diff --git a/apps/admin-ui/src/app/live-lists/page.tsx b/apps/admin-ui/src/app/live-lists/page.tsx
index af5495c..613e9b4 100644
--- a/apps/admin-ui/src/app/live-lists/page.tsx
+++ b/apps/admin-ui/src/app/live-lists/page.tsx
@@ -235,8 +235,10 @@ export default function LiveListsPage() {
       if (channelForm.key.trim()) payload.key = channelForm.key.trim();
 
       const isNew = editingChannelId === "new";
-      if (isNew && (!payload.kid || !payload.key)) {
-        throw new Error("KID en KEY zijn verplicht voor een nieuwe zender");
+      const kidFilled = !!channelForm.kid.trim();
+      const keyFilled = !!channelForm.key.trim();
+      if (kidFilled !== keyFilled) {
+        throw new Error("KID en KEY samen invullen, of beide leeg laten");
       }
 
       const r = await fetch(
@@ -417,24 +419,28 @@ export default function LiveListsPage() {
                         />
                       </label>
                       <label className="field">
-                        KID (32 hex)
+                        KID (32 hex, optioneel)
                         <input
                           value={channelForm.kid}
                           onChange={(e) => setChannelForm((f) => ({ ...f, kid: e.target.value }))}
                           placeholder={
-                            editingChannelId !== "new" ? "•••••••• (leeg = behouden)" : "ClearKey KID"
+                            editingChannelId !== "new"
+                              ? "•••••••• (leeg = behouden; wis KEY ook om DRM te verwijderen)"
+                              : "Leeg = geen ClearKey"
                           }
                           disabled={busy}
                           autoComplete="off"
                         />
                       </label>
                       <label className="field">
-                        KEY (32 hex)
+                        KEY (32 hex, optioneel)
                         <input
                           value={channelForm.key}
                           onChange={(e) => setChannelForm((f) => ({ ...f, key: e.target.value }))}
                           placeholder={
-                            editingChannelId !== "new" ? "•••••••• (leeg = behouden)" : "ClearKey KEY"
+                            editingChannelId !== "new"
+                              ? "•••••••• (leeg = behouden)"
+                              : "Leeg = geen ClearKey"
                           }
                           disabled={busy}
                           autoComplete="off"
@@ -537,7 +543,7 @@ export default function LiveListsPage() {
                                 </div>
                               </td>
                               <td>{c.epgChannelId || "—"}</td>
-                              <td>{c.hasKid && c.hasKey ? "opgeslagen" : "ontbreekt"}</td>
+                              <td>{c.hasKid && c.hasKey ? "ClearKey" : "geen DRM"}</td>
                               <td>{c.enabled ? "aan" : "uit"}</td>
                               <td style={{ whiteSpace: "nowrap" }}>
                                 <button type="button" disabled={busy} onClick={() => startEditChannel(c)}>
diff --git a/apps/master-api/prisma/migrations/20260918190000_live_channel_optional_clearkey/migration.sql b/apps/master-api/prisma/migrations/20260918190000_live_channel_optional_clearkey/migration.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5aca44a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/master-api/prisma/migrations/20260918190000_live_channel_optional_clearkey/migration.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+-- ClearKey KID/KEY optioneel (clear DASH zonder DRM)
+ALTER TABLE "live_channels" ALTER COLUMN "kid_enc" DROP NOT NULL;
+ALTER TABLE "live_channels" ALTER COLUMN "key_enc" DROP NOT NULL;
diff --git a/apps/master-api/prisma/schema.prisma b/apps/master-api/prisma/schema.prisma
index 6f61fae..3f88120 100644
--- a/apps/master-api/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/apps/master-api/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -323,10 +323,10 @@ model LiveChannel {
   name          String
   logoUrl       String?  @map("logo_url")
   mpdUrl        String   @map("mpd_url") @db.Text
-  /** AES-GCM ciphertext (base64) — ClearKey KID */
-  kidEnc        String   @map("kid_enc") @db.Text
-  /** AES-GCM ciphertext (base64) — ClearKey KEY */
-  keyEnc        String   @map("key_enc") @db.Text
+  /** AES-GCM ciphertext (base64) — ClearKey KID; leeg = geen DRM */
+  kidEnc        String?  @map("kid_enc") @db.Text
+  /** AES-GCM ciphertext (base64) — ClearKey KEY; leeg = geen DRM */
+  keyEnc        String?  @map("key_enc") @db.Text
   /** XMLTV channel id voor EPG-mapping */
   epgChannelId  String?  @map("epg_channel_id")
   sortOrder     Int      @default(0) @map("sort_order")
diff --git a/apps/master-api/src/viewer/live-channels.ts b/apps/master-api/src/viewer/live-channels.ts
index cf5370c..e32c312 100644
--- a/apps/master-api/src/viewer/live-channels.ts
+++ b/apps/master-api/src/viewer/live-channels.ts
@@ -195,11 +195,22 @@ export async function createLiveChannel(
   const mpdUrl = body.mpdUrl?.trim();
   const kid = body.kid?.trim();
   const key = body.key?.trim();
-  if (!name || !mpdUrl || !kid || !key) {
-    throw new AppError("INVALID_REQUEST", "name, mpdUrl, kid en key verplicht", 400);
+  if (!name || !mpdUrl) {
+    throw new AppError("INVALID_REQUEST", "name en mpdUrl verplicht", 400);
   }
-  const kidNorm = normalizeHexKey(kid, "kid");
-  const keyNorm = normalizeHexKey(key, "key");
+  const hasKid = !!kid && kid !== "********";
+  const hasKey = !!key && key !== "********";
+  if (hasKid !== hasKey) {
+    throw new AppError("INVALID_REQUEST", "KID en KEY samen invullen, of beide leeg laten", 400);
+  }
+  const kidEnc =
+    hasKid && hasKey
+      ? encryptSecret(normalizeHexKey(kid!, "kid"), sessionSecret)
+      : null;
+  const keyEnc =
+    hasKid && hasKey
+      ? encryptSecret(normalizeHexKey(key!, "key"), sessionSecret)
+      : null;
   const maxOrder = await prisma.liveChannel.aggregate({
     where: { listId },
     _max: { sortOrder: true },
@@ -210,8 +221,8 @@ export async function createLiveChannel(
       name,
       logoUrl: body.logoUrl?.trim() || null,
       mpdUrl,
-      kidEnc: encryptSecret(kidNorm, sessionSecret),
-      keyEnc: encryptSecret(keyNorm, sessionSecret),
+      kidEnc,
+      keyEnc,
       epgChannelId: body.epgChannelId?.trim() || null,
       sortOrder: body.sortOrder ?? (maxOrder._max.sortOrder ?? 0) + 10,
       enabled: body.enabled !== false,
@@ -239,14 +250,21 @@ export async function updateLiveChannel(
 
   const kidRaw = body.kid?.trim();
   const keyRaw = body.key?.trim();
-  const kidEnc =
-    kidRaw && kidRaw !== "********"
-      ? encryptSecret(normalizeHexKey(kidRaw, "kid"), sessionSecret)
-      : undefined;
-  const keyEnc =
-    keyRaw && keyRaw !== "********"
-      ? encryptSecret(normalizeHexKey(keyRaw, "key"), sessionSecret)
-      : undefined;
+  const clearingKeys = kidRaw === "" && keyRaw === "";
+  const hasKid = !!kidRaw && kidRaw !== "********";
+  const hasKey = !!keyRaw && keyRaw !== "********";
+  if ((hasKid || hasKey) && hasKid !== hasKey) {
+    throw new AppError("INVALID_REQUEST", "KID en KEY samen invullen, of beide leeg laten", 400);
+  }
+  let kidEnc: string | null | undefined;
+  let keyEnc: string | null | undefined;
+  if (clearingKeys) {
+    kidEnc = null;
+    keyEnc = null;
+  } else if (hasKid && hasKey) {
+    kidEnc = encryptSecret(normalizeHexKey(kidRaw!, "kid"), sessionSecret);
+    keyEnc = encryptSecret(normalizeHexKey(keyRaw!, "key"), sessionSecret);
+  }
 
   await prisma.liveChannel.update({
     where: { id: channelId },
@@ -254,8 +272,8 @@ export async function updateLiveChannel(
       ...(body.name?.trim() ? { name: body.name.trim() } : {}),
       ...(body.logoUrl !== undefined ? { logoUrl: body.logoUrl?.trim() || null } : {}),
       ...(body.mpdUrl?.trim() ? { mpdUrl: body.mpdUrl.trim() } : {}),
-      ...(kidEnc ? { kidEnc } : {}),
-      ...(keyEnc ? { keyEnc } : {}),
+      ...(kidEnc !== undefined ? { kidEnc } : {}),
+      ...(keyEnc !== undefined ? { keyEnc } : {}),
       ...(body.epgChannelId !== undefined
         ? { epgChannelId: body.epgChannelId?.trim() || null }
         : {}),
@@ -401,8 +419,18 @@ export async function getCustomPlayUrl(
   });
   if (!channel) throw new AppError("FORBIDDEN", "Geen toegang tot deze zender", 403);
 
-  const kid = decryptSecret(channel.kidEnc, sessionSecret);
-  const key = decryptSecret(channel.keyEnc, sessionSecret);
+  const drm =
+    channel.kidEnc && channel.keyEnc
+      ? {
+          type: "clearkey" as const,
+          keys: [
+            {
+              kid: decryptSecret(channel.kidEnc, sessionSecret),
+              key: decryptSecret(channel.keyEnc, sessionSecret),
+            },
+          ],
+        }
+      : null;
 
   return {
     streamId: customStreamId(channel.id),
@@ -412,10 +440,7 @@ export async function getCustomPlayUrl(
     format: "dash" as const,
     fallbackStreamUrl: null,
     fallbackFormat: null,
-    drm: {
-      type: "clearkey" as const,
-      keys: [{ kid, key }],
-    },
+    drm,
   };
 }