diff --git a/backend/app/routers/people.py b/backend/app/routers/people.py
index 6dfe41c..622bf93 100644
--- a/backend/app/routers/people.py
+++ b/backend/app/routers/people.py
@@ -216,13 +216,79 @@ async def update_person(
     return person
 
 
+async def _sever_connection(db: AsyncSession, current_user: User, person: Person) -> None:
+    """Remove bidirectional UserConnection rows and detach the counterpart's Person."""
+    if not person.linked_user_id:
+        return
+
+    counterpart_id = person.linked_user_id
+
+    # Find our connection
+    conn_result = await db.execute(
+        select(UserConnection).where(
+            UserConnection.user_id == current_user.id,
+            UserConnection.connected_user_id == counterpart_id,
+        )
+    )
+    our_conn = conn_result.scalar_one_or_none()
+
+    # Find reverse connection
+    reverse_result = await db.execute(
+        select(UserConnection).where(
+            UserConnection.user_id == counterpart_id,
+            UserConnection.connected_user_id == current_user.id,
+        )
+    )
+    reverse_conn = reverse_result.scalar_one_or_none()
+
+    # Detach the counterpart's Person record (if it exists)
+    if reverse_conn and reverse_conn.person_id:
+        cp_result = await db.execute(
+            select(Person).where(Person.id == reverse_conn.person_id)
+        )
+        cp_person = cp_result.scalar_one_or_none()
+        if cp_person:
+            await detach_umbral_contact(cp_person)
+
+    # Delete both connection rows
+    if our_conn:
+        await db.delete(our_conn)
+    if reverse_conn:
+        await db.delete(reverse_conn)
+
+
+@router.put("/{person_id}/unlink", response_model=PersonResponse)
+async def unlink_person(
+    person_id: int = Path(ge=1, le=2147483647),
+    db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db),
+    current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user)
+):
+    """Unlink an umbral contact — convert to standard contact and sever the connection."""
+    result = await db.execute(
+        select(Person).where(Person.id == person_id, Person.user_id == current_user.id)
+    )
+    person = result.scalar_one_or_none()
+
+    if not person:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Person not found")
+    if not person.is_umbral_contact:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Person is not an umbral contact")
+
+    await _sever_connection(db, current_user, person)
+    await detach_umbral_contact(person)
+
+    await db.commit()
+    await db.refresh(person)
+    return person
+
+
 @router.delete("/{person_id}", status_code=204)
 async def delete_person(
     person_id: int = Path(ge=1, le=2147483647),
     db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db),
     current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user)
 ):
-    """Delete a person."""
+    """Delete a person. If umbral contact, also severs the bidirectional connection."""
     result = await db.execute(
         select(Person).where(Person.id == person_id, Person.user_id == current_user.id)
     )
@@ -231,19 +297,8 @@ async def delete_person(
     if not person:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Person not found")
 
-    # Auto-detach umbral contact before delete
     if person.is_umbral_contact:
-        await detach_umbral_contact(person)
-        # Null out the current user's connection person_id so the connection survives
-        conn_result = await db.execute(
-            select(UserConnection).where(
-                UserConnection.user_id == current_user.id,
-                UserConnection.person_id == person.id,
-            )
-        )
-        conn = conn_result.scalar_one_or_none()
-        if conn:
-            conn.person_id = None
+        await _sever_connection(db, current_user, person)
 
     await db.delete(person)
     await db.commit()
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/people/PeoplePage.tsx b/frontend/src/components/people/PeoplePage.tsx
index aa1cd7a..6b8ec70 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/people/PeoplePage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/people/PeoplePage.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useState, useMemo, useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
-import { Plus, Users, Star, Cake, Phone, Mail, MapPin, Tag, Building2, Briefcase, AlignLeft, Ghost, ChevronDown } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Plus, Users, Star, Cake, Phone, Mail, MapPin, Tag, Building2, Briefcase, AlignLeft, Ghost, ChevronDown, Unlink } from 'lucide-react';
 import type { LucideIcon } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useQuery, useMutation, useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { format, parseISO, differenceInYears } from 'date-fns';
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ export default function PeoplePage() {
     },
     onSuccess: () => {
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['people'] });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['connections'] });
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['dashboard'] });
       queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['upcoming'] });
       toast.success('Person deleted');
@@ -341,6 +342,22 @@ export default function PeoplePage() {
     },
   });
 
+  // Unlink umbral contact mutation
+  const unlinkMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: async (personId: number) => {
+      const { data } = await api.put(`/people/${personId}/unlink`);
+      return data;
+    },
+    onSuccess: () => {
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['people'] });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['connections'] });
+      toast.success('Contact unlinked — converted to standard contact');
+    },
+    onError: (error) => {
+      toast.error(getErrorMessage(error, 'Failed to unlink contact'));
+    },
+  });
+
   // Toggle favourite mutation
   const toggleFavouriteMutation = useMutation({
     mutationFn: async (person: Person) => {
@@ -474,6 +491,20 @@ export default function PeoplePage() {
       isFavourite={selectedPerson?.is_favourite}
       onToggleFavourite={() => selectedPerson && toggleFavouriteMutation.mutate(selectedPerson)}
       favouriteLabel="favourite"
+      extraActions={(p) =>
+        p.is_umbral_contact ? (
+          <Button
+            variant="ghost"
+            size="sm"
+            onClick={() => unlinkMutation.mutate(p.id)}
+            disabled={unlinkMutation.isPending}
+            className="h-7 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground gap-1"
+          >
+            <Unlink className="h-3 w-3" />
+            Unlink
+          </Button>
+        ) : null
+      }
     />
   );
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/shared/EntityDetailPanel.tsx b/frontend/src/components/shared/EntityDetailPanel.tsx
index 2a2781d..d0ac938 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/shared/EntityDetailPanel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/shared/EntityDetailPanel.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ interface EntityDetailPanelProps<T> {
   isFavourite?: boolean;
   onToggleFavourite?: () => void;
   favouriteLabel?: string;
+  extraActions?: (item: T) => React.ReactNode;
 }
 
 export function EntityDetailPanel<T>({
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ export function EntityDetailPanel<T>({
   isFavourite,
   onToggleFavourite,
   favouriteLabel = 'favourite',
+  extraActions,
 }: EntityDetailPanelProps<T>) {
   const { confirming, handleClick: handleDelete } = useConfirmAction(onDelete);
 
@@ -134,7 +136,10 @@ export function EntityDetailPanel<T>({
 
       {/* Footer */}
       <div className="px-5 py-4 border-t border-border flex items-center justify-between">
-        <span className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">{formatUpdatedAt(getUpdatedAt(item))}</span>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <span className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">{formatUpdatedAt(getUpdatedAt(item))}</span>
+          {extraActions?.(item)}
+        </div>
         <div className="flex gap-2">
           <Button
             variant="outline"