diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi b/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
index 7c6611608..6d873850d 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/_lancedb.pyi
@@ -153,6 +153,9 @@ class Connection(object):
     async def get_function(self, name: str, version: str) -> str: ...
     async def list_functions(self) -> List[str]: ...
     async def drop_function(self, name: str, version: str) -> bool: ...
+    async def drop_function_async(
+        self, name: str, version: str
+    ) -> Tuple[bool, Job]: ...
     async def create_secret(
         self, name: str, value: str, namespace_path: Optional[List[str]] = None
     ) -> None: ...
diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/db.py b/python/python/lancedb/db.py
index d17e897cf..b0db22532 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/db.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/db.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from typing import (
     Literal,
     Optional,
     Sequence,
+    Tuple,
     Union,
 )
 from uuid import UUID
@@ -828,12 +829,26 @@ class DBConnection(EnforceOverrides):
         )
 
     def drop_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> bool:
-        """Remove the current Function name binding from the remote catalog.
+        """Drop a Function name and the object it was bound to.
 
-        The requested version must exist in the currently named object.
-        Object history and existing computed-column references are retained.
-        Returns True when the name was removed and False when it was absent.
-        Local connections raise NotImplementedError.
+        The requested version must exist in the currently named object. Returns
+        True when the name was removed and False when it was absent. The
+        object's content is deleted with it, which may finish after this
+        returns; use :meth:`drop_function_async` to wait for that. Local
+        connections raise NotImplementedError.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError(
+            "Function catalog operations are not supported for this connection type"
+        )
+
+    def drop_function_async(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> Tuple[bool, Job]:
+        """Drop a Function name and return its cleanup job.
+
+        The name is unbound before this returns; the object's content may still
+        be being deleted. Call :meth:`Job.wait` to wait for that to finish. When
+        the server deletes inline, or when nothing was bound, the returned job
+        is already finished and has no id. Local connections raise
+        NotImplementedError.
         """
         raise NotImplementedError(
             "Function catalog operations are not supported for this connection type"
@@ -1683,6 +1698,11 @@ class LanceDBConnection(DBConnection):
     def drop_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> bool:
         return LOOP.run(self._conn.drop_function(name, version=version))
 
+    @override
+    def drop_function_async(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> Tuple[bool, Job]:
+        dropped, job = LOOP.run(self._conn.drop_function_async(name, version=version))
+        return dropped, Job(job)
+
     @override
     def create_secret(
         self, name: str, value: str, *, namespace_path: Optional[List[str]] = None
@@ -2596,9 +2616,21 @@ class AsyncConnection(object):
         ]
 
     async def drop_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> bool:
-        """Remove the current name binding, retaining the object and its history."""
+        """Drop a Function name and the object it was bound to."""
         return await self._inner.drop_function(name, version)
 
+    async def drop_function_async(
+        self, name: str, *, version: str
+    ) -> Tuple[bool, AsyncJob]:
+        """Drop a Function name and return its cleanup job.
+
+        The name is unbound before this returns; the object's content may still
+        be being deleted. Await :meth:`AsyncJob.wait` to wait for that to
+        finish.
+        """
+        dropped, job = await self._inner.drop_function_async(name, version)
+        return dropped, AsyncJob(job)
+
     async def create_secret(
         self, name: str, value: str, *, namespace_path: Optional[List[str]] = None
     ) -> None:
diff --git a/python/python/lancedb/remote/db.py b/python/python/lancedb/remote/db.py
index c9e857495..ef40ef007 100644
--- a/python/python/lancedb/remote/db.py
+++ b/python/python/lancedb/remote/db.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from typing import (
     List,
     Optional,
     Sequence,
+    Tuple,
     Union,
 )
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
@@ -876,6 +877,11 @@ class RemoteDBConnection(DBConnection):
     def drop_function(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> bool:
         return LOOP.run(self._conn.drop_function(name, version=version))
 
+    @override
+    def drop_function_async(self, name: str, *, version: str) -> Tuple[bool, Job]:
+        dropped, job = LOOP.run(self._conn.drop_function_async(name, version=version))
+        return dropped, Job(job)
+
     @override
     def create_secret(
         self, name: str, value: str, *, namespace_path: Optional[List[str]] = None
diff --git a/python/src/connection.rs b/python/src/connection.rs
index a972f4351..3385e6b2d 100644
--- a/python/src/connection.rs
+++ b/python/src/connection.rs
@@ -768,6 +768,21 @@ impl Connection {
         })
     }
 
+    pub fn drop_function_async(
+        self_: PyRef<'_, Self>,
+        name: String,
+        version: String,
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'_, PyAny>> {
+        let inner = self_.get_inner()?.clone();
+        future_into_py(self_.py(), async move {
+            inner
+                .drop_function_async(name, version)
+                .await
+                .infer_error()
+                .map(|(dropped, job)| (dropped, crate::job::Job::new(job)))
+        })
+    }
+
     #[pyo3(signature = (name, value, namespace_path=None))]
     pub fn create_secret(
         self_: PyRef<'_, Self>,
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/connection.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/connection.rs
index 7234a911f..d43f8f744 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/connection.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/connection.rs
@@ -649,6 +649,22 @@ impl Connection {
             .await
     }
 
+    /// Start dropping a Function and return its cleanup job.
+    ///
+    /// The name is unbound before this returns; the object's content may still be being
+    /// deleted. Await [`Job::wait`][crate::job::Job::wait] to wait for that to finish. When
+    /// the server deletes inline, or when nothing was bound, the returned job is already
+    /// finished and has no id. Local databases return [`Error::NotSupported`].
+    pub async fn drop_function_async(
+        &self,
+        name: impl AsRef<str>,
+        version: impl AsRef<str>,
+    ) -> Result<(bool, crate::job::Job)> {
+        self.internal
+            .drop_function_async(name.as_ref(), version.as_ref())
+            .await
+    }
+
     /// Create a named Secret in this database.
     ///
     /// Fails if the name is taken, so a create can never silently become a
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/database.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/database.rs
index 0adac778c..91b200043 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/database.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/database.rs
@@ -393,6 +393,18 @@ pub trait Database:
     async fn drop_function(&self, _name: &str, _version: &str) -> Result<bool> {
         function_catalog_not_supported()
     }
+    /// Start dropping a Function and return a handle to the cleanup job.
+    ///
+    /// Backends without asynchronous cleanup complete the drop before returning an
+    /// already-finished job.
+    async fn drop_function_async(
+        &self,
+        name: &str,
+        version: &str,
+    ) -> Result<(bool, crate::job::Job)> {
+        let dropped = self.drop_function(name, version).await?;
+        Ok((dropped, crate::job::Job::new_done()))
+    }
     /// Create a named Secret in this database. Fails if the name is taken, so
     /// a create can never silently become a rotation.
     async fn create_secret(
diff --git a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/db.rs b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/db.rs
index 7061ac979..7a59db665 100644
--- a/rust/lancedb/src/remote/db.rs
+++ b/rust/lancedb/src/remote/db.rs
@@ -1005,6 +1005,10 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> Database for RemoteDatabase<S> {
     }
 
     async fn drop_function(&self, name: &str, version: &str) -> Result<bool> {
+        Ok(self.drop_function_async(name, version).await?.0)
+    }
+
+    async fn drop_function_async(&self, name: &str, version: &str) -> Result<(bool, Job)> {
         let function_id = build_object_identifier("Function name", name, &[])?;
         let req = self
             .client
@@ -1014,8 +1018,34 @@ impl<S: HttpSend> Database for RemoteDatabase<S> {
             }));
         let (request_id, response) = self.client.send(req).await?;
         let response = self.client.check_response(&request_id, response).await?;
-        let response: RemoteDropFunctionResponse = response.json().await.err_to_http(request_id)?;
-        Ok(response.dropped)
+        let status = response.status();
+        let body = response.text().await.err_to_http(request_id.clone())?;
+        let dropped: RemoteDropFunctionResponse =
+            serde_json::from_str(&body).map_err(|source| Error::Http {
+                source: Box::new(source),
+                request_id: request_id.clone(),
+                status_code: Some(status),
+            })?;
+        let job = match status {
+            StatusCode::OK => Job::new_done(),
+            StatusCode::ACCEPTED => {
+                let job_id = extract_job_id(&body).ok_or_else(|| Error::Http {
+                    source: "asynchronous Function drop response did not contain a valid job_id"
+                        .into(),
+                    request_id,
+                    status_code: Some(status),
+                })?;
+                Job::new(Box::new(RemoteJob::new(self.client.clone(), job_id)))
+            }
+            _ => {
+                return Err(Error::Http {
+                    source: "Function drop must return 200 OK or 202 Accepted".into(),
+                    request_id,
+                    status_code: Some(status),
+                });
+            }
+        };
+        Ok((dropped.dropped, job))
     }
 
     async fn create_secret(
@@ -1783,6 +1813,53 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(job.id(), Some("j1-mv-drop"));
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_drop_function_async_returns_job() {
+        let db = super::RemoteDatabase::new_mock(|request| {
+            assert_eq!(request.method(), "POST");
+            assert_eq!(request.url().path(), "/v1/function/embed/drop");
+            http::Response::builder()
+                .status(202)
+                .body(serde_json::json!({"dropped": true, "job_id": "j1-fn-drop"}).to_string())
+                .unwrap()
+        });
+        let (dropped, job) = db.drop_function_async("embed", "1").await.unwrap();
+        assert!(dropped);
+        assert_eq!(job.id(), Some("j1-fn-drop"));
+    }
+
+    /// An unbound name and an inline deletion both answer `200`: the name is gone and
+    /// nothing is left to wait for, so the job is already finished.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_drop_function_async_completed_inline() {
+        let db = super::RemoteDatabase::new_mock(|_| {
+            http::Response::builder()
+                .status(200)
+                .body(serde_json::json!({"dropped": false}).to_string())
+                .unwrap()
+        });
+        let (dropped, job) = db.drop_function_async("embed", "1").await.unwrap();
+        assert!(!dropped);
+        assert_eq!(job.id(), None);
+        assert_eq!(job.status().await.unwrap(), "finished");
+        job.wait().await.unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_drop_function_async_rejects_incomplete_acceptance() {
+        for body in [
+            r#"{"dropped":true}"#,
+            r#"{"dropped":true,"job_id":""}"#,
+            r#"{"dropped":true,"job_id":null}"#,
+        ] {
+            let db = super::RemoteDatabase::new_mock(move |_| {
+                http::Response::builder().status(202).body(body).unwrap()
+            });
+            let error = db.drop_function_async("embed", "1").await.err().unwrap();
+            assert!(error.to_string().contains("valid job_id"));
+        }
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_drop_materialized_view_completed_inline() {
         let db = super::RemoteDatabase::new_mock(|request| {