diff --git a/sbin/bectl/bectl.8 b/sbin/bectl/bectl.8
index daff7306b0dd..fce3d606b366 100644
--- a/sbin/bectl/bectl.8
+++ b/sbin/bectl/bectl.8
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd December 25, 2018
+.Dd February 10, 2019
 .Dt BECTL 8
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 .Ar beName@snapshot
 .Nm
 .Cm destroy
-.Op Fl F
+.Op Fl \&Fo
 .Brq Ar beName | beName@snapshot
 .Nm
 .Cm export
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ If the
 flag is given, a recursive boot environment will be made.
 .It Xo
 .Cm destroy
-.Op Fl F
+.Op Fl \&Fo
 .Brq Ar beName | beName@snapshot
 .Xc
 Destroys the given
@@ -136,6 +136,14 @@ snapshot without confirmation, unlike in
 Specifying
 .Fl F
 will automatically unmount without confirmation.
+.Pp
+By default,
+.Nm
+will warn that it is not destroying the origin of
+.Ar beName .
+The
+.Fl o
+flag may be specified to destroy the origin as well.
 .It Cm export Ar sourceBe
 Export
 .Ar sourceBe
diff --git a/sbin/bectl/bectl.c b/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
index 06e64cdda9d0..366fa048a893 100644
--- a/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
+++ b/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
@@ -341,15 +341,18 @@ bectl_cmd_add(int argc, char *argv[])
 static int
 bectl_cmd_destroy(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	char *target;
-	int opt, err;
-	bool force;
+	nvlist_t *props;
+	char *origin, *target, targetds[BE_MAXPATHLEN];
+	int err, flags, opt;
 
-	force = false;
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "F")) != -1) {
+	flags = 0;
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "Fo")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
 		case 'F':
-			force = true;
+			flags |= BE_DESTROY_FORCE;
+			break;
+		case 'o':
+			flags |= BE_DESTROY_ORIGIN;
 			break;
 		default:
 			fprintf(stderr, "bectl destroy: unknown option '-%c'\n",
@@ -368,7 +371,24 @@ bectl_cmd_destroy(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	target = argv[0];
 
-	err = be_destroy(be, target, force);
+	/* We'll emit a notice if there's an origin to be cleaned up */
+	if ((flags & BE_DESTROY_ORIGIN) == 0 && strchr(target, '@') == NULL) {
+		if (be_root_concat(be, target, targetds) != 0)
+			goto destroy;
+		if (be_prop_list_alloc(&props) != 0)
+			goto destroy;
+		if (be_get_dataset_props(be, targetds, props) != 0) {
+			be_prop_list_free(props);
+			goto destroy;
+		}
+		if (nvlist_lookup_string(props, "origin", &origin) == 0)
+			fprintf(stderr, "bectl destroy: leaving origin '%s' intact\n",
+			    origin);
+		be_prop_list_free(props);
+	}
+
+destroy:
+	err = be_destroy(be, target, flags);
 
 	return (err);
 }