diff --git a/internal/ceph/ceph.go b/internal/ceph/ceph.go
index 795bca6..26f47ba 100644
--- a/internal/ceph/ceph.go
+++ b/internal/ceph/ceph.go
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ type CephCmd interface {
 	RBDInfo(pool, image string) (*RBDImageInfo, error)
 	RBDLs(pool string) ([]string, error)
 	RBDRm(pool, image string) error
+	RBDTrashMv(pool, image string) error
+	CephRBDTaskAddTrashRemove(pool, image string) error
 	RBDSnapCreate(pool, image, snap string) error
 	RBDSnapLs(pool, image string) ([]RBDSnapshot, error)
 	RBDSnapRm(pool, image, snap string) error
diff --git a/internal/ceph/rbd.go b/internal/ceph/rbd.go
index c46e6b3..b2fea97 100644
--- a/internal/ceph/rbd.go
+++ b/internal/ceph/rbd.go
@@ -62,6 +62,24 @@ func (c *cephCmdImpl) RBDRm(pool, image string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// RBDTrashMv removes an RBD image asynchronously.
+func (c *cephCmdImpl) RBDTrashMv(pool, image string) error {
+	_, err := c.command.execute("rbd", "trash", "mv", fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", pool, image))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to move RBD image to trash: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// CephRBDTaskTrashRemove adds a task to remove the image from trash.
+func (c *cephCmdImpl) CephRBDTaskAddTrashRemove(pool, imageID string) error {
+	_, err := c.command.execute("ceph", "rbd", "task", "add", "trash", "remove", fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", pool, imageID))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to add task to remove the image from trash: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // RBDSnapCreate creates an RBD snapshot.
 func (c *cephCmdImpl) RBDSnapCreate(pool, image, snap string) error {
 	_, err := c.command.execute("rbd", "snap", "create", fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s@%s", pool, image, snap))
diff --git a/internal/controller/internal/testutil/fake_rbd.go b/internal/controller/internal/testutil/fake_rbd.go
index fb3c39e..1823740 100644
--- a/internal/controller/internal/testutil/fake_rbd.go
+++ b/internal/controller/internal/testutil/fake_rbd.go
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ func (f *fakeRBD) RBDRm(pool, image string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (f *fakeRBD) RBDTrashMv(pool, image string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (f *fakeRBD) CephRBDTaskAddTrashRemove(pool, image string) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (f *fakeRBD) RBDSnapCreate(pool, image, snap string) error {
 	key := pool + "/" + image
 
diff --git a/internal/controller/persistentvolume_controller.go b/internal/controller/persistentvolume_controller.go
index ec0043d..b12a836 100644
--- a/internal/controller/persistentvolume_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/persistentvolume_controller.go
@@ -132,12 +132,25 @@ func (r *PersistentVolumeReconciler) removeRBDImage(ctx context.Context, pv *cor
 
 	images, err := r.ceph.RBDLs(pool)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to list RBD images: %v", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to list RBD images: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if !slices.Contains(images, image) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	return r.ceph.RBDRm(pool, image)
+	imageInfo, err := r.ceph.RBDInfo(pool, image)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get info about the RBD image: %s/%s: %w", pool, image, err)
+	}
+
+	if err := r.ceph.RBDTrashMv(pool, image); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to move the RBD image to trash: %s/%s: %w", pool, image, err)
+	}
+
+	if err := r.ceph.CephRBDTaskAddTrashRemove(pool, imageInfo.ID); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to add task to remove the RBD image from trash: %s/%s: %w", pool, image, err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }