diff --git a/doc/source/design/module-tags.rst b/doc/source/design/module-tags.rst
index cee63b1b..720ee4fd 100644
--- a/doc/source/design/module-tags.rst
+++ b/doc/source/design/module-tags.rst
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ Specification
     - ``super-sticky``: loaded module cannot be unloaded even if forced
     - ``hidden-loaded``: loaded module not reported by default in ``list`` result
 
+- Tags inherited from module state cannot be set with ``module-tag`` command
+
+    - An error is otherwise thrown
+
 - Modules project may introduce in the future new tags inherited from new states or new specific behaviors
 
     - These new tags will supersede tags set by users using the same naming
diff --git a/modulecmd.tcl.in b/modulecmd.tcl.in
index 0effa233..db2ee29a 100644
--- a/modulecmd.tcl.in
+++ b/modulecmd.tcl.in
@@ -2675,6 +2675,10 @@ proc module-tag {args} {
    if {![info exists modarglist]} {
       knerror {No module specified in argument}
    }
+   if {[isInList [list loaded auto-loaded forbidden nearly-forbidden hidden]\
+      $tag]} {
+      knerror "'$tag' is a reserved tag name and cannot be set"
+   }
 
    # skip tag record if application criteria are not met
    if {$apply} {
diff --git a/testsuite/modulefiles.3/tag/.modulerc b/testsuite/modulefiles.3/tag/.modulerc
index e8c99b3f..ae674fcc 100644
--- a/testsuite/modulefiles.3/tag/.modulerc
+++ b/testsuite/modulefiles.3/tag/.modulerc
@@ -23,6 +23,21 @@ if {[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR4)]} {
 if {[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR5)]} {
     module-tag --after 2020-11-01 foo tag/5.0
 }
+if {[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR6)]} {
+    module-tag loaded tag/5.0
+}
+if {[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR7)]} {
+    module-tag auto-loaded tag/5.0
+}
+if {[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR8)]} {
+    module-tag forbidden tag/5.0
+}
+if {[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR9)]} {
+    module-tag nearly-forbidden tag/5.0
+}
+if {[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR10)]} {
+    module-tag hidden tag/5.0
+}
 
 if {[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_SET1)]} {
     module-tag foo tag/5.0 tag/6.0
diff --git a/testsuite/modules.50-cmds/440-module-tag.exp b/testsuite/modules.50-cmds/440-module-tag.exp
index e9234446..c8ff3606 100644
--- a/testsuite/modules.50-cmds/440-module-tag.exp
+++ b/testsuite/modules.50-cmds/440-module-tag.exp
@@ -134,6 +134,86 @@ unsetenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR5
 # same error rendering than module-tag/module-forbid, so rely on tests made for
 # these two modulefile commands to check contexts other than load
 
+# test use of reserved tag name
+setenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR6 1
+set errmsg {module-tag loaded tag/5.0}
+if {[cmpversion $tclsh_version 8.6] == -1} {
+    set custom "    invoked from within
+\"if \{\[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR6)\]\} \{
+    $errmsg
+\}\""
+    set linenum 26
+} else {
+    set custom {}
+    set linenum 27
+}
+set tserr [msg_moderr {'loaded' is a reserved tag name and cannot be set} $errmsg $mp/tag/.modulerc $linenum {  } {} {} $custom]
+testouterr_cmd sh {load tag/5.0} $ans $tserr
+unsetenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR6
+
+setenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR7 1
+set errmsg {module-tag auto-loaded tag/5.0}
+if {[cmpversion $tclsh_version 8.6] == -1} {
+    set custom "    invoked from within
+\"if \{\[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR7)\]\} \{
+    $errmsg
+\}\""
+    set linenum 29
+} else {
+    set custom {}
+    set linenum 30
+}
+set tserr [msg_moderr {'auto-loaded' is a reserved tag name and cannot be set} $errmsg $mp/tag/.modulerc $linenum {  } {} {} $custom]
+testouterr_cmd sh {load tag/5.0} $ans $tserr
+unsetenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR7
+
+setenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR8 1
+set errmsg {module-tag forbidden tag/5.0}
+if {[cmpversion $tclsh_version 8.6] == -1} {
+    set custom "    invoked from within
+\"if \{\[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR8)\]\} \{
+    $errmsg
+\}\""
+    set linenum 32
+} else {
+    set custom {}
+    set linenum 33
+}
+set tserr [msg_moderr {'forbidden' is a reserved tag name and cannot be set} $errmsg $mp/tag/.modulerc $linenum {  } {} {} $custom]
+testouterr_cmd sh {load tag/5.0} $ans $tserr
+unsetenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR8
+
+setenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR9 1
+set errmsg {module-tag nearly-forbidden tag/5.0}
+if {[cmpversion $tclsh_version 8.6] == -1} {
+    set custom "    invoked from within
+\"if \{\[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR9)\]\} \{
+    $errmsg
+\}\""
+    set linenum 35
+} else {
+    set custom {}
+    set linenum 36
+}
+set tserr [msg_moderr {'nearly-forbidden' is a reserved tag name and cannot be set} $errmsg $mp/tag/.modulerc $linenum {  } {} {} $custom]
+testouterr_cmd sh {load tag/5.0} $ans $tserr
+unsetenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR9
+
+setenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR10 1
+set errmsg {module-tag hidden tag/5.0}
+if {[cmpversion $tclsh_version 8.6] == -1} {
+    set custom "    invoked from within
+\"if \{\[info exists env(TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR10)\]\} \{
+    $errmsg
+\}\""
+    set linenum 38
+} else {
+    set custom {}
+    set linenum 39
+}
+set tserr [msg_moderr {'hidden' is a reserved tag name and cannot be set} $errmsg $mp/tag/.modulerc $linenum {  } {} {} $custom]
+testouterr_cmd sh {load tag/5.0} $ans $tserr
+unsetenv_var TESTSUITE_MODULE_TAG_ERR10
 
 #
 # regular usages