diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 67af577ad..4500e9b9a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ GET /comments?_embed=post
 
 ```
 DELETE /posts/1
-DELETE /posts/1?_embed=comments
+DELETE /posts/1?_dependent=comments
 ```
 
 ## Serving static files
diff --git a/src/app.ts b/src/app.ts
index 83070fa38..2faf3102c 100644
--- a/src/app.ts
+++ b/src/app.ts
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export function createApp(db: Low<Data>, options: AppOptions = {}) {
 
   app.delete('/:name/:id', async (req, res, next) => {
     const { name = '', id = '' } = req.params
-    res.locals['data'] = await service.destroyById(name, id)
+    res.locals['data'] = await service.destroyById(name, id, req.query['dependent'])
     next()
   })
 
diff --git a/src/service.ts b/src/service.ts
index 2b108d41a..329c28250 100644
--- a/src/service.ts
+++ b/src/service.ts
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ export class Service {
     name: string,
     query: {
       [key: string]: unknown
-      _embed?: string[]
+      _embed?: string | string[]
       _sort?: string
       _start?: number
       _end?: number
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ export class Service {
   async destroyById(
     name: string,
     id: string,
-    dependents: string[] = [],
+    dependent?: string | string[],
   ): Promise<Item | undefined> {
     const items = this.#get(name)
     if (items === undefined || !Array.isArray(items)) return
@@ -435,6 +435,7 @@ export class Service {
     items.splice(index, 1)[0]
 
     nullifyForeignKey(this.#db, name, id)
+    const dependents = ensureArray(dependent)
     deleteDependents(this.#db, name, dependents)
 
     await this.#db.write()