diff --git a/lib/internal/fs/recursive_watch.js b/lib/internal/fs/recursive_watch.js
index 85d84f9dd8f3..e65d3844fc8d 100644
--- a/lib/internal/fs/recursive_watch.js
+++ b/lib/internal/fs/recursive_watch.js
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ class FSWatcher extends EventEmitter {
         return;
       }
       if (statSync(file, { throwIfNoEntry: false }) === undefined) {
-        this.#emit('rename', file);
+        this.emit('change', 'rename', pathBasename(file));
         this.#forget(file);
       } else {
         this.emit('change', 'change', pathBasename(file));
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-watch-recursive-linux-directory-watchers.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-watch-recursive-linux-directory-watchers.js
index bb68893f2d40..516b02c7cc4b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-watch-recursive-linux-directory-watchers.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-watch-recursive-linux-directory-watchers.js
@@ -89,11 +89,10 @@ function watchUntil(target, done) {
   }
 
   {
-    // So is removing a watched root that is a file (with an empty filename,
-    // as before).
+    // Removing a watched root that is a file is reported.
     const lone = tmpdir.resolve('lone.txt');
     fs.writeFileSync(lone, 'x');
-    const events = watchUntil(lone, (seen) => seen.includes('rename '));
+    const events = watchUntil(lone, (seen) => seen.includes('rename lone.txt'));
     await delay();
     fs.rmSync(lone);
     await events;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-watch-recursive-root-file.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-watch-recursive-root-file.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..aa7b14e43b83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-watch-recursive-root-file.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const common = require('../common');
+
+if (!common.isLinux)
+  common.skip('the recursive watcher is native on this platform');
+
+const assert = require('assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const fsPromises = require('fs/promises');
+const path = require('path');
+const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
+
+tmpdir.refresh();
+
+(async () => {
+  const filename = 'root-file.txt';
+  const file = tmpdir.resolve(filename);
+  fs.writeFileSync(file, 'content');
+
+  const watcher = fsPromises.watch(file, { recursive: true });
+  const event = watcher.next();
+
+  process.nextTick(common.mustCall(() => fs.rmSync(file)));
+
+  try {
+    const { value, done } = await event;
+    assert.strictEqual(done, false);
+    assert.strictEqual(value.eventType, 'rename');
+    assert.strictEqual(value.filename, path.basename(file));
+  } finally {
+    await watcher.return();
+  }
+})().then(common.mustCall());