diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/logs/logs.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/logs/logs.go
index 84109d6a735..6a2f9c6631c 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/logs/logs.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/logs/logs.go
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ type LogsOptions struct {
 	LogsForObject    polymorphichelpers.LogsForObjectFunc
 
 	genericclioptions.IOStreams
+
+	TailSpecified bool
 }
 
 func NewLogsOptions(streams genericclioptions.IOStreams, allContainers bool) *LogsOptions {
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ func (o *LogsOptions) ToLogOptions() (*corev1.PodLogOptions, error) {
 		logOptions.SinceSeconds = &sec
 	}
 
-	if len(o.Selector) > 0 && o.Tail == -1 {
+	if len(o.Selector) > 0 && o.Tail == -1 && !o.TailSpecified {
 		logOptions.TailLines = &selectorTail
 	} else if o.Tail != -1 {
 		logOptions.TailLines = &o.Tail
@@ -202,6 +204,7 @@ func (o *LogsOptions) ToLogOptions() (*corev1.PodLogOptions, error) {
 
 func (o *LogsOptions) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	o.ContainerNameSpecified = cmd.Flag("container").Changed
+	o.TailSpecified = cmd.Flag("tail").Changed
 	o.Resources = args
 
 	switch len(args) {
@@ -290,8 +293,8 @@ func (o LogsOptions) Validate() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("--since must be greater than 0")
 	}
 
-	if logsOptions.TailLines != nil && *logsOptions.TailLines < 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("TailLines must be greater than or equal to 0")
+	if logsOptions.TailLines != nil && *logsOptions.TailLines < -1 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("--tail must be greater than or equal to -1")
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/logs/logs_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/logs/logs_test.go
index b793a11aefb..e2b9da41b15 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/logs/logs_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/logs/logs_test.go
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ func TestValidateLogOptions(t *testing.T) {
 				return o
 			},
 			args:     []string{"foo"},
-			expected: "must be greater than or equal to 0",
+			expected: "--tail must be greater than or equal to -1",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "container name combined with --all-containers",