diff --git a/cmd/mkdir/mkdir.go b/cmd/mkdir/mkdir.go
index e773dc37a..33fa33667 100644
--- a/cmd/mkdir/mkdir.go
+++ b/cmd/mkdir/mkdir.go
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ package mkdir
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/cmd"
+	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/operations"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -18,6 +20,9 @@ var commandDefinition = &cobra.Command{
 	Run: func(command *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		cmd.CheckArgs(1, 1, command, args)
 		fdst := cmd.NewFsDir(args)
+		if !fdst.Features().CanHaveEmptyDirectories && strings.Contains(fdst.Root(), "/") {
+			fs.Logf(fdst, "Warning: running mkdir on a remote which can't have empty directories does nothing")
+		}
 		cmd.Run(true, false, command, func() error {
 			return operations.Mkdir(context.Background(), fdst, "")
 		})