diff --git a/pyinfra/operations/apt.py b/pyinfra/operations/apt.py
index 40c54c881..ece334cae 100644
--- a/pyinfra/operations/apt.py
+++ b/pyinfra/operations/apt.py
@@ -363,10 +363,12 @@ def upgrade(auto_remove: bool = False):
 
 
 @operation()
-def dist_upgrade():
+def dist_upgrade(auto_remove: bool = False):
     """
     Updates all apt packages, employing dist-upgrade.
 
+    + auto_remove: removes transitive dependencies that are no longer needed.
+
     **Example:**
 
     .. code:: python
@@ -376,7 +378,12 @@ def dist_upgrade():
         )
     """
 
-    yield from _simulate_then_perform("dist-upgrade")
+    command = ["dist-upgrade"]
+
+    if auto_remove:
+        command.append("--autoremove")
+
+    yield from _simulate_then_perform(" ".join(command))
 
 
 @operation()
diff --git a/tests/operations/apt.dist_upgrade/dist_upgrade_autoremove.json b/tests/operations/apt.dist_upgrade/dist_upgrade_autoremove.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4f23e6aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/operations/apt.dist_upgrade/dist_upgrade_autoremove.json
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+    "kwargs": {"auto_remove": true},
+    "facts": {
+        "apt.SimulateOperationWillChange": {
+            "command=dist-upgrade --autoremove": {
+                "upgraded": 10,
+                "newly_installed": 3,
+                "removed": 2,
+                "not_upgraded": 3
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "commands": [
+        "DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -y -o Dpkg::Options::=\"--force-confdef\" -o Dpkg::Options::=\"--force-confold\" dist-upgrade --autoremove"
+    ]
+}