diff --git a/src/api2/tape/media.rs b/src/api2/tape/media.rs
index a7f10efd..c2833420 100644
--- a/src/api2/tape/media.rs
+++ b/src/api2/tape/media.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 use std::path::Path;
 
-use anyhow::Error;
+use anyhow::{bail, format_err, Error};
 
-use proxmox::api::{api, Router, SubdirMap};
-use proxmox::list_subdirs_api_method;
+use proxmox::{
+    api::{api, Router, SubdirMap},
+    list_subdirs_api_method,
+};
 
 use crate::{
     config::{
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ use crate::{
     },
     api2::types::{
         MEDIA_POOL_NAME_SCHEMA,
+        MEDIA_LABEL_SCHEMA,
         MediaPoolConfig,
         MediaListEntry,
         MediaStatus,
@@ -154,7 +157,57 @@ pub async fn list_media(pool: Option<String>) -> Result<Vec<MediaListEntry>, Err
     Ok(list)
 }
 
+#[api(
+    input: {
+        properties: {
+            "changer-id": {
+                schema: MEDIA_LABEL_SCHEMA,
+            },
+            force: {
+                description: "Force removal (even if media is used in a media set).",
+                type: bool,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+        },
+    },
+)]
+/// Destroy media (completely remove from database)
+pub fn destroy_media(changer_id: String, force: Option<bool>,) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let force = force.unwrap_or(false);
+
+    let status_path = Path::new(TAPE_STATUS_DIR);
+    let mut inventory = Inventory::load(status_path)?;
+
+    let media_id = inventory.find_media_by_changer_id(&changer_id)
+        .ok_or_else(|| format_err!("no such media '{}'", changer_id))?;
+
+    if !force {
+        if let Some(ref set) = media_id.media_set_label {
+            let is_empty = set.uuid.as_ref() == [0u8;16];
+            if !is_empty {
+                bail!("media '{}' contains data (please use 'force' flag to remove.", changer_id);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    let uuid = media_id.label.uuid.clone();
+    drop(media_id);
+
+    inventory.remove_media(&uuid)?;
+
+    let mut state_db = MediaStateDatabase::load(status_path)?;
+    state_db.remove_media(&uuid)?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 const SUBDIRS: SubdirMap = &[
+    (
+        "destroy",
+        &Router::new()
+            .get(&API_METHOD_DESTROY_MEDIA)
+    ),
     (
         "list",
         &Router::new()
diff --git a/src/bin/proxmox_tape/media.rs b/src/bin/proxmox_tape/media.rs
index 783a4281..66d4408f 100644
--- a/src/bin/proxmox_tape/media.rs
+++ b/src/bin/proxmox_tape/media.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ use proxmox_backup::{
             MediaListEntry,
         },
     },
+    tape::complete_media_changer_id,
     config::{
         media_pool::complete_pool_name,
     },
@@ -33,6 +34,12 @@ pub fn media_commands() -> CommandLineInterface {
             CliCommand::new(&API_METHOD_LIST_MEDIA)
                 .completion_cb("pool", complete_pool_name)
         )
+        .insert(
+            "destroy-media",
+            CliCommand::new(&api2::tape::media::API_METHOD_DESTROY_MEDIA)
+                .arg_param(&["changer-id"])
+                .completion_cb("changer-id", complete_media_changer_id)
+        )
         ;
 
     cmd_def.into()
diff --git a/src/tape/inventory.rs b/src/tape/inventory.rs
index 7ce1fb08..1bb9377e 100644
--- a/src/tape/inventory.rs
+++ b/src/tape/inventory.rs
@@ -251,6 +251,16 @@ impl Inventory {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    /// Remove a single media persistently
+    pub fn remove_media(&mut self, uuid: &Uuid)  -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let _lock = self.lock()?;
+        self.map = Self::load_media_db(&self.inventory_path)?;
+        self.map.remove(uuid);
+        self.update_helpers();
+        self.replace_file()?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     /// Lookup media
     pub fn lookup_media(&self, uuid: &Uuid) -> Option<&MediaId> {
         self.map.get(uuid)
diff --git a/src/tape/media_state_database.rs b/src/tape/media_state_database.rs
index 270e2622..dafb66bb 100644
--- a/src/tape/media_state_database.rs
+++ b/src/tape/media_state_database.rs
@@ -201,6 +201,14 @@ impl MediaStateDatabase {
         self.store()
     }
 
+    /// Lock database, reload database, remove media, store database
+    pub fn remove_media(&mut self, uuid: &Uuid) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let _lock = self.lock()?;
+        self.map = Self::load_media_db(&self.database_path)?;
+        self.map.remove(uuid);
+        self.store()
+    }
+
     fn store(&self) -> Result<(), Error> {
 
         let mut list = Vec::new();