diff --git a/redisvl/index/index.py b/redisvl/index/index.py
index 4d7a871b..ac5e3982 100644
--- a/redisvl/index/index.py
+++ b/redisvl/index/index.py
@@ -826,6 +826,11 @@ def invalidate_sql_schema_cache(self) -> None:
     def drop_keys(self, keys: str | list[str]) -> int:
         """Remove a specific entry or entries from the index by it's key ID.
 
+        Uses ``UNLINK`` rather than ``DEL`` so memory reclamation runs on a
+        background thread. This avoids blocking the main thread when a large
+        number of keys are dropped at once (for example, scope-targeted
+        ``SemanticCache`` invalidation). The returned count is unchanged.
+
         Args:
             keys (Union[str, List[str]]): The document ID or IDs to remove from the index.
 
@@ -833,9 +838,9 @@ def drop_keys(self, keys: str | list[str]) -> int:
             int: Count of records deleted from Redis.
         """
         if isinstance(keys, list):
-            return self._redis_client.delete(*keys)  # type: ignore
+            return self._redis_client.unlink(*keys)  # type: ignore
         else:
-            return self._redis_client.delete(keys)  # type: ignore
+            return self._redis_client.unlink(keys)  # type: ignore
 
     def drop_documents(self, ids: str | list[str]) -> int:
         """Remove documents from the index by their document IDs.
@@ -1779,6 +1784,11 @@ def invalidate_sql_schema_cache(self) -> None:
     async def drop_keys(self, keys: str | list[str]) -> int:
         """Remove a specific entry or entries from the index by it's key ID.
 
+        Uses ``UNLINK`` rather than ``DEL`` so memory reclamation runs on a
+        background thread. This avoids blocking the main thread when a large
+        number of keys are dropped at once (for example, scope-targeted
+        ``SemanticCache`` invalidation). The returned count is unchanged.
+
         Args:
             keys (Union[str, List[str]]): The document ID or IDs to remove from the index.
 
@@ -1787,9 +1797,9 @@ async def drop_keys(self, keys: str | list[str]) -> int:
         """
         client = await self._get_client()
         if isinstance(keys, list):
-            return await client.delete(*keys)
+            return await client.unlink(*keys)
         else:
-            return await client.delete(keys)
+            return await client.unlink(keys)
 
     async def drop_documents(self, ids: str | list[str]) -> int:
         """Remove documents from the index by their document IDs.
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_drop_keys_unlink.py b/tests/unit/test_drop_keys_unlink.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc84e14b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_drop_keys_unlink.py
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+"""Unit tests for SearchIndex/AsyncSearchIndex.drop_keys using UNLINK (issue #600)."""
+
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from redisvl.index import AsyncSearchIndex, SearchIndex
+from redisvl.schema import IndexSchema
+
+
+def _schema() -> IndexSchema:
+    return IndexSchema.from_dict(
+        {
+            "index": {"name": "drop_keys_test", "prefix": "drop_keys_test"},
+            "fields": [{"name": "id", "type": "tag"}],
+        }
+    )
+
+
+class TestDropKeysUsesUnlink:
+    """SearchIndex.drop_keys should issue UNLINK, not DEL.
+
+    UNLINK reclaims memory on a background thread; DEL reclaims on the main
+    thread and stalls the server when dropping a large key set (for example,
+    scope-targeted SemanticCache invalidation).
+    """
+
+    def test_single_key_calls_unlink(self):
+        client = MagicMock()
+        client.unlink.return_value = 1
+        client.delete.return_value = 1
+        index = SearchIndex(schema=_schema(), redis_client=client)
+
+        result = index.drop_keys("drop_keys_test:1")
+
+        assert result == 1
+        client.unlink.assert_called_once_with("drop_keys_test:1")
+        client.delete.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_list_of_keys_calls_unlink(self):
+        client = MagicMock()
+        client.unlink.return_value = 3
+        client.delete.return_value = 3
+        index = SearchIndex(schema=_schema(), redis_client=client)
+
+        keys = ["drop_keys_test:1", "drop_keys_test:2", "drop_keys_test:3"]
+        result = index.drop_keys(keys)
+
+        assert result == 3
+        client.unlink.assert_called_once_with(*keys)
+        client.delete.assert_not_called()
+
+
+class TestAsyncDropKeysUsesUnlink:
+    """AsyncSearchIndex.drop_keys should issue UNLINK, not DEL."""
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_single_key_calls_unlink(self):
+        client = MagicMock()
+        client.unlink = AsyncMock(return_value=1)
+        client.delete = AsyncMock(return_value=1)
+        index = AsyncSearchIndex(schema=_schema(), redis_client=client)
+
+        result = await index.drop_keys("drop_keys_test:1")
+
+        assert result == 1
+        client.unlink.assert_awaited_once_with("drop_keys_test:1")
+        client.delete.assert_not_awaited()
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_list_of_keys_calls_unlink(self):
+        client = MagicMock()
+        client.unlink = AsyncMock(return_value=3)
+        client.delete = AsyncMock(return_value=3)
+        index = AsyncSearchIndex(schema=_schema(), redis_client=client)
+
+        keys = ["drop_keys_test:1", "drop_keys_test:2", "drop_keys_test:3"]
+        result = await index.drop_keys(keys)
+
+        assert result == 3
+        client.unlink.assert_awaited_once_with(*keys)
+        client.delete.assert_not_awaited()