diff --git a/qemu-img-cmds.hx b/qemu-img-cmds.hx
index 55aec6b..e2ceadf 100644
--- a/qemu-img-cmds.hx
+++ b/qemu-img-cmds.hx
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
 ETEXI
 
 DEF("commit", img_commit,
-    "commit [-q] [-f fmt] [-t cache] filename")
+    "commit [-q] [-f fmt] [-t cache] [-d] filename")
 STEXI
-@item commit [-q] [-f @var{fmt}] [-t @var{cache}] @var{filename}
+@item commit [-q] [-f @var{fmt}] [-t @var{cache}] [-d] @var{filename}
 ETEXI
 
 DEF("compare", img_compare,
diff --git a/qemu-img.c b/qemu-img.c
index 494146d..cf8c01c 100644
--- a/qemu-img.c
+++ b/qemu-img.c
@@ -757,14 +757,14 @@
     const char *filename, *fmt, *cache;
     BlockBackend *blk;
     BlockDriverState *bs, *base_bs;
-    bool quiet = false;
+    bool quiet = false, drop = false;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     CommonBlockJobCBInfo cbi;
 
     fmt = NULL;
     cache = BDRV_DEFAULT_CACHE;
     for(;;) {
-        c = getopt(argc, argv, "f:ht:q");
+        c = getopt(argc, argv, "f:ht:dq");
         if (c == -1) {
             break;
         }
@@ -779,6 +779,9 @@
         case 't':
             cache = optarg;
             break;
+        case 'd':
+            drop = true;
+            break;
         case 'q':
             quiet = true;
             break;
@@ -789,7 +792,7 @@
     }
     filename = argv[optind++];
 
-    flags = BDRV_O_RDWR;
+    flags = BDRV_O_RDWR | BDRV_O_UNMAP;
     ret = bdrv_parse_cache_flags(cache, &flags);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Invalid cache option: %s", cache);
@@ -822,7 +825,32 @@
         goto done;
     }
 
+    /* The block job will swap base_bs and bs (which is not what we really want
+     * here, but okay) and unref base_bs (after the swap, i.e., the old top
+     * image). In order to still be able to empty that top image afterwards,
+     * increment the reference counter here preemptively. */
+    if (!drop) {
+        bdrv_ref(base_bs);
+    }
+
     run_block_job(bs->job, &local_err);
+    if (local_err) {
+        goto unref_backing;
+    }
+
+    if (!drop && base_bs->drv->bdrv_make_empty) {
+        ret = base_bs->drv->bdrv_make_empty(base_bs);
+        if (ret) {
+            error_setg_errno(&local_err, -ret, "Could not empty %s",
+                             filename);
+            goto unref_backing;
+        }
+    }
+
+unref_backing:
+    if (!drop) {
+        bdrv_unref(base_bs);
+    }
 
 done:
     blk_unref(blk);
diff --git a/qemu-img.texi b/qemu-img.texi
index e3ef4a0..420bd91 100644
--- a/qemu-img.texi
+++ b/qemu-img.texi
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@
 The size can also be specified using the @var{size} option with @code{-o},
 it doesn't need to be specified separately in this case.
 
-@item commit [-f @var{fmt}] [-t @var{cache}] @var{filename}
+@item commit [-f @var{fmt}] [-t @var{cache}] [-d] @var{filename}
 
 Commit the changes recorded in @var{filename} in its base image or backing file.
 If the backing file is smaller than the snapshot, then the backing file will be
@@ -176,6 +176,10 @@
 backing file to match the size of the smaller snapshot, you can safely truncate
 it yourself once the commit operation successfully completes.
 
+The image @var{filename} is emptied after the operation has succeeded. If you do
+not need @var{filename} afterwards and intend to drop it, you may skip emptying
+@var{filename} by specifying the @code{-d} flag.
+
 @item compare [-f @var{fmt}] [-F @var{fmt}] [-T @var{src_cache}] [-p] [-s] [-q] @var{filename1} @var{filename2}
 
 Check if two images have the same content. You can compare images with