diff --git a/crates/omnigraph-compiler/src/catalog/schema_plan.rs b/crates/omnigraph-compiler/src/catalog/schema_plan.rs
index f9c708d..08fe16a 100644
--- a/crates/omnigraph-compiler/src/catalog/schema_plan.rs
+++ b/crates/omnigraph-compiler/src/catalog/schema_plan.rs
@@ -562,18 +562,22 @@ fn plan_properties(
         .iter()
         .filter(|property| !consumed.contains(&property.name))
     {
-        steps.push(SchemaMigrationStep::UnsupportedChange {
-            entity: format!(
-                "{}:{}.{}",
-                schema_type_kind_key(type_kind),
-                type_name,
-                leftover.name
-            ),
-            reason: format!(
-                "removing property '{}.{}' is not supported in schema migration v1",
-                type_name, leftover.name
-            ),
-            code: Some(crate::lint::codes::OG_DS_104.code.to_string()),
+        // Property removed from the desired schema: emit
+        // DropProperty { Soft } per docs/schema-lint-v1-plan.md
+        // commit #3. The Soft mode reuses the existing
+        // stage_overwrite rewrite path — batch_for_schema_apply_rewrite
+        // iterates target_schema.fields(), so the dropped column is
+        // naturally projected away. The prior Lance version retains
+        // the column until cleanup_old_versions runs, matching the
+        // OG-DS-104 destructive-tier expectation that data remains
+        // recoverable via time travel until cleanup. Hard mode (with
+        // immediate compact_files + cleanup_old_versions) lands in
+        // commit #5, gated by --allow-data-loss.
+        steps.push(SchemaMigrationStep::DropProperty {
+            type_kind,
+            type_name: type_name.to_string(),
+            property_name: leftover.name.clone(),
+            mode: DropMode::Soft,
         });
     }
 
@@ -926,6 +930,67 @@ node Account @rename_from("User") {
         }));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn plan_emits_soft_drop_for_removed_nullable_property() {
+        // Removing a property from the desired schema emits
+        // DropProperty { Soft } (schema-lint v1 chassis commit #3,
+        // MR-694). The plan is `supported = true` — the apply path
+        // handles soft drop via the existing stage_overwrite rewrite
+        // projection. Verified at the integration level by
+        // `apply_schema_drops_a_nullable_property_softly_preserves_prior_version`
+        // in `crates/omnigraph/tests/schema_apply.rs`.
+        let accepted = build_schema_ir(
+            &parse_schema(
+                r#"
+node Person {
+    name: String @key
+    age: I32?
+}
+"#,
+            )
+            .unwrap(),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        let desired = build_schema_ir(
+            &parse_schema(
+                r#"
+node Person {
+    name: String @key
+}
+"#,
+            )
+            .unwrap(),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let plan = plan_schema_migration(&accepted, &desired).unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            plan.supported,
+            "drop-property plan must be supported: {plan:?}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            plan.steps.iter().any(|step| matches!(
+                step,
+                SchemaMigrationStep::DropProperty {
+                    type_kind: SchemaTypeKind::Node,
+                    type_name,
+                    property_name,
+                    mode: DropMode::Soft,
+                    ..
+                } if type_name == "Person" && property_name == "age"
+            )),
+            "expected DropProperty {{ Soft }} step in plan: {plan:?}",
+        );
+        // Negative: no UnsupportedChange anywhere in the plan.
+        assert!(
+            !plan
+                .steps
+                .iter()
+                .any(|step| matches!(step, UnsupportedChange { .. })),
+            "soft drop must not emit UnsupportedChange: {plan:?}",
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn plan_rejects_required_property_addition() {
         let accepted = build_schema_ir(
diff --git a/crates/omnigraph/src/db/omnigraph.rs b/crates/omnigraph/src/db/omnigraph.rs
index 50d4963..bf34ff9 100644
--- a/crates/omnigraph/src/db/omnigraph.rs
+++ b/crates/omnigraph/src/db/omnigraph.rs
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ use omnigraph_compiler::catalog::{Catalog, EdgeType, NodeType};
 use omnigraph_compiler::schema::parser::parse_schema;
 use omnigraph_compiler::types::ScalarType;
 use omnigraph_compiler::{
-    SchemaIR, SchemaMigrationPlan, SchemaMigrationStep, SchemaTypeKind, build_catalog_from_ir,
-    build_schema_ir, plan_schema_migration,
+    DropMode, SchemaIR, SchemaMigrationPlan, SchemaMigrationStep, SchemaTypeKind,
+    build_catalog_from_ir, build_schema_ir, plan_schema_migration,
 };
 
 use crate::db::graph_coordinator::{GraphCoordinator, PublishedSnapshot};
diff --git a/crates/omnigraph/src/db/omnigraph/schema_apply.rs b/crates/omnigraph/src/db/omnigraph/schema_apply.rs
index 8d2eb28..f764e22 100644
--- a/crates/omnigraph/src/db/omnigraph/schema_apply.rs
+++ b/crates/omnigraph/src/db/omnigraph/schema_apply.rs
@@ -138,15 +138,39 @@ pub(super) async fn apply_schema_with_lock(
             }
             SchemaMigrationStep::UpdateTypeMetadata { .. }
             | SchemaMigrationStep::UpdatePropertyMetadata { .. } => {}
-            SchemaMigrationStep::DropType { .. } | SchemaMigrationStep::DropProperty { .. } => {
-                // Dormant — variants exist on the IR but the planner
-                // doesn't emit them yet. Implementation lands in a
-                // subsequent commit (see docs/schema-lint-v1-plan.md).
-                // If a SchemaIR JSON containing one of these arrives
-                // (e.g. round-tripped from a future tool), fail
-                // explicitly rather than silently misclassifying.
+            SchemaMigrationStep::DropProperty {
+                type_kind,
+                type_name,
+                mode,
+                ..
+            } => {
+                // Soft = reuse the existing stage_overwrite rewrite
+                // path. batch_for_schema_apply_rewrite iterates the
+                // *target* schema fields, so a property absent from
+                // desired_catalog is naturally projected away. The
+                // prior Lance version retains the dropped column,
+                // so reads at the previous snapshot still see it
+                // (time-travel reversibility). Hard mode (immediate
+                // compact_files + cleanup_old_versions for actual
+                // data deletion) lands in commit #5 gated by
+                // --allow-data-loss.
+                if !matches!(mode, DropMode::Soft) {
+                    return Err(OmniError::manifest_internal(
+                        "DropProperty { Hard } not yet implemented (commit #5)",
+                    ));
+                }
+                let table_key = schema_table_key(*type_kind, type_name);
+                if table_key.starts_with("edge:") {
+                    changed_edge_tables = true;
+                }
+                rewritten_tables.insert(table_key);
+            }
+            SchemaMigrationStep::DropType { .. } => {
+                // DropType (whole-table drop via __manifest entry
+                // removal) lands in commit #4 — different mechanics
+                // from DropProperty.
                 return Err(OmniError::manifest_internal(
-                    "drop-step variant is not yet implemented in apply_schema",
+                    "DropType not yet implemented (commit #4)",
                 ));
             }
             step @ SchemaMigrationStep::UnsupportedChange { .. } => {
diff --git a/crates/omnigraph/tests/schema_apply.rs b/crates/omnigraph/tests/schema_apply.rs
index fac5ab4..99484db 100644
--- a/crates/omnigraph/tests/schema_apply.rs
+++ b/crates/omnigraph/tests/schema_apply.rs
@@ -101,17 +101,23 @@ async fn apply_schema_unsupported_plan_does_not_advance_manifest() {
     );
 }
 
-// ─── Destructive / safety-tier rejections ────────────────────────────────────
+// ─── Destructive / safety-tier behavior ──────────────────────────────────────
 //
-// Schema migration v1 only accepts additive change: add type, add nullable
-// property, add index, rename. Every other shape returns an
-// `UnsupportedChange` step that surfaces as an error from `apply_schema`,
-// without advancing the manifest. These tests pin that contract for the
-// destructive shapes (drop type, drop property, narrow type, add required,
-// remove constraint) so a regression in the planner can't silently allow them.
+// Schema migration v1 accepts:
+// - Additive change: add type, add nullable property, add index, rename.
+// - DropProperty { Soft } via the schema-lint v1 chassis (commit #3 of MR-694)
+//   — the dropped column is removed from the current manifest version but
+//   remains reachable via Lance time travel at the prior version, until
+//   `omnigraph cleanup` runs. Hard mode (immediate data cleanup) lands in
+//   commit #5 gated by `--allow-data-loss`.
+//
+// Every other destructive shape (drop type, narrow type, add required without
+// backfill, remove constraint) still returns an `UnsupportedChange` step that
+// surfaces as an error from `apply_schema`. These tests pin the current
+// contract so a regression in the planner can't silently change behavior.
 
 #[tokio::test]
-async fn apply_schema_rejects_dropping_a_property_with_data() {
+async fn apply_schema_drops_a_nullable_property_softly_preserves_prior_version() {
     let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
     let mut db = init_and_load(&dir).await;
 
@@ -122,25 +128,96 @@ async fn apply_schema_rejects_dropping_a_property_with_data() {
         .unwrap()
         .version();
 
-    // Drop `age` from Person. v1 doesn't support property removal even when
-    // the column is nullable — it would silently destroy data.
+    // Drop `age` from Person. v1 + chassis commit #3 emit
+    // `DropProperty { Soft }`; the rewrite path projects to the
+    // target schema (no `age`), commits via stage_overwrite. Row
+    // counts are unchanged — only the column is dropped from the
+    // current schema view.
     let desired = TEST_SCHEMA.replace("    age: I32?\n", "");
-    let err = db.apply_schema(&desired).await.unwrap_err();
-    let msg = err.to_string();
+
+    // Confirm the plan emits DropProperty { Soft } (not UnsupportedChange).
+    let plan = db.plan_schema(&desired).await.unwrap();
+    assert!(plan.supported, "drop-property plan must be supported");
     assert!(
-        msg.contains("OG-DS-104"),
-        "expected schema-lint code OG-DS-104 in error, got: {msg}"
+        plan.steps.iter().any(|step| matches!(
+            step,
+            SchemaMigrationStep::DropProperty {
+                type_kind: SchemaTypeKind::Node,
+                type_name,
+                property_name,
+                mode: omnigraph_compiler::DropMode::Soft,
+                ..
+            } if type_name == "Person" && property_name == "age"
+        )),
+        "expected DropProperty {{ type=Person, property=age, mode=Soft }} in plan; got {plan:?}",
     );
 
-    // Manifest didn't advance and existing rows are untouched.
-    assert_eq!(
-        db.snapshot_of(ReadTarget::branch("main"))
-            .await
-            .unwrap()
-            .version(),
-        before_version
+    let result = db.apply_schema(&desired).await.unwrap();
+    assert!(result.supported);
+    assert!(result.applied);
+
+    // Manifest advanced; row count unchanged.
+    let after_version = db
+        .snapshot_of(ReadTarget::branch("main"))
+        .await
+        .unwrap()
+        .version();
+    assert!(
+        after_version > before_version,
+        "manifest version should advance after soft drop; before={before_version}, after={after_version}",
     );
     assert_eq!(count_rows(&db, "node:Person").await, people_before);
+
+    // (a) Current snapshot: `age` is gone from the dataset schema.
+    let current_snapshot = db.snapshot_of(ReadTarget::branch("main")).await.unwrap();
+    let current_ds = current_snapshot.open("node:Person").await.unwrap();
+    let current_fields = current_ds
+        .schema()
+        .fields
+        .iter()
+        .map(|f| f.name.clone())
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    assert!(
+        !current_fields.iter().any(|f| f == "age"),
+        "current Person dataset schema must not include 'age' after soft drop; got fields {current_fields:?}",
+    );
+
+    // (b) Time travel: at the pre-drop manifest version, the prior
+    // Person dataset version still has `age`. Soft drop is reversible
+    // via Lance's version graph until `omnigraph cleanup` runs.
+    let pre_drop_snapshot = db.snapshot_at_version(before_version).await.unwrap();
+    let pre_drop_ds = pre_drop_snapshot.open("node:Person").await.unwrap();
+    let pre_drop_fields = pre_drop_ds
+        .schema()
+        .fields
+        .iter()
+        .map(|f| f.name.clone())
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    assert!(
+        pre_drop_fields.iter().any(|f| f == "age"),
+        "pre-drop Person dataset schema must still include 'age' (time-travel reversibility); got fields {pre_drop_fields:?}",
+    );
+
+    // (c) Reopen consistency: close the engine, reopen, verify the
+    // drop is preserved (column still absent from current schema).
+    let uri = dir.path().to_str().unwrap().to_string();
+    drop(db);
+    let reopened = Omnigraph::open(&uri).await.unwrap();
+    let reopened_snapshot = reopened
+        .snapshot_of(ReadTarget::branch("main"))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    let reopened_ds = reopened_snapshot.open("node:Person").await.unwrap();
+    let reopened_fields = reopened_ds
+        .schema()
+        .fields
+        .iter()
+        .map(|f| f.name.clone())
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    assert!(
+        !reopened_fields.iter().any(|f| f == "age"),
+        "after reopen, Person dataset schema must still lack 'age'; got fields {reopened_fields:?}",
+    );
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]