .args(&["-c", "abcdefgh", "123"])
+        .pipe_in("the cat and the bat")
+        .run()
+        .stdout_is("3he3ca33a3d33he3ba3");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_squeeze() {
     new_ucmd!()