diff --git a/os_win/tests/unit/utils/compute/test_vmutils.py b/os_win/tests/unit/utils/compute/test_vmutils.py
index 4cd8e10a..1dcebaae 100644
--- a/os_win/tests/unit/utils/compute/test_vmutils.py
+++ b/os_win/tests/unit/utils/compute/test_vmutils.py
@@ -865,20 +865,26 @@ class VMUtilsTestCase(test_base.OsWinBaseTestCase):
         mock_disk = self._prepare_mock_disk()
 
         self._vmutils.detach_vm_disk(self._FAKE_VM_NAME,
-                                     self._FAKE_HOST_RESOURCE)
+                                     self._FAKE_HOST_RESOURCE,
+                                     serial=mock.sentinel.serial)
         self._vmutils._jobutils.remove_virt_resource.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_disk)
 
-    def test_get_mounted_disk_resource_from_path(self):
-        mock_disk_1 = mock.MagicMock()
-        mock_disk_2 = mock.MagicMock()
-        mock_disk_2.HostResource = [self._FAKE_MOUNTED_DISK_PATH]
-        self._vmutils._conn.query.return_value = [mock_disk_1, mock_disk_2]
+    @ddt.data(None, mock.sentinel.serial)
+    def test_get_mounted_disk_resource_from_path(self, serial):
+        mock_disk = mock.MagicMock()
+
+        if serial:
+            self._vmutils._conn.query.return_value = [mock_disk]
+        else:
+            mock_disk.HostResource = [self._FAKE_MOUNTED_DISK_PATH]
+            self._vmutils._conn.query.return_value = [
+                mock.MagicMock(), mock_disk]
 
         physical_disk = self._vmutils._get_mounted_disk_resource_from_path(
-            self._FAKE_MOUNTED_DISK_PATH, True)
+            self._FAKE_MOUNTED_DISK_PATH, True, serial=serial)
 
-        self.assertEqual(mock_disk_2, physical_disk)
+        self.assertEqual(mock_disk, physical_disk)
 
     def test_get_controller_volume_paths(self):
         self._prepare_mock_disk()
diff --git a/os_win/utils/compute/vmutils.py b/os_win/utils/compute/vmutils.py
index 9935f1f9..fb09e2aa 100644
--- a/os_win/utils/compute/vmutils.py
+++ b/os_win/utils/compute/vmutils.py
@@ -784,10 +784,11 @@ class VMUtils(baseutils.BaseUtilsVirt):
                                                                   is_physical)
         return disk_resource is not None
 
-    def detach_vm_disk(self, vm_name, disk_path, is_physical=True):
+    def detach_vm_disk(self, vm_name, disk_path=None, is_physical=True,
+                       serial=None):
         # TODO(claudiub): remove vm_name argument, no longer used.
-        disk_resource = self._get_mounted_disk_resource_from_path(disk_path,
-                                                                  is_physical)
+        disk_resource = self._get_mounted_disk_resource_from_path(
+            disk_path, is_physical, serial=serial)
 
         if disk_resource:
             parent = self._conn.query("SELECT * FROM "
@@ -799,7 +800,8 @@ class VMUtils(baseutils.BaseUtilsVirt):
             if not is_physical:
                 self._jobutils.remove_virt_resource(parent)
 
-    def _get_mounted_disk_resource_from_path(self, disk_path, is_physical):
+    def _get_mounted_disk_resource_from_path(self, disk_path, is_physical,
+                                             serial=None):
         if is_physical:
             class_name = self._RESOURCE_ALLOC_SETTING_DATA_CLASS
         else:
@@ -814,9 +816,15 @@ class VMUtils(baseutils.BaseUtilsVirt):
                      'res_sub_type_virt': self._HARD_DISK_RES_SUB_TYPE,
                      'res_sub_type_dvd': self._DVD_DISK_RES_SUB_TYPE})
 
+        if serial:
+            query += " AND ElementName='%s'" % serial
+
         disk_resources = self._compat_conn.query(query)
 
         for disk_resource in disk_resources:
+            if serial:
+                return disk_resource
+
             if disk_resource.HostResource:
                 if disk_resource.HostResource[0].lower() == disk_path.lower():
                     return disk_resource
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/detach_disk_by_tag-9d8d5b04f91fedd2.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/detach_disk_by_tag-9d8d5b04f91fedd2.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a37c2980
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/detach_disk_by_tag-9d8d5b04f91fedd2.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    os-win now allows detaching VM disks by their unique tag. This considerably
+    reduces the time needed for this operation in case of passthrough disks
+    as the disk paths no longer have to be retrieved (which can be really time
+    consuming, especially under high load).