diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -4652,6 +4652,10 @@ def revert(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
         def badfn(path, msg):
             if path in names:
                 return
+            if path in repo[node].substate:
+                ui.warn("%s: %s\n" % (m.rel(path),
+                    'reverting subrepos is unsupported'))
+                return
             path_ = path + '/'
             for f in names:
                 if f.startswith(path_):
diff --git a/tests/test-subrepo.t b/tests/test-subrepo.t
--- a/tests/test-subrepo.t
+++ b/tests/test-subrepo.t
@@ -34,6 +34,18 @@ Issue2232: committing a subrepo without 
   $ hg ci -m1
   committing subrepository s
 
+Revert can't (yet) revert subrepos:
+
+  $ echo b > s/a
+  $ hg revert s
+  s: reverting subrepos is unsupported
+
+Revert currently ignores subrepos by default
+
+  $ hg revert -a
+  $ hg revert -R s -a -C
+  reverting s/a
+
 Issue2022: update -C
 
   $ echo b > s/a