diff --git a/src/bin/cargo/cli.rs b/src/bin/cargo/cli.rs
index 00e528d80f7..26f75ee8b7f 100644
--- a/src/bin/cargo/cli.rs
+++ b/src/bin/cargo/cli.rs
@@ -242,11 +242,15 @@ fn expand_aliases(
             (Some(_), None) => {
                 // Command is built-in and is not conflicting with alias, but contains ignored values.
                 if let Some(mut values) = args.get_many::<String>("") {
-                    config.shell().warn(format!(
-                        "trailing arguments after built-in command `{}` are ignored: `{}`",
+                    return Err(anyhow::format_err!(
+                        "\
+trailing arguments after built-in command `{}` are unsupported: `{}`
+
+To pass the arguments to the subcommand, remove `--`",
                         cmd,
                         values.join(" "),
-                    ))?;
+                    )
+                    .into());
                 }
             }
             (None, None) => {}
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/cargo_alias_config.rs b/tests/testsuite/cargo_alias_config.rs
index 6777aeabf84..7d09557e0ad 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/cargo_alias_config.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/cargo_alias_config.rs
@@ -324,11 +324,12 @@ fn weird_check() {
         .build();
 
     p.cargo("-- check --invalid_argument -some-other-argument")
+        .with_status(101)
         .with_stderr(
             "\
-[WARNING] trailing arguments after built-in command `check` are ignored: `--invalid_argument -some-other-argument`
-[CHECKING] foo v0.5.0 ([..])
-[FINISHED] dev [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in [..]
+[ERROR] trailing arguments after built-in command `check` are unsupported: `--invalid_argument -some-other-argument`
+
+To pass the arguments to the subcommand, remove `--`
 ",
         )
         .run();