--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -2083,7 +2083,7 @@ def remove(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
entire project history. If the files still exist in the working
directory, they will be deleted from it. If invoked with --after,
files are marked as removed, but not actually unlinked unless --force
- is also given. Without an explicit pattern, --after will only mark
+ is also given. Without exact file names, --after will only mark
files as removed if they are no longer in the working directory.
This command schedules the files to be removed at the next commit.
@@ -2111,7 +2111,7 @@ def remove(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
reason = _('has been marked for add (use -f to force removal)')
elif abs in unknown:
reason = _('is not managed')
- elif opts['after'] and not pats and abs not in deleted:
+ elif opts['after'] and not exact and abs not in deleted:
continue
elif abs in removed:
continue