diff --git a/src/api2/tape/backup.rs b/src/api2/tape/backup.rs
index 581f98de..4ae03059 100644
--- a/src/api2/tape/backup.rs
+++ b/src/api2/tape/backup.rs
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ use crate::{
             pool: {
                 schema: MEDIA_POOL_NAME_SCHEMA,
             },
+            "eject-media": {
+                description: "Eject media upon job completion.",
+                type: bool,
+                optional: true,
+            },
         },
     },
     returns: {
@@ -61,6 +66,7 @@ use crate::{
 pub fn backup(
     store: String,
     pool: String,
+    eject_media: Option<bool>,
     rpcenv: &mut dyn RpcEnvironment,
 ) -> Result<Value, Error> {
 
@@ -77,20 +83,20 @@ pub fn backup(
 
     let to_stdout = if rpcenv.env_type() == RpcEnvironmentType::CLI { true } else { false };
 
+    let eject_media = eject_media.unwrap_or(false);
+
     let upid_str = WorkerTask::new_thread(
         "tape-backup",
         Some(store.clone()),
         auth_id,
         to_stdout,
         move |worker| {
-            backup_worker(&worker, datastore, &pool_config)?;
+            backup_worker(&worker, datastore, &pool_config, eject_media)?;
             Ok(())
         }
     )?;
 
     Ok(upid_str.into())
-
-
 }
 
 pub const ROUTER: Router = Router::new()
@@ -101,6 +107,7 @@ fn backup_worker(
     worker: &WorkerTask,
     datastore: Arc<DataStore>,
     pool_config: &MediaPoolConfig,
+    eject_media: bool,
 ) -> Result<(), Error> {
 
     let status_path = Path::new(TAPE_STATUS_DIR);
@@ -135,6 +142,11 @@ fn backup_worker(
 
     pool_writer.commit()?;
 
+    if eject_media {
+        worker.log(format!("ejection backup media"));
+        pool_writer.eject_media()?;
+    }
+
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/src/bin/proxmox-tape.rs b/src/bin/proxmox-tape.rs
index 1c06f334..76c40d76 100644
--- a/src/bin/proxmox-tape.rs
+++ b/src/bin/proxmox-tape.rs
@@ -718,6 +718,11 @@ async fn clean_drive(
             pool: {
                 schema: MEDIA_POOL_NAME_SCHEMA,
             },
+            "eject-media": {
+                description: "Eject media upon job completion.",
+                type: bool,
+                optional: true,
+            },
         },
     },
 )]
diff --git a/src/tape/pool_writer.rs b/src/tape/pool_writer.rs
index 13b6caf8..616b0fcd 100644
--- a/src/tape/pool_writer.rs
+++ b/src/tape/pool_writer.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ use crate::{
         tape_write_snapshot_archive,
         request_and_load_media,
         tape_alert_flags_critical,
+        media_changer,
         file_formats::MediaSetLabel,
     },
 };
@@ -106,6 +107,24 @@ impl PoolWriter {
         self.media_set_catalog.contains_snapshot(snapshot)
     }
 
+    /// Eject media and drop PoolWriterState (close drive)
+    pub fn eject_media(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let mut status = match self.status.take() {
+            Some(status) => status,
+            None => return Ok(()), // no media loaded
+        };
+
+        let (drive_config, _digest) = crate::config::drive::config()?;
+
+        if let Some((mut changer, _)) = media_changer(&drive_config, &self.drive_name)? {
+            changer.unload_media(None)?;
+        } else {
+            status.drive.eject_media()?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     /// commit changes to tape and catalog
     ///
     /// This is done automatically during a backupsession, but needs to