diff --git a/desloppify/app/cli_support/parser_groups_plan_impl_sections_cluster.py b/desloppify/app/cli_support/parser_groups_plan_impl_sections_cluster.py
index dea394f5..def2a8bd 100644
--- a/desloppify/app/cli_support/parser_groups_plan_impl_sections_cluster.py
+++ b/desloppify/app/cli_support/parser_groups_plan_impl_sections_cluster.py
@@ -105,8 +105,20 @@ def _add_cluster_subparser(plan_sub) -> None:
     p_cu.add_argument("--effort", type=str, default=None,
                       choices=["trivial", "small", "medium", "large"],
                       help="Effort tag for --add-step or --update-step")
-    p_cu.add_argument("--depends-on", nargs="+", default=None, metavar="CLUSTER",
-                      help="Cluster(s) this cluster depends on")
+    dependency_options = p_cu.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
+    dependency_options.add_argument(
+        "--depends-on",
+        nargs="+",
+        default=None,
+        metavar="CLUSTER",
+        help="Cluster(s) this cluster depends on",
+    )
+    dependency_options.add_argument(
+        "--clear-depends-on",
+        action="store_true",
+        default=False,
+        help="Clear all cluster dependencies",
+    )
     p_cu.add_argument("--issue-refs", nargs="+", default=None, metavar="REF",
                       help="Issue refs for --add-step or --update-step")
 
diff --git a/desloppify/app/commands/plan/cluster/update_flow.py b/desloppify/app/commands/plan/cluster/update_flow.py
index 80d3d92d..7cea5994 100644
--- a/desloppify/app/commands/plan/cluster/update_flow.py
+++ b/desloppify/app/commands/plan/cluster/update_flow.py
@@ -131,7 +131,11 @@ def build_request(args) -> ClusterUpdateRequest:
         undone_step=getattr(args, "undone_step", None),
         priority=getattr(args, "priority", None),
         effort=getattr(args, "effort", None),
-        depends_on=getattr(args, "depends_on", None),
+        depends_on=(
+            []
+            if getattr(args, "clear_depends_on", False)
+            else getattr(args, "depends_on", None)
+        ),
         issue_refs=getattr(args, "issue_refs", None),
     )
 
@@ -196,7 +200,10 @@ def _apply_cluster_metadata(
         print(services.colorize_fn(f"  Unknown cluster(s): {', '.join(bad)}", "red"))
         return False
     cluster["depends_on_clusters"] = request.depends_on
-    print(services.colorize_fn(f"  Dependencies set: {', '.join(request.depends_on)}", "dim"))
+    if request.depends_on:
+        print(services.colorize_fn(f"  Dependencies set: {', '.join(request.depends_on)}", "dim"))
+    else:
+        print(services.colorize_fn("  Dependencies cleared.", "dim"))
     return True
 
 
diff --git a/desloppify/tests/commands/plan/test_cluster_ops_direct.py b/desloppify/tests/commands/plan/test_cluster_ops_direct.py
index 0ed4c6f9..031f4db8 100644
--- a/desloppify/tests/commands/plan/test_cluster_ops_direct.py
+++ b/desloppify/tests/commands/plan/test_cluster_ops_direct.py
@@ -449,6 +449,41 @@ def test_cluster_update_direct_paths(capsys) -> None:
     assert "Nothing to update" in out2
 
 
+def test_cluster_update_clears_dependencies(capsys) -> None:
+    plan = {
+        "clusters": {
+            "alpha": {
+                "issue_ids": [],
+                "action_steps": [],
+                "depends_on_clusters": ["beta"],
+            },
+            "beta": {"issue_ids": []},
+        }
+    }
+    saved: list[dict] = []
+    args = argparse.Namespace(cluster_name="alpha", clear_depends_on=True)
+    services = cluster_update_flow_mod.ClusterUpdateServices(
+        load_plan_fn=lambda: plan,
+        save_plan_fn=lambda payload: saved.append(payload),
+        append_log_entry_fn=lambda *_a, **_k: None,
+        parse_steps_file_fn=lambda _text: [],
+        normalize_step_fn=lambda step: {"title": str(step)},
+        step_summary_fn=lambda step: str(step),
+        utc_now_fn=lambda: "2026-03-09T00:00:00+00:00",
+        colorize_fn=lambda text, _tone: text,
+    )
+
+    cluster_update_mod.cmd_cluster_update(
+        args,
+        services=services,
+        plan_lock_fn=lambda: nullcontext(),
+    )
+
+    assert plan["clusters"]["alpha"]["depends_on_clusters"] == []
+    assert saved == [plan]
+    assert "Dependencies cleared." in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+
 def test_cluster_update_steps_file_parse_failure_raises_command_error(tmp_path) -> None:
     plan = {"clusters": {"alpha": {"issue_ids": [], "action_steps": []}}}
     steps_file = tmp_path / "steps.md"
diff --git a/desloppify/tests/commands/test_parser_groups_option_sections_direct.py b/desloppify/tests/commands/test_parser_groups_option_sections_direct.py
index 1e61c9ec..643aa00e 100644
--- a/desloppify/tests/commands/test_parser_groups_option_sections_direct.py
+++ b/desloppify/tests/commands/test_parser_groups_option_sections_direct.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 import argparse
 
+import pytest
+
 from desloppify.app.cli_support.parser_groups_admin_review_options_batch import (
     _add_batch_execution_options,
 )
@@ -272,6 +274,31 @@ def test_plan_cluster_triage_commit_and_scan_gate_subparsers() -> None:
     assert cluster_update.depends_on == ["base", "parser"]
     assert cluster_update.issue_refs == ["test_coverage::a", "test_coverage::b"]
 
+    clear_dependencies = parser.parse_args(
+        [
+            "plan",
+            "cluster",
+            "update",
+            "auto/test_coverage",
+            "--clear-depends-on",
+        ]
+    )
+    assert clear_dependencies.clear_depends_on is True
+    assert clear_dependencies.depends_on is None
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+        parser.parse_args(
+            [
+                "plan",
+                "cluster",
+                "update",
+                "auto/test_coverage",
+                "--depends-on",
+                "base",
+                "--clear-depends-on",
+            ]
+        )
+
     triage_args = parser.parse_args(
         [
             "plan",