diff --git a/backend/s3/s3.go b/backend/s3/s3.go
index 63f1f46ba..2b0b0ff17 100644
--- a/backend/s3/s3.go
+++ b/backend/s3/s3.go
@@ -3022,6 +3022,14 @@ func (f *Fs) setUploadChunkSize(cs fs.SizeSuffix) (old fs.SizeSuffix, err error)
 	return
 }
 
+func checkCopyCutoff(cs fs.SizeSuffix) error {
+	minCopySize := fs.SizeSuffixBase
+	if cs < minCopySize {
+		return fmt.Errorf("value is too small (%v is less than %v)", cs, minCopySize)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func checkUploadCutoff(cs fs.SizeSuffix) error {
 	if cs > maxUploadCutoff {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%s is greater than %s", cs, maxUploadCutoff)
@@ -3322,6 +3330,10 @@ func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, e
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("s3: upload cutoff: %w", err)
 	}
+	err = checkCopyCutoff(opt.CopyCutoff)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("s3: --s3-copy-cutoff: %w", err)
+	}
 	if opt.Versions && opt.VersionAt.IsSet() {
 		return nil, errors.New("s3: can't use --s3-versions and --s3-version-at at the same time")
 	}