diff --git a/cmd/cmd.go b/cmd/cmd.go
index e2a03db5d..637b91b39 100644
--- a/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ func Main() {
 	setupRootCommand(Root)
 	AddBackendFlags()
 	if err := Root.Execute(); err != nil {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "unknown command") {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "unknown command") && selfupdateEnabled {
 			Root.PrintErrf("You could use '%s selfupdate' to get latest features.\n\n", Root.CommandPath())
 		}
 		log.Fatalf("Fatal error: %v", err)
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate/help.go b/cmd/selfupdate/help.go
index 791f20d42..fe9a63158 100644
--- a/cmd/selfupdate/help.go
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate/help.go
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// +build !noselfupdate
+
 package selfupdate
 
 // Note: "|" will be replaced by backticks in the help string below
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate/noselfupdate.go b/cmd/selfupdate/noselfupdate.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..41afd1c94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate/noselfupdate.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// +build noselfupdate
+
+package selfupdate
+
+import (
+	"github.com/rclone/rclone/lib/buildinfo"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	buildinfo.Tags = append(buildinfo.Tags, "noselfupdate")
+}
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate/selfupdate.go b/cmd/selfupdate/selfupdate.go
index bc48f0413..1789b9cb7 100644
--- a/cmd/selfupdate/selfupdate.go
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate/selfupdate.go
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// +build !noselfupdate
+
 package selfupdate
 
 import (
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate/selfupdate_test.go b/cmd/selfupdate/selfupdate_test.go
index 567643716..a9a889ba7 100644
--- a/cmd/selfupdate/selfupdate_test.go
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate/selfupdate_test.go
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// +build !noselfupdate
+
 package selfupdate
 
 import (
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate/verify.go b/cmd/selfupdate/verify.go
index 115119fed..0c135c75c 100644
--- a/cmd/selfupdate/verify.go
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate/verify.go
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// +build !noselfupdate
+
 package selfupdate
 
 import (
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate/writable_unix.go b/cmd/selfupdate/writable_unix.go
index f7c8a59fb..30cb8a9bf 100644
--- a/cmd/selfupdate/writable_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate/writable_unix.go
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // +build !windows,!plan9,!js
+// +build !noselfupdate
 
 package selfupdate
 
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate/writable_unsupported.go b/cmd/selfupdate/writable_unsupported.go
index 40f1d2429..bc68073d6 100644
--- a/cmd/selfupdate/writable_unsupported.go
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate/writable_unsupported.go
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // +build plan9 js
+// +build !noselfupdate
 
 package selfupdate
 
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate/writable_windows.go b/cmd/selfupdate/writable_windows.go
index 8270d3936..7e23f56dc 100644
--- a/cmd/selfupdate/writable_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate/writable_windows.go
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // +build windows
+// +build !noselfupdate
 
 package selfupdate
 
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate_disabled.go b/cmd/selfupdate_disabled.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3d666700b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate_disabled.go
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// +build noselfupdate
+
+package cmd
+
+const selfupdateEnabled = false
diff --git a/cmd/selfupdate_enabled.go b/cmd/selfupdate_enabled.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5ee10354a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/selfupdate_enabled.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+// +build !noselfupdate
+
+package cmd
+
+// This constant must be in the `cmd` package rather than `cmd/selfupdate`
+// to prevent build failure due to dependency loop.
+const selfupdateEnabled = true
diff --git a/lib/buildinfo/tags.go b/lib/buildinfo/tags.go
index 2982d7630..6e61a457d 100644
--- a/lib/buildinfo/tags.go
+++ b/lib/buildinfo/tags.go
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
-// Tags contains slice of build tags
+// Tags contains slice of build tags.
 // The `cmount` tag is added by cmd/cmount/mount.go only if build is static.
+// The `noselfupdate` tag is added by cmd/selfupdate/noselfupdate.go
 // Other tags including `cgo` are detected in this package.
 var Tags []string