diff --git a/pandas/io/pytables.py b/pandas/io/pytables.py
index 4a1b12414bcc5..cfb70d5615e67 100644
--- a/pandas/io/pytables.py
+++ b/pandas/io/pytables.py
@@ -348,6 +348,10 @@ def read_hdf(path_or_buf, key=None, **kwargs):
         # so delegate to the iterator
         auto_close = True
 
+    # Remove kwargs which are only relevant for the HDFStore, to avoid triggering GH#16583
+    for arg in ('mode', 'complib', 'complevel', 'fletcher32'):
+        kwargs.pop(arg, None)
+
     try:
         if key is None:
             groups = store.groups()