diff --git a/.changeset/smooth-kids-protect.md b/.changeset/smooth-kids-protect.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0fb92314608b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/smooth-kids-protect.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"svelte": patch
+---
+
+breaking: don't allow children in svelte:options
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/1-parse/state/element.js b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/1-parse/state/element.js
index 42c48a89ad74..bfaee9572d13 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/1-parse/state/element.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/1-parse/state/element.js
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export default function tag(parser) {
 	if (root_only_meta_tags.has(name)) {
 		if (is_closing_tag) {
 			if (
-				(name === 'svelte:window' || name === 'svelte:body' || name === 'svelte:document') &&
+				['svelte:options', 'svelte:window', 'svelte:body', 'svelte:document'].includes(name) &&
 				/** @type {import('#compiler').ElementLike} */ (parent).fragment.nodes.length
 			) {
 				error(
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/compiler-errors/samples/options-children/_config.js b/packages/svelte/tests/compiler-errors/samples/options-children/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d08406c499f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/compiler-errors/samples/options-children/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import { test } from '../../test';
+
+export default test({
+	error: {
+		code: 'invalid-element-content',
+		message: '<svelte:options> cannot have children',
+		position: [16, 16]
+	}
+});
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/compiler-errors/samples/options-children/main.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/compiler-errors/samples/options-children/main.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ed05227a9f09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/compiler-errors/samples/options-children/main.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<svelte:options>contents</svelte:options>