diff --git a/include/osmocom/msc/vlr.h b/include/osmocom/msc/vlr.h
index b4bb27f..0b61a59 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/msc/vlr.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/msc/vlr.h
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@
 
 /* tell the VLR that the subscriber connection is gone */
 int vlr_subscr_disconnected(struct vlr_subscr *vsub);
-
+bool vlr_subscr_expire(struct vlr_subscr *vsub);
 int vlr_subscr_rx_id_resp(struct vlr_subscr *vsub, const uint8_t *mi, size_t mi_len);
 int vlr_subscr_rx_auth_resp(struct vlr_subscr *vsub, bool is_r99, bool is_utran,
 			    const uint8_t *res, uint8_t res_len);
diff --git a/src/libmsc/ctrl_commands.c b/src/libmsc/ctrl_commands.c
index c6236ed..b0625bb 100644
--- a/src/libmsc/ctrl_commands.c
+++ b/src/libmsc/ctrl_commands.c
@@ -59,11 +59,49 @@
 }
 CTRL_CMD_DEFINE_RO(subscriber_list, "subscriber-list-active-v1");
 
+CTRL_CMD_DEFINE_WO_NOVRF(sub_expire, "subscriber-expire");
+static int set_sub_expire(struct ctrl_cmd *cmd, void *data)
+{
+	struct vlr_subscr *vsub;
+
+	if (!msc_ctrl_net) {
+		cmd->reply = "MSC CTRL commands not initialized";
+		return CTRL_CMD_ERROR;
+	}
+
+	if (!msc_ctrl_net->vlr) {
+		cmd->reply = "VLR not initialized";
+		return CTRL_CMD_ERROR;
+	}
+
+	vsub = vlr_subscr_find_by_imsi(msc_ctrl_net->vlr, cmd->value);
+	if (!vsub) {
+		LOGP(DCTRL, LOGL_ERROR, "Attempt to expire unknown subscriber IMSI=%s\n", cmd->value);
+		cmd->reply = "IMSI unknown";
+		return CTRL_CMD_ERROR;
+	}
+
+	LOGP(DCTRL, LOGL_NOTICE, "Expiring subscriber IMSI=%s\n", cmd->value);
+
+	if (vlr_subscr_expire(vsub))
+		LOGP(DCTRL, LOGL_NOTICE, "VLR released subscriber %s\n", vlr_subscr_name(vsub));
+
+	if (vsub->use_count > 1)
+		LOGP(DCTRL, LOGL_NOTICE, "Subscriber %s is still in use, should be released soon\n",
+		     vlr_subscr_name(vsub));
+
+	vlr_subscr_put(vsub);
+
+	return CTRL_CMD_REPLY;
+}
+
 int msc_ctrl_cmds_install(struct gsm_network *net)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
 	msc_ctrl_net = net;
 
 	rc |= ctrl_cmd_install(CTRL_NODE_ROOT, &cmd_subscriber_list);
+	rc |= ctrl_cmd_install(CTRL_NODE_ROOT, &cmd_sub_expire);
+
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/src/libmsc/vty_interface_layer3.c b/src/libmsc/vty_interface_layer3.c
index 65ba178..c7ec586 100644
--- a/src/libmsc/vty_interface_layer3.c
+++ b/src/libmsc/vty_interface_layer3.c
@@ -572,12 +572,9 @@
 		return CMD_WARNING;
 	}
 
-	if (vsub->lu_complete) {
-		vsub->lu_complete = false;
-		vlr_subscr_put(vsub);
+	if (vlr_subscr_expire(vsub))
 		vty_out(vty, "%% VLR released subscriber %s%s",
 			vlr_subscr_name(vsub), VTY_NEWLINE);
-	}
 
 	if (vsub->use_count > 1)
 		vty_out(vty, "%% Subscriber %s is still in use,"
diff --git a/src/libvlr/vlr.c b/src/libvlr/vlr.c
index 73c3f13..f57df8e 100644
--- a/src/libvlr/vlr.c
+++ b/src/libvlr/vlr.c
@@ -948,17 +948,28 @@
 	}
 }
 
+bool vlr_subscr_expire(struct vlr_subscr *vsub)
+{
+	if (vsub->lu_complete) {
+		vsub->lu_complete = false;
+		vlr_subscr_put(vsub);
+
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
 int vlr_subscr_rx_imsi_detach(struct vlr_subscr *vsub)
 {
 	/* paranoia: should any LU or PARQ FSMs still be running, stop them. */
 	vlr_subscr_cancel(vsub, GMM_CAUSE_IMPL_DETACHED);
 
 	vsub->imsi_detached_flag = true;
-	if (vsub->lu_complete) {
-		vsub->lu_complete = false;
-		/* balancing the get from vlr_lu_compl_fsm_success() */
-		vlr_subscr_put(vsub);
-	}
+
+	/* balancing the get from vlr_lu_compl_fsm_success() */
+	vlr_subscr_expire(vsub);
+
 	return 0;
 }