diff --git a/hgext/record.py b/hgext/record.py
--- a/hgext/record.py
+++ b/hgext/record.py
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ def record(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
 
     This command is not available when committing a merge.'''
 
+    if not ui.interactive():
+        raise util.Abort(_('running non-interactively, use %s instead') %
+                         'commit')
+
     opts["interactive"] = True
     backup = ui.backupconfig('experimental', 'crecord')
     try:
diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -1480,7 +1480,7 @@ def commit(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
     """
     if opts.get('interactive'):
         opts.pop('interactive')
-        cmdutil.dorecord(ui, repo, commit, 'commit', False,
+        cmdutil.dorecord(ui, repo, commit, None, False,
                         cmdutil.recordfilter, *pats, **opts)
         return
 
diff --git a/tests/test-commit-interactive.t b/tests/test-commit-interactive.t
--- a/tests/test-commit-interactive.t
+++ b/tests/test-commit-interactive.t
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ Select no files
   $ touch empty-rw
   $ hg add empty-rw
 
+  $ hg record --config ui.interactive=false
+  abort: running non-interactively, use commit instead
+  [255]
+  $ hg commit -i --config ui.interactive=false
+  abort: running non-interactively
+  [255]
   $ hg commit -i empty-rw<<EOF
   > n
   > EOF