diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 621df0c..4ae67dc 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -80,3 +80,7 @@ PASSWORDLESS_FIXED_PINCODE=123456
 #------------------------------------------------------------
 # Automatically set advert to picked when collected
 #PICK_ON_COLLECT=0
+
+#------------------------------------------------------------
+# Automatically set advert to un-picked when returned
+#UNPICK_ON_RETURN=0
diff --git a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/claims/cancel-advert-claim.ts b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/claims/cancel-advert-claim.ts
index 950a165..75978ed 100644
--- a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/claims/cancel-advert-claim.ts
+++ b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/claims/cancel-advert-claim.ts
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@ export const createCancelAdvertClaim =
     getAdvertMeta,
     adverts,
     notifications,
+    workflow: { unpickOnReturn },
   }: Pick<
     Services,
-    'getAdvertMeta' | 'adverts' | 'notifications'
+    'getAdvertMeta' | 'adverts' | 'notifications' | 'workflow'
   >): AdvertMutations['cancelAdvertClaim'] =>
   (user, id, by, type, impersonate) =>
     txBuilder<Advert>()
@@ -45,9 +46,11 @@ export const createCancelAdvertClaim =
             impersonate || null
           )
         )
+        const pickedAt = unpickOnReturn ? '' : advert.pickedAt
 
         return {
           ...advert,
+          pickedAt,
           claims: normalizeAdvertClaims(
             advert.claims
               .filter(c => !matchClaim(c))
diff --git a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/claims/convert-advert-claim.spec.ts b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/claims/convert-advert-claim.spec.ts
index 0999912..d1ef784 100644
--- a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/claims/convert-advert-claim.spec.ts
+++ b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/claims/convert-advert-claim.spec.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ describe('convertAdvertClaim - picking', () => {
       get pickOnCollect() {
         return true
       },
+      get unpickOnReturn() {
+        return false
+      },
     }
     const spy = jest.spyOn(workflow, 'pickOnCollect', 'get')
 
diff --git a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/collect-advert.spec.ts b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/collect-advert.spec.ts
index a6f7694..6912ccd 100644
--- a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/collect-advert.spec.ts
+++ b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/collect-advert.spec.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ describe('collectAdvert', () => {
       get pickOnCollect() {
         return true
       },
+      get unpickOnReturn() {
+        return false
+      },
     }
     const spy = jest.spyOn(workflow, 'pickOnCollect', 'get')
 
diff --git a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/return-advert.spec.ts b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/return-advert.spec.ts
index 710d6f2..471357e 100644
--- a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/return-advert.spec.ts
+++ b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/return-advert.spec.ts
@@ -165,4 +165,69 @@ describe('returnAdvert', () => {
         expect(result.status).toMatchObject(TxErrors.Unauthorized)
       }
     ))
+  it('should set unpicked on return', () => {
+    const advertWasReturned = jest.fn(async () => undefined)
+    const advertWasReturnedOwner = jest.fn(async () => undefined)
+    const notifications = createTestNotificationServices({
+      advertWasReturned,
+      advertWasReturnedOwner,
+    })
+    const workflow = {
+      get pickOnCollect() {
+        return true
+      },
+      get unpickOnReturn() {
+        return true
+      },
+    }
+    const spy = jest.spyOn(workflow, 'unpickOnReturn', 'get')
+
+    return end2endTest(
+      { services: { notifications, workflow } },
+      async ({ mappedGqlRequest, adverts, user, loginPolicies }) => {
+        // give us rights to collect
+        await loginPolicies.updateLoginPolicies([
+          {
+            emailPattern: user.id,
+            roles: ['canManageReturns'],
+          },
+        ])
+
+        // eslint-disable-next-line no-param-reassign
+        adverts['advert-123'] = {
+          ...createEmptyAdvert(),
+          id: 'advert-123',
+          createdBy: 'owner@test.com',
+          pickedAt: '2025-01-01T00:00:00:000Z',
+          quantity: 5,
+          claims: [
+            {
+              type: AdvertClaimType.collected,
+              by: 'collector@test.com',
+              quantity: 1,
+              at: new Date().toISOString(),
+              events: [],
+            },
+          ],
+        }
+
+        const result = await mappedGqlRequest<AdvertMutationResult>(
+          'returnAdvert',
+          returnAdvertMutation,
+          {
+            id: 'advert-123',
+          }
+        )
+        expect(result.status).toBeNull()
+
+        T('should be updated in database', () =>
+          expect(adverts['advert-123'].pickedAt).toBe('')
+        )
+
+        T('should have checked configuration', () =>
+          expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+        )
+      }
+    )
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/return-advert.ts b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/return-advert.ts
index 5cef6b0..89223a4 100644
--- a/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/return-advert.ts
+++ b/src/adverts/advert-mutations/collecting/return-advert.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@ export const createReturnAdvert =
     getAdvertMeta,
     adverts,
     notifications,
+    workflow: { unpickOnReturn },
   }: Pick<
     Services,
-    'getAdvertMeta' | 'adverts' | 'notifications'
+    'getAdvertMeta' | 'adverts' | 'notifications' | 'workflow'
   >): AdvertMutations['returnAdvert'] =>
   (user, id) =>
     txBuilder<Advert>()
@@ -44,8 +45,11 @@ export const createReturnAdvert =
             ),
           ])
         )
+        const pickedAt = unpickOnReturn ? '' : advert.pickedAt
+
         return {
           ...advert,
+          pickedAt,
           claims: normalizeAdvertClaims(
             advert.claims.filter(
               ({ type }) => type !== AdvertClaimType.collected
diff --git a/src/adverts/adverts.gql.schema.ts b/src/adverts/adverts.gql.schema.ts
index 00bf91a..db5799d 100644
--- a/src/adverts/adverts.gql.schema.ts
+++ b/src/adverts/adverts.gql.schema.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ export const advertsGqlSchema = /* GraphQL */ `
     externalId
     tags
     size
+    place
   }
 
   input AdvertFieldsFilterInput {
diff --git a/src/test-utils/test-app.ts b/src/test-utils/test-app.ts
index 5c690a6..f93d88e 100644
--- a/src/test-utils/test-app.ts
+++ b/src/test-utils/test-app.ts
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ export const createTestServices = (services: Partial<Services>): Services => {
     get pickOnCollect() {
       return false
     },
+    get unpickOnReturn() {
+      return false
+    },
   }
   const getAdvertMeta = services.getAdvertMeta || createGetAdvertMeta()
   const settings = services.settings || createInMemorySettingsService()
diff --git a/src/workflow/index.ts b/src/workflow/index.ts
index 884a770..6318d61 100644
--- a/src/workflow/index.ts
+++ b/src/workflow/index.ts
@@ -5,4 +5,7 @@ export const createWorkflowServiceFromEnv = (): WorkflowService => ({
   get pickOnCollect() {
     return Number(getEnv('PICK_ON_COLLECT', { fallback: '0' })) === 1
   },
+  get unpickOnReturn() {
+    return Number(getEnv('UNPICK_ON_RETURN', { fallback: '0' })) === 1
+  },
 })
diff --git a/src/workflow/types.ts b/src/workflow/types.ts
index 6d36698..00c8015 100644
--- a/src/workflow/types.ts
+++ b/src/workflow/types.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 export interface WorkflowService {
   pickOnCollect: boolean
+  unpickOnReturn: boolean
 }