diff --git a/src/cleveragents/application/services/_resource_registry_ops.py b/src/cleveragents/application/services/_resource_registry_ops.py
index 0d54a1b04..37e9f2c53 100644
--- a/src/cleveragents/application/services/_resource_registry_ops.py
+++ b/src/cleveragents/application/services/_resource_registry_ops.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ from cleveragents.application.services._resource_registry_data import (
 from cleveragents.core.exceptions import NotFoundError, ValidationError
 from cleveragents.domain.models.core.resource import PhysVirt, Resource
 from cleveragents.infrastructure.database.models import (
+    ResourceEdgeModel,
+    ResourceLinkModel,
     ResourceModel,
     ResourceTypeModel,
 )
@@ -249,3 +251,78 @@ class ResourceInstanceMixin:
             return db_resource_to_domain(row)
         finally:
             session.close()
+
+    def remove_resource(
+        self: RegistryHost,
+        name_or_id: str,
+        *,
+        force: bool = False,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Remove a resource from the registry.
+
+        Args:
+            name_or_id: Namespaced name or ULID of the resource to remove.
+            force: When ``True``, cascade removal of DAG links before
+                deleting the resource (used by ``--update`` workflows).
+
+        Raises:
+            ValidationError: If DAG links still reference the resource and
+                ``force`` is ``False``.
+            NotFoundError: If the resource does not exist.
+        """
+
+        resource = self.show_resource(name_or_id)
+
+        session = self._session()
+        try:
+            link_filter = (ResourceLinkModel.parent_id == resource.resource_id) | (
+                ResourceLinkModel.child_id == resource.resource_id
+            )
+            link_query = session.query(ResourceLinkModel).filter(link_filter)
+            link_count = link_query.count()
+
+            edge_filter = (ResourceEdgeModel.parent_id == resource.resource_id) | (
+                ResourceEdgeModel.child_id == resource.resource_id
+            )
+            edge_count = session.query(ResourceEdgeModel).filter(edge_filter).count()
+
+            remaining_edges = max(link_count, edge_count)
+            if remaining_edges > 0 and not force:
+                display_name = resource.name or resource.resource_id
+                raise ValidationError(
+                    message=(
+                        f"Cannot remove resource '{display_name}': "
+                        f"{remaining_edges} edge(s) still reference it."
+                    ),
+                    details={
+                        "resource_id": resource.resource_id,
+                        "link_count": link_count,
+                        "edge_count": edge_count,
+                    },
+                )
+
+            if link_count > 0:
+                link_query.delete(synchronize_session="fetch")
+
+            if edge_count > 0:
+                session.query(ResourceEdgeModel).filter(edge_filter).delete(
+                    synchronize_session="fetch"
+                )
+
+            row = (
+                session.query(ResourceModel)
+                .filter_by(resource_id=resource.resource_id)
+                .first()
+            )
+            if row is not None:
+                session.delete(row)
+
+            session.commit()
+        except ValidationError:
+            session.rollback()
+            raise
+        except Exception:
+            session.rollback()
+            raise
+        finally:
+            session.close()
diff --git a/src/cleveragents/cli/commands/resource.py b/src/cleveragents/cli/commands/resource.py
index 64445f9ac..57ef64296 100644
--- a/src/cleveragents/cli/commands/resource.py
+++ b/src/cleveragents/cli/commands/resource.py
@@ -714,34 +714,7 @@ def resource_add(
         # --update: remove existing resource before re-registering
         if update:
             try:
-                existing = service.show_resource(name)
-                # Remove the existing resource so we can re-register
-                session = service._session()
-                try:
-                    from cleveragents.infrastructure.database.models import (
-                        ResourceEdgeModel,
-                        ResourceLinkModel,
-                        ResourceModel,
-                    )
-
-                    # Remove links and edges first to avoid FK violations
-                    session.query(ResourceLinkModel).filter(
-                        (ResourceLinkModel.parent_id == existing.resource_id)
-                        | (ResourceLinkModel.child_id == existing.resource_id)
-                    ).delete(synchronize_session="fetch")
-                    session.query(ResourceEdgeModel).filter(
-                        (ResourceEdgeModel.parent_id == existing.resource_id)
-                        | (ResourceEdgeModel.child_id == existing.resource_id)
-                    ).delete(synchronize_session="fetch")
-                    session.query(ResourceModel).filter_by(
-                        resource_id=existing.resource_id
-                    ).delete(synchronize_session="fetch")
-                    session.commit()
-                except Exception:
-                    session.rollback()
-                    raise
-                finally:
-                    session.close()
+                service.remove_resource(name, force=True)
             except NotFoundError:
                 # Resource doesn't exist yet — proceed with normal add
                 pass
@@ -1378,45 +1351,11 @@ def resource_remove(
                 console.print("[yellow]Aborted.[/yellow]")
                 raise typer.Abort()
 
-        # Delete via session
-        session = service._session()
         try:
-            from cleveragents.infrastructure.database.models import (
-                ResourceLinkModel,
-                ResourceModel,
-            )
-
-            # Check for edges
-            edge_count: int = (
-                session.query(ResourceLinkModel)
-                .filter(
-                    (ResourceLinkModel.parent_id == res.resource_id)
-                    | (ResourceLinkModel.child_id == res.resource_id)
-                )
-                .count()
-            )
-            if edge_count > 0:
-                console.print(
-                    f"[red]Cannot remove resource '{res.name or res.resource_id}': "
-                    f"{edge_count} edge(s) still reference it.[/red]"
-                )
-                raise typer.Abort()
-
-            row = (
-                session.query(ResourceModel)
-                .filter_by(resource_id=res.resource_id)
-                .first()
-            )
-            if row is not None:
-                session.delete(row)
-                session.commit()
-        except typer.Abort:
-            raise
-        except Exception:
-            session.rollback()
-            raise
-        finally:
-            session.close()
+            service.remove_resource(res.resource_id)
+        except ValidationError as exc:
+            console.print(f"[red]{exc.message}[/red]")
+            raise typer.Abort() from exc
 
         console.print(f"[green]Removed resource:[/green] {res.name or res.resource_id}")