diff --git a/docs/busybox.sgml b/docs/busybox.sgml
index aa3c37692..dacc13249 100644
--- a/docs/busybox.sgml
+++ b/docs/busybox.sgml
@@ -2788,7 +2788,7 @@
 
 		<para>
 		<screen>
-			-a	Try to remove all unused kernel modules
+			-a	Remove all unused modules (recursively)
 		</screen>
 		</para>
 
diff --git a/include/libbb.h b/include/libbb.h
index 5f437a95f..3523cc410 100644
--- a/include/libbb.h
+++ b/include/libbb.h
@@ -357,6 +357,8 @@ typedef struct {
 extern procps_status_t * procps_scan(int save_user_arg0);
 extern unsigned short compare_string_array(const char *string_array[], const char *key);
 
+extern int my_query_module(const char *name, int which, void **buf, size_t *bufsize, size_t *ret);
+
 typedef struct llist_s {
 	char *data;
 	struct llist_s *link;
diff --git a/include/usage.h b/include/usage.h
index 3b519e65d..16dd6fd78 100644
--- a/include/usage.h
+++ b/include/usage.h
@@ -1722,7 +1722,7 @@
 #define rmmod_full_usage \
 	"Unloads the specified kernel modules from the kernel.\n\n" \
 	"Options:\n" \
-	"\t-a\tTry to remove all unused kernel modules."
+	"\t-a\tRemove all unused modules (recursively)"
 #define rmmod_example_usage \
 	"$ rmmod tulip\n"
 
diff --git a/libbb/Makefile.in b/libbb/Makefile.in
index 3f4e77314..c97f7d2b3 100644
--- a/libbb/Makefile.in
+++ b/libbb/Makefile.in
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ LIBBB_SRC:= \
 	my_getpwnam.c my_getpwnamegid.c my_getpwuid.c obscure.c parse_mode.c \
 	parse_number.c perror_msg.c perror_msg_and_die.c print_file.c \
 	process_escape_sequence.c procps.c pwd2spwd.c pw_encrypt.c \
-	read_package_field.c recursive_action.c remove_file.c \
+	qmodule.c read_package_field.c recursive_action.c remove_file.c \
 	restricted_shell.c run_parts.c run_shell.c safe_read.c safe_strncpy.c \
 	setup_environment.c simplify_path.c syscalls.c syslog_msg_with_name.c \
 	time_string.c trim.c u_signal_names.c vdprintf.c verror_msg.c \
diff --git a/libbb/qmodule.c b/libbb/qmodule.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd14d10fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libbb/qmodule.c
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+/*
+   Copyright (C) 2002 Tim Riker <Tim@Rikers.org>
+   everyone seems to claim it someplace. ;-)
+*/
+
+#include <errno.h>
+
+#include "libbb.h"
+
+int query_module(const char *name, int which, void *buf, size_t bufsize, size_t *ret);
+
+int my_query_module(const char *name, int which, void **buf,
+		size_t *bufsize, size_t *ret)
+{
+	int my_ret;
+
+	my_ret = query_module(name, which, *buf, *bufsize, ret);
+
+	if (my_ret == -1 && errno == ENOSPC) {
+		*buf = xrealloc(*buf, *ret);
+		*bufsize = *ret;
+
+		my_ret = query_module(name, which, *buf, *bufsize, ret);
+	}
+
+	return my_ret;
+}
+
+
diff --git a/modutils/lsmod.c b/modutils/lsmod.c
index d51da2d16..0d5ac756b 100644
--- a/modutils/lsmod.c
+++ b/modutils/lsmod.c
@@ -98,23 +98,6 @@ static const int NEW_MOD_VISITED = 8;
 static const int NEW_MOD_USED_ONCE = 16;
 static const int NEW_MOD_INITIALIZING = 64;
 
-static int my_query_module(const char *name, int which, void **buf,
-		size_t *bufsize, size_t *ret)
-{
-	int my_ret;
-
-	my_ret = query_module(name, which, *buf, *bufsize, ret);
-
-	if (my_ret == -1 && errno == ENOSPC) {
-		*buf = xrealloc(*buf, *ret);
-		*bufsize = *ret;
-
-		my_ret = query_module(name, which, *buf, *bufsize, ret);
-	}
-
-	return my_ret;
-}
-
 extern int lsmod_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	struct module_info info;
diff --git a/modutils/rmmod.c b/modutils/rmmod.c
index affe975fa..0103d9145 100644
--- a/modutils/rmmod.c
+++ b/modutils/rmmod.c
@@ -34,14 +34,30 @@ extern int delete_module(const char * name);
 extern int rmmod_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int n, ret = EXIT_SUCCESS;
+	size_t nmod = 0; /* number of modules */
+	size_t pnmod = -1; /* previous number of modules */
+	void *buf; /* hold the module names which we ignore but must get */
+	size_t bufsize = 0;
 
 	/* Parse command line. */
 	while ((n = getopt(argc, argv, "a")) != EOF) {
 		switch (n) {
 			case 'a':
 				/* Unload _all_ unused modules via NULL delete_module() call */
-				if (delete_module(NULL))
-					perror_msg_and_die("rmmod");
+				/* until the number of modules does not change */
+				buf = xmalloc(bufsize = 256);
+				while (nmod != pnmod) {
+					if (delete_module(NULL))
+						perror_msg_and_die("rmmod");
+					pnmod = nmod;
+					/* 1 == QM_MODULES */
+					if (my_query_module(NULL, 1, &buf, &bufsize, &nmod)) {
+						perror_msg_and_die("QM_MODULES");
+					}
+				}
+#ifdef CONFIG_FEATURE_CLEAN_UP
+				free(buf);
+#endif
 				return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 			default:
 				show_usage();