diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/drop/column.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/drop/column.rs
index 83f2b621e4..6d917d50de 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/drop/column.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/drop/column.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ impl Command for DropColumn {
             1
         };
 
+        // Make columns to drop is positive
+        if columns_to_drop < 0 {
+            if let Some(expr) = call.positional_nth(0) {
+                return Err(ShellError::NeedsPositiveValue(expr.span));
+            }
+        }
+
         dropcol(engine_state, span, input, columns_to_drop)
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/drop.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/drop.rs
index 06d2668420..7a02eb09ca 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/drop.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/drop.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,17 @@ fn columns() {
     assert_eq!(actual.out, "1");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn drop_columns_positive_value() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: ".", pipeline(r#"
+            echo [[a, b];[1,2]] | drop column -1
+            "#)
+    );
+
+    assert!(actual.err.contains("use a positive value"));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn more_columns_than_table_has() {
     let actual = nu!(