diff --git a/src/uu/mv/src/error.rs b/src/uu/mv/src/error.rs
index 103c1116a..7810c3a95 100644
--- a/src/uu/mv/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/uu/mv/src/error.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ pub enum MvError {
     DirectoryToNonDirectory(String),
     NonDirectoryToDirectory(String, String),
     NotADirectory(String),
+    TargetNotADirectory(String),
 }
 
 impl Error for MvError {}
@@ -34,7 +35,8 @@ impl Display for MvError {
             Self::NonDirectoryToDirectory(s, t) => {
                 write!(f, "cannot overwrite non-directory {t} with directory {s}")
             }
-            Self::NotADirectory(t) => write!(f, "target {t} is not a directory"),
+            Self::NotADirectory(t) => write!(f, "target {t}: Not a directory"),
+            Self::TargetNotADirectory(t) => write!(f, "target directory {t}: Not a directory"),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/uu/mv/src/mv.rs b/src/uu/mv/src/mv.rs
index d0a1a766f..53446dd8a 100644
--- a/src/uu/mv/src/mv.rs
+++ b/src/uu/mv/src/mv.rs
@@ -320,7 +320,12 @@ fn exec(files: &[OsString], b: &Behavior) -> UResult<()> {
 
 fn move_files_into_dir(files: &[PathBuf], target_dir: &Path, b: &Behavior) -> UResult<()> {
     if !target_dir.is_dir() {
-        return Err(MvError::NotADirectory(target_dir.quote().to_string()).into());
+        match b.target_dir {
+            Some(_) => {
+                return Err(MvError::TargetNotADirectory(target_dir.quote().to_string()).into())
+            }
+            None => return Err(MvError::NotADirectory(target_dir.quote().to_string()).into()),
+        }
     }
 
     let canonized_target_dir = target_dir