diff --git a/hbase-shell/src/main/ruby/hbase/table.rb b/hbase-shell/src/main/ruby/hbase/table.rb
index 4404eae4d9f..c93e75fc285 100644
--- a/hbase-shell/src/main/ruby/hbase/table.rb
+++ b/hbase-shell/src/main/ruby/hbase/table.rb
@@ -244,7 +244,11 @@ EOF
       # delete operation doesn't need read permission. Retaining the read check for
       # meta table as a part of HBASE-5837.
       if is_meta_table?
-        raise ArgumentError, 'Row Not Found' if _get_internal(row).nil?
+        if row.is_a?(Hash) and row.key?('ROWPREFIXFILTER')
+          raise ArgumentError, 'deleteall with ROWPREFIXFILTER in hbase:meta is not allowed.'
+        else
+          raise ArgumentError, 'Row Not Found' if _get_internal(row).nil?
+        end
       end
       if row.is_a?(Hash)
         _deleterows_internal(row, column, timestamp, args, all_version)
diff --git a/hbase-shell/src/test/ruby/hbase/table_test.rb b/hbase-shell/src/test/ruby/hbase/table_test.rb
index ee6f0f58967..cb274f814aa 100644
--- a/hbase-shell/src/test/ruby/hbase/table_test.rb
+++ b/hbase-shell/src/test/ruby/hbase/table_test.rb
@@ -194,6 +194,13 @@ module Hbase
       assert_nil(res2)
     end
 
+    define_test "deleteall with row prefix in hbase:meta should not be allowed." do
+      assert_raise(ArgumentError) do
+        @meta_table = table('hbase:meta')
+        @meta_table.deleteall({ROWPREFIXFILTER => "test_meta"})
+      end
+    end
+
     define_test "append should work with value" do
       @test_table.append("123", 'x:cnt2', '123')
       assert_equal("123123", @test_table._append_internal("123", 'x:cnt2', '123'))