diff --git a/packages/node/meshnet_node/torch_server.py b/packages/node/meshnet_node/torch_server.py
index e58cf6d..7bbabac 100644
--- a/packages/node/meshnet_node/torch_server.py
+++ b/packages/node/meshnet_node/torch_server.py
@@ -1545,6 +1545,26 @@ class TorchNodeServer:
 
     def apply_tracker_directives(self, directives: list[dict]) -> dict | None:
         """Apply tracker shard directives (LOAD_SHARD replace, ADD_SHARD load-more)."""
+        drop_directive = next(
+            (directive for directive in reversed(directives) if directive.get("action") == "DROP_SHARD"),
+            None,
+        )
+        if drop_directive is not None:
+            model_id = str(drop_directive.get("model") or "")
+            removed = self._backends.pop(model_id, None)
+            if removed is None:
+                return None
+            if self._backends:
+                self._backend = next(iter(self._backends.values()))
+                self._tracker_mode = self._backend.shard_start == 0
+            else:
+                self._backend = None
+                self._tracker_mode = False
+            if self._server is not None:
+                self._server.backends = dict(self._backends)
+                self._server.backend = self._backend
+                self._server.tracker_mode = self._tracker_mode
+            return {"action": "DROP_SHARD", "model": model_id}
         add_directive = next(
             (directive for directive in reversed(directives) if directive.get("action") == "ADD_SHARD"),
             None,
@@ -1574,6 +1594,8 @@ class TorchNodeServer:
             flush=True,
         )
         try:
+            if replacing:
+                self._backends.clear()
             new_backend = _load_backend(model_id, shard_start, shard_end, quantization, self._cache_dir)
         except TypeError:
             new_backend = _load_backend(model_id, shard_start, shard_end, quantization)
diff --git a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
index 03fd932..b3b0c79 100644
--- a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
+++ b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/dashboard.html
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@
   <section data-tab="billing" data-admin-only><h2>Node pending payouts</h2><div id="pending" class="empty">admin login required</div></section>
   <section data-tab="billing" data-admin-only><h2>Settlement history</h2><div id="settlements" class="empty">admin login required</div></section>
   <section data-tab="admin"><h2>Tracker hive</h2><div id="hive" class="empty">loading…</div></section>
+  <section data-tab="admin" class="wide"><h2>Model placement</h2><div id="admin-model-placement" class="empty">admin login required</div></section>
   <section data-tab="admin" id="admin-section"><h2>All accounts (admin)</h2><div id="admin" class="empty"></div></section>
   <section data-tab="admin" data-admin-only><h2>Strikes / bans / forfeitures</h2><div id="fraud" class="empty">admin login required</div></section>
   <section data-tab="admin"><h2>Client balances</h2><div id="clients" class="empty">admin login required</div></section>
@@ -1791,6 +1792,34 @@ async function requestSelectedModelLoad() {
   $("chat-status").textContent = `load queued on ${short(assignment.node_id || "node")} for layers ${assignment.shard_start}-${assignment.shard_end}`;
 }
 
+async function requestAdminModelLoad(model) {
+  const result = await apiCall("/v1/models/load", "POST", { model, force: true });
+  if (!result.ok) return alert(result.data.error || "model load request failed");
+  await refreshActiveTab(true);
+}
+
+async function releaseAdminModel(model) {
+  if (!confirm(`Release ${model} from every serving node?`)) return;
+  const result = await apiCall("/v1/models/release", "POST", { model });
+  if (!result.ok) return alert(result.data.error || "model release request failed");
+  await refreshActiveTab(true);
+}
+
+function renderAdminModelPlacement(models, map) {
+  const nodes = (map && map.nodes) || [];
+  const rows = ((models && models.data) || []).map(model => {
+    const aliases = new Set([model.id, model.hf_repo, ...(model.aliases || [])].filter(Boolean));
+    const serving = nodes.filter(node => aliases.has(node.model) || aliases.has(node.hf_repo)).length;
+    const downloaded = nodes.filter(node => (node.downloaded_models || []).some(item => aliases.has(item.model) || aliases.has(item.hf_repo))).length;
+    const actions = `<button class="small" onclick="requestAdminModelLoad(${JSON.stringify(model.id)})">load</button> ` +
+      `<button class="small" onclick="releaseAdminModel(${JSON.stringify(model.id)})"${serving ? "" : " disabled"}>release</button>`;
+    return [esc(model.name || model.id), String(serving), String(downloaded), actions];
+  });
+  $("admin-model-placement").innerHTML = rows.length
+    ? table(["model", "serving nodes", "downloaded on nodes", "admin action"], rows)
+    : '<div class="empty">no model presets configured</div>';
+}
+
 function chatAuthToken() {
   if (accountApiKeys.length) return accountApiKeys[0];
   return null;
@@ -2427,14 +2456,17 @@ async function fetchAdminTab() {
     fetchJson("/v1/console"),
     fetchJson("/v1/billing/summary"),
     fetchJson("/v1/registry/wallets"),
+    fetchJson("/v1/models"),
+    fetchJson("/v1/network/map"),
   ];
   if (isAdmin) fetches.push(apiCall("/v1/admin/accounts"));
   const results = await Promise.all(fetches);
-  const [raft, consoleData, summary, wallets, adminResp] = results;
+  const [raft, consoleData, summary, wallets, models, map, adminResp] = results;
   renderIfChanged("hive", raft, renderHive);
   renderIfChanged("console", consoleData, renderConsole);
   renderIfChanged("billing-summary", summary, data => renderBilling(data));
   renderIfChanged("fraud", { wallets, summary }, data => renderFraud(data.wallets, data.summary));
+  renderIfChanged("admin-model-placement", { models, map }, data => renderAdminModelPlacement(data.models, data.map));
   if (adminResp && adminResp.ok) {
     renderIfChanged("admin", adminResp.data.accounts || [], accounts => {
       const rows = accounts.map(a => {
diff --git a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
index 0a428ef..32c7239 100644
--- a/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
+++ b/packages/tracker/meshnet_tracker/server.py
@@ -1528,6 +1528,49 @@ def _request_model_load_locked(server: "_TrackerHTTPServer", model_key: str) ->
     return None
 
 
+def _force_model_load_locked(server: "_TrackerHTTPServer", model_key: str) -> dict | None:
+    """Replace the fastest ready assignment after an explicit admin eviction."""
+    resolved_name, preset = _resolve_model_preset(server.model_presets, model_key)
+    if preset is None or not preset.get("hf_repo"):
+        return None
+    start, end = _preset_layer_bounds(preset)
+    candidates = [node for node in server.registry.values()
+                  if node.status == "ready" and node.pending_new_assignment is None
+                  and _has_usable_quantization(node)]
+    if not candidates:
+        return None
+    node = max(candidates, key=lambda item: item.benchmark_tokens_per_sec)
+    shard_end = min(end, start + min(_node_layer_capacity(node, preset), end - start + 1) - 1)
+    if shard_end < start:
+        return None
+    quantization = _node_quantization(node, preset)
+    directive = _load_directive(node, str(preset["hf_repo"]), start, shard_end, quantization)
+    replaced = node.hf_repo or node.model
+    node.model, node.hf_repo = resolved_name, str(preset["hf_repo"])
+    node.shard_start, node.shard_end, node.quantization = start, shard_end, quantization
+    node.managed_assignment, node.pending_new_assignment = True, directive
+    node.pending_directives.append(directive)
+    _tracker_log(server, "warn", "model load forced", node_id=node.node_id,
+                 model=resolved_name, replaced_model=replaced, shard=f"{start}-{shard_end}")
+    return {"node_id": node.node_id, "model": resolved_name, "hf_repo": preset["hf_repo"],
+            "shard_start": start, "shard_end": shard_end, "replaced_model": replaced}
+
+
+def _release_model_locked(server: "_TrackerHTTPServer", model_key: str) -> int:
+    """Queue DROP_SHARD for every served shard and remove it from routing immediately."""
+    resolved_name, preset = _resolve_model_preset(server.model_presets, model_key)
+    if preset is None:
+        return 0
+    released = 0
+    for node in server.registry.values():
+        if not _node_matches_preset(node, resolved_name, preset) or node.shard_start is None or node.shard_end is None:
+            continue
+        node.pending_directives.append(_drop_directive(node, str(preset.get("hf_repo") or resolved_name), node.shard_start, node.shard_end, node.quantization or "bfloat16"))
+        node.status = "loading"
+        released += 1
+    return released
+
+
 def _preferred_node_quantization(
     node: _NodeEntry,
     preset: dict,
@@ -3043,6 +3086,9 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         if self.path == "/v1/models/load":
             self._handle_model_load_request()
             return
+        if self.path == "/v1/models/release":
+            self._handle_model_release_request()
+            return
         if self.path == "/v1/models/vote":
             self._handle_model_coverage_vote()
             return
@@ -3170,8 +3216,6 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         seen_ids: set[str] = set()
         for name, preset in server.model_presets.items():
             model_nodes = [node for node in alive if _node_matches_preset(node, name, preset)]
-            if not model_nodes and not preset.get("recommended"):
-                continue
             required_start, required_end = _preset_layer_bounds(preset)
             coverage = _coverage_percentage(
                 model_nodes,
@@ -4834,11 +4878,32 @@ class _TrackerHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
         with server.lock:
             self._purge_expired_nodes()
             assignment = _request_model_load_locked(server, model)
+            if assignment is None and body.get("force") is True:
+                assignment = _force_model_load_locked(server, model)
         if assignment is None:
             self._send_json(409, {"error": "no ready joined node has an available model slot and sufficient capacity"})
             return
         self._send_json(202, {"status": "queued", "assignment": assignment})
 
+    def _handle_model_release_request(self):
+        server: _TrackerHTTPServer = self.server  # type: ignore[assignment]
+        if not self._require_role("admin", "validator"):
+            return
+        body = self._read_json_body()
+        if body is None:
+            return
+        model = body.get("model")
+        if not isinstance(model, str) or not model.strip():
+            self._send_json(400, {"error": "model is required"})
+            return
+        with server.lock:
+            self._purge_expired_nodes()
+            released = _release_model_locked(server, model)
+        if not released:
+            self._send_json(404, {"error": "no served shards found for model"})
+            return
+        self._send_json(202, {"status": "release_queued", "released": released})
+
     def _handle_model_coverage_vote(self):
         """Record a rolling wish-list signal for an unavailable precision."""
         server: _TrackerHTTPServer = self.server  # type: ignore[assignment]
diff --git a/tests/test_dashboard.py b/tests/test_dashboard.py
index dbe7283..0f2a545 100644
--- a/tests/test_dashboard.py
+++ b/tests/test_dashboard.py
@@ -100,6 +100,17 @@ def test_dashboard_allows_admin_to_request_selected_model_load():
     assert '$("request-model-load").style.display = enabled ? "" : "none"' in html
 
 
+def test_dashboard_exposes_admin_model_inventory_and_release_controls():
+    "Admin placement controls show the full model inventory and can release capacity."
+    html = _dashboard_html()
+
+    assert 'id="admin-model-placement"' in html
+    assert "renderAdminModelPlacement" in html
+    assert '"/v1/models/release"' in html
+    assert "requestAdminModelLoad" in html
+    assert "releaseAdminModel" in html
+
+
 def test_network_map_includes_node_friendly_name():
     "Network map includes node friendly name\n\nTags: dashboard, http"
     tracker = TrackerServer()
diff --git a/tests/test_dynamic_routing.py b/tests/test_dynamic_routing.py
index 83a9d2f..85c7ad6 100644
--- a/tests/test_dynamic_routing.py
+++ b/tests/test_dynamic_routing.py
@@ -355,6 +355,39 @@ def test_admin_model_load_request_queues_directive_on_joined_node():
     assert heartbeat["directives"][0]["model"] == "Qwen/Qwen2.5-0.5B-Instruct"
 
 
+def test_admin_can_replace_a_served_model_and_release_it():
+    "Forced admin placement replaces a served shard; release queues DROP_SHARD."
+    tracker = TrackerServer(enable_billing=False, validator_service_token="test-admin")
+    port = tracker.start()
+    try:
+        node = _post_json(
+            f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/nodes/register",
+            {"endpoint": "http://127.0.0.1:9912", "model": "stub-model",
+             "shard_start": 0, "shard_end": 3, "managed_assignment": True,
+             "max_loaded_shards": 1, "memory_mb": 1,
+             "hardware_profile": {"host_id": "full-host"}},
+        )
+        headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json", "Authorization": "Bearer test-admin"}
+        load = urllib.request.Request(
+            f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/models/load",
+            data=json.dumps({"model": "qwen2.5-0.5b-instruct", "force": True}).encode(),
+            headers=headers, method="POST")
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(load) as response:
+            assert json.loads(response.read())["assignment"]["node_id"] == node["node_id"]
+        heartbeat = _post_json(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/nodes/{node['node_id']}/heartbeat", {})
+        assert heartbeat["directives"][0]["action"] == "LOAD_SHARD"
+        release = urllib.request.Request(
+            f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/models/release",
+            data=json.dumps({"model": "qwen2.5-0.5b-instruct"}).encode(), headers=headers, method="POST")
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(release) as response:
+            assert json.loads(response.read())["released"] == 1
+        heartbeat = _post_json(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/v1/nodes/{node['node_id']}/heartbeat", {})
+    finally:
+        tracker.stop()
+
+    assert heartbeat["directives"][0]["action"] == "DROP_SHARD"
+
+
 def test_endpoint_key_distinguishes_same_port_different_hosts():
     "Endpoint key distinguishes same port different hosts\n\nTags: http, performance, routing, tracker"
     from meshnet_node.torch_server import _clamp_downstream_hops, _endpoint_key