diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 61accfe0..7134a2f1 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -1726,11 +1726,10 @@ for details.\n\n"));
           if (fstat (fileno (output_stream), &st) == 0 && S_ISREG (st.st_mode))
             output_stream_regular = true;
         }
-      if (!output_stream_regular && opt.convert_links)
+      if (!output_stream_regular && (opt.convert_links || opt.recursive))
         {
-          fprintf (stderr, _("-k can be used together with -O only if \
+          fprintf (stderr, _("-k or -r can be used together with -O only if \
 outputting to a regular file.\n"));
-          print_usage (1);
           exit (WGET_EXIT_GENERIC_ERROR);
         }
     }