diff --git a/src/bin/coreutils.rs b/src/bin/coreutils.rs
index 383115baa82..f81f40ff67b 100644
--- a/src/bin/coreutils.rs
+++ b/src/bin/coreutils.rs
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ fn main() {
 
         match util {
             "--list" => {
-                // If --help is also present, show usage instead of list
-                if args.any(|arg| arg == "--help" || arg == "-h") {
-                    usage(&utils, binary_as_util);
-                    process::exit(0);
+                // we should fail with additional args https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/issues/11383#issuecomment-4082564058
+                if args.next().is_some() {
+                    let _ = writeln!(io::stderr(), "coreutils: invalid argument");
+                    process::exit(1);
                 }
                 let mut out = io::stdout().lock();
                 for util in utils.keys() {
@@ -156,8 +156,13 @@ fn main() {
             }
         }
     } else {
-        // no arguments provided
-        usage(&utils, binary_as_util);
-        process::exit(0);
+        // GNU just fails, but busybox tests needs usage
+        // todo: patch the test suite instead
+        if binary_as_util.ends_with("box") {
+            usage(&utils, binary_as_util);
+        } else {
+            let _ = writeln!(io::stderr(), "coreutils: missing argument");
+        }
+        process::exit(1);
     }
 }