diff --git a/bin/ecbundle-merge b/bin/ecbundle-merge
index 86deec0..be2771f 100755
--- a/bin/ecbundle-merge
+++ b/bin/ecbundle-merge
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def main():
                         nargs='+')
 
     
-    parser.add_argument('-o',
+    parser.add_argument('--output','-o',
                         help='output file', default="merged-bundle.yml")
 
     # --------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/ecbundle/merge.py b/ecbundle/merge.py
index 8369926..be278fa 100644
--- a/ecbundle/merge.py
+++ b/ecbundle/merge.py
@@ -34,12 +34,15 @@ def deep_merge(self, original, updates):
         if isinstance(original, dict) and isinstance(updates, dict):
             merged = copy.deepcopy(original)
             for key, value in updates.items():
+                if isinstance(value, dict) and value.get("erase", False):
+                    merged.pop(key, None)
+                    continue
                 if key in merged:
                     if isinstance(merged[key], dict) and isinstance(value, dict):
                         merged[key] = self.deep_merge(merged[key], value)
                     else:
                         merged[key] = copy.deepcopy(value)
-                else:
+                elif key != "erase":
                     merged[key] = copy.deepcopy(value)
             return merged
 
diff --git a/tests/bundle_merge/bundle-merge-erase.yml b/tests/bundle_merge/bundle-merge-erase.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..536d649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bundle_merge/bundle-merge-erase.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+projects :  
+  
+    - project1 :  
+        erase : true
+
+      
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/bundle_merge/test_merge.py b/tests/bundle_merge/test_merge.py
index 3596077..bcca372 100644
--- a/tests/bundle_merge/test_merge.py
+++ b/tests/bundle_merge/test_merge.py
@@ -55,6 +55,20 @@ def test_merge_single_update(here, out_dir):
     assert "updated-branch" in content
 
 
+def test_merge_single_erase(here, out_dir):
+    """Original bundle merged with a single update file."""
+    base = here / "bundle-merge-base.yml"
+    upd = here / "bundle-merge-erase.yml"
+    output = out_dir / "merged.yml"
+
+    rc = BundleMerger(**_args([base, upd], output)).merge()
+
+    assert rc == 0
+    assert output.exists()
+    content = output.read_text()
+    assert "project1" not in content
+
+
 def test_merge_multiple_updates_applied_in_order(here, out_dir):
     """With two updates, the later one wins on conflicting fields."""
     base = here / "bundle-merge-base.yml"