diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/server/business/bo/DataBO.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/server/business/bo/DataBO.java
index 452982a7351f2fa70d9bbae41bf0686df495d8bb..38de735ff84f9a137c32f090466dffe78b96e889 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/server/business/bo/DataBO.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/generic/server/business/bo/DataBO.java
@@ -567,6 +567,7 @@ public class DataBO extends AbstractDataSetBusinessObject implements IDataBO
             updateSample(data, updates.getSampleIdentifierOrNull());
         } else
         {
+            data.setSample(null);
             updateExperiment(data, updates.getExperimentIdentifierOrNull());
         }
 
diff --git a/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/systemtest/AssignDataSetToSampleTest.java b/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/systemtest/AssignDataSetToSampleTest.java
index 93267bcab1c1a86cbd9b090df29324022bd91f68..1612093c9b15915847083546f82545de9515b8e0 100644
--- a/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/systemtest/AssignDataSetToSampleTest.java
+++ b/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/systemtest/AssignDataSetToSampleTest.java
@@ -196,6 +196,17 @@ public class AssignDataSetToSampleTest extends BaseTest
         assertThat(component, is(inSample(sourceSample)));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void dataSetCanBeUnassignedFromSample() throws Exception
+    {
+        ExternalData data = create(aDataSet().inSample(sourceSample));
+
+        perform(anUpdateOf(data).removingSample());
+
+        assertThat(data, hasNoSample());
+        assertThat(data, is(inExperiment(sourceExperiment)));
+    }
+
     Space unrelatedAdmin;
 
     Space unrelatedObserver;
diff --git a/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/systemtest/base/builder/DataSetUpdateBuilder.java b/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/systemtest/base/builder/DataSetUpdateBuilder.java
index 4a277035ced6f644a260191c5b927044c74b40b8..4f6e33371111842c8fabfa67605316ec896bf605 100644
--- a/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/systemtest/base/builder/DataSetUpdateBuilder.java
+++ b/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/openbis/systemtest/base/builder/DataSetUpdateBuilder.java
@@ -102,6 +102,12 @@ public class DataSetUpdateBuilder extends UpdateBuilder<DataSetUpdatesDTO>
         return this;
     }
 
+    public DataSetUpdateBuilder removingSample()
+    {
+        this.sampleIdentifier = null;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     public DataSetUpdateBuilder withContainer(ExternalData dataSet)
     {
         this.containerCode = dataSet.getCode();