diff --git a/api/src/main/openapi/resources/projects/schemas/list-project-components-response-item.yaml b/api/src/main/openapi/resources/projects/schemas/list-project-components-response-item.yaml
index 37e51505fc..fda8fe9873 100644
--- a/api/src/main/openapi/resources/projects/schemas/list-project-components-response-item.yaml
+++ b/api/src/main/openapi/resources/projects/schemas/list-project-components-response-item.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ properties:
     maxLength: 255
   internal:
     type: boolean
+  direct:
+    type: boolean
   copyright:
     type: string
     maxLength: 255
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/model/Component.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/model/Component.java
index 69710679f7..867638a82c 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/model/Component.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/model/Component.java
@@ -426,6 +426,11 @@ public enum FetchGroup {
     @NotNull
     private UUID uuid;
 
+    @Persistent
+    @Column(name = "DIRECT", allowsNull = "true")
+    @JsonProperty("isDirect")
+    private Boolean direct;
+
     private transient String bomRef;
     private transient List<org.cyclonedx.model.License> licenseCandidates;
     private transient DependencyMetrics metrics;
@@ -955,6 +960,17 @@ public void setOccurrenceCount(final Long occurrenceCount) {
         this.occurrenceCount = occurrenceCount;
     }
 
+    public boolean isDirect() {
+        if (direct == null) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        return direct;
+    }
+
+    public void setDirect(boolean direct) {
+        this.direct = direct;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public String toString() {
         if (getPurl() != null) {
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/model/mapping/PolicyProtoMapper.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/model/mapping/PolicyProtoMapper.java
index 0d149d29e3..4ad9386b16 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/model/mapping/PolicyProtoMapper.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/model/mapping/PolicyProtoMapper.java
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ public static org.dependencytrack.proto.policy.v1.Component mapToProto(final Com
         maybeSet(component::getPurl, purl -> protoBuilder.setPurl(purl.canonicalize()));
         maybeSet(component::getSwidTagId, protoBuilder::setSwidTagId);
         maybeSet(component::isInternal, protoBuilder::setIsInternal);
+        maybeSet(component::isDirect, protoBuilder::setIsDirect);
         maybeSet(component::getMd5, protoBuilder::setMd5);
         maybeSet(component::getSha1, protoBuilder::setSha1);
         maybeSet(component::getSha256, protoBuilder::setSha256);
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/ComponentQueryManager.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/ComponentQueryManager.java
index cf9c478936..136459d527 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/ComponentQueryManager.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/ComponentQueryManager.java
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ AND EXISTS (
         if (onlyDirect) {
             queryString +=
                     """
-                       AND "B0"."DIRECT_DEPENDENCIES" @> JSONB_BUILD_ARRAY(JSONB_BUILD_OBJECT('uuid', "A0"."UUID"))
+                       AND "A0"."DIRECT" = TRUE
                     """;
         }
         if (orderBy == null) {
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/jdbi/ComponentDao.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/jdbi/ComponentDao.java
index 9c8e4ce3fe..4c69ac2632 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/jdbi/ComponentDao.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/jdbi/ComponentDao.java
@@ -122,12 +122,8 @@ default Page<Component> listProjectComponents(ListProjectComponentsQuery query)
         }
         if (Boolean.TRUE.equals(query.onlyDirect())) {
             whereConditions.add(/* language=SQL */ """
-                    EXISTS (
-                     SELECT 1
-                       FROM "PROJECT"
-                      WHERE "PROJECT"."ID" = "C"."PROJECT_ID"
-                        AND "PROJECT"."DIRECT_DEPENDENCIES" @> JSONB_BUILD_ARRAY(JSONB_BUILD_OBJECT('uuid', "C"."UUID"))
-                    )""");
+                    AND "C"."DIRECT" IS TRUE
+                    """);
         }
         if (query.searchText() != null && !query.searchText().isBlank()) {
             whereConditions.add(/* language=SQL */ """
@@ -235,6 +231,7 @@ default Page<Component> listProjectComponents(ListProjectComponentsQuery query)
                  , "C"."PURL"
                  , "C"."GROUP"
                  , "C"."INTERNAL"
+                 , "C"."DIRECT"
                  , "C"."LAST_RISKSCORE"
                  , "C"."LICENSE" AS "componentLicenseName"
                  , "C"."LICENSE_EXPRESSION" AS "licenseExpression"
@@ -630,4 +627,14 @@ public ListedComponent map(final ResultSet rs, final StatementContext ctx) throw
         }
     }
 
+    @SqlUpdate("""
+            UPDATE "COMPONENT"
+             SET "DIRECT" = ("UUID"::TEXT IN (
+                SELECT JSONB_ARRAY_ELEMENTS(
+                     COALESCE("DIRECT_DEPENDENCIES", '[]'::jsonb)) ->> 'uuid'
+                FROM "PROJECT" WHERE "ID" = :projectId
+             ))
+            WHERE "PROJECT_ID" = :projectId
+            """)
+    void setDirect(@Bind Long projectId);
 }
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyComponentRowMapper.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyComponentRowMapper.java
index b6748f28b8..64af3343a4 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyComponentRowMapper.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyComponentRowMapper.java
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ public Component map(final ResultSet rs, final StatementContext ctx) throws SQLE
         maybeSet(rs, "purl", ResultSet::getString, builder::setPurl);
         maybeSet(rs, "swid_tag_id", ResultSet::getString, builder::setSwidTagId);
         maybeSet(rs, "is_internal", ResultSet::getBoolean, builder::setIsInternal);
+        maybeSet(rs, "is_direct", ResultSet::getBoolean, builder::setIsDirect);
         maybeSet(rs, "md5", ResultSet::getString, builder::setMd5);
         maybeSet(rs, "sha1", ResultSet::getString, builder::setSha1);
         maybeSet(rs, "sha256", ResultSet::getString, builder::setSha256);
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyDao.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyDao.java
index 7b446e3b57..d510fa17c9 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyDao.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyDao.java
@@ -361,14 +361,9 @@ AND EXISTS (
     public boolean isDirectDependency(Component component) {
         return jdbiHandle
                 .createQuery("""
-                        SELECT EXISTS (
-                          SELECT 1
-                            FROM "COMPONENT" AS c
-                           INNER JOIN "PROJECT" AS p
-                              ON p."ID" = c."PROJECT_ID"
-                             AND p."DIRECT_DEPENDENCIES" @> JSONB_BUILD_ARRAY(JSONB_BUILD_OBJECT('uuid', :uuid))
-                           WHERE c."UUID" = CAST(:uuid AS UUID)
-                        )
+                        SELECT COALESCE(c."DIRECT", FALSE)
+                        FROM "COMPONENT" c
+                        WHERE c."UUID" = CAST(:uuid AS UUID)
                         """)
                 .bind("uuid", component.getUuid())
                 .mapTo(Boolean.class)
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyFieldMappingRegistry.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyFieldMappingRegistry.java
index 2aecc9d36b..830a80efb5 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyFieldMappingRegistry.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyFieldMappingRegistry.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ public record FieldMapping(String protoFieldName, String sqlExpression) {
             new FieldMapping("purl", "c.\"PURL\""),
             new FieldMapping("swid_tag_id", "c.\"SWIDTAGID\""),
             new FieldMapping("is_internal", "c.\"INTERNAL\""),
+            new FieldMapping("is_direct", "c.\"DIRECT\""),
             new FieldMapping("md5", "c.\"MD5\""),
             new FieldMapping("sha1", "c.\"SHA1\""),
             new FieldMapping("sha256", "c.\"SHA_256\""),
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ProjectsResource.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ProjectsResource.java
index e3948b3ee5..08b046393e 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ProjectsResource.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ProjectsResource.java
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ public Response listProjectComponents(
                         .cpe(componentRow.getCpe())
                         .group(componentRow.getGroup())
                         .internal(componentRow.isInternal())
+                        .direct(componentRow.isDirect())
                         .lastInheritedRiskScore(componentRow.getLastInheritedRiskScore())
                         .license(componentRow.getLicense())
                         .licenseExpression(componentRow.getLicenseExpression())
diff --git a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/tasks/ImportBomActivity.java b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/tasks/ImportBomActivity.java
index 1c1ca0865d..3bd4569047 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/tasks/ImportBomActivity.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/main/java/org/dependencytrack/tasks/ImportBomActivity.java
@@ -44,11 +44,13 @@
 import org.dependencytrack.notification.JdoNotificationEmitter;
 import org.dependencytrack.notification.NotificationModelConverter;
 import org.dependencytrack.persistence.QueryManager;
+import org.dependencytrack.persistence.jdbi.ComponentDao;
 import org.dependencytrack.pkgmetadata.ResolvePackageMetadataWorkflow;
 import org.dependencytrack.proto.internal.workflow.v1.AnalyzeProjectWorkflowArg;
 import org.dependencytrack.proto.internal.workflow.v1.ImportBomArg;
 import org.dependencytrack.proto.internal.workflow.v1.VulnAnalysisWorkflowContext;
 import org.dependencytrack.util.InternalComponentIdentifier;
+import org.jdbi.v3.core.Handle;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.NullMarked;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -102,6 +104,7 @@
 import static org.dependencytrack.parser.cyclonedx.util.ModelConverter.convertToProject;
 import static org.dependencytrack.parser.cyclonedx.util.ModelConverter.convertToProjectMetadata;
 import static org.dependencytrack.parser.cyclonedx.util.ModelConverter.flatten;
+import static org.dependencytrack.persistence.jdbi.JdbiFactory.createLocalJdbi;
 import static org.dependencytrack.proto.internal.workflow.v1.AnalysisTrigger.ANALYSIS_TRIGGER_BOM_UPLOAD;
 import static org.dependencytrack.util.PersistenceUtil.applyIfChanged;
 import static org.dependencytrack.util.PersistenceUtil.assertPersistent;
@@ -698,6 +701,10 @@ private void processDependencyGraph(
         }
 
         qm.getPersistenceManager().flush();
+
+        try (final Handle jdbiHandle = createLocalJdbi(qm).open()) {
+            jdbiHandle.attach(ComponentDao.class).setDirect(project.getId());
+        }
     }
 
     private static void recordBomImport(final ProcessingContext ctx, final QueryManager qm, final Project project) {
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/ComponentQueryManangerPostgresTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/ComponentQueryManangerPostgresTest.java
index 8caa0d7e46..79f9854368 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/ComponentQueryManangerPostgresTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/ComponentQueryManangerPostgresTest.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public void testGetOutdatedComponents() throws Exception {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void testGetDirectComponents() throws Exception {
+    public void testIsDirectComponents() throws Exception {
 
         final Project project = prepareProject();
         var components = qm.getComponents(project, false, false, true);
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ public void getUngroupedOutdatedDirectComponentsTest() throws Exception {
 
     private Project prepareProject() throws Exception {
         final Project project = qm.createProject("Acme Application", null, null, null, null, null, null, false);
-        final List<String> directDepencencies = new ArrayList<>();
         final List<PackageMetadata> metadataList = new ArrayList<>();
         final List<PackageArtifactMetadata> artifactMetadataList = new ArrayList<>();
         // Generate 1000 dependencies
@@ -114,7 +113,7 @@ private Project prepareProject() throws Exception {
             // direct depencencies
             if (i < 100) {
                 // 100 direct depencencies, 900 transitive depencencies
-                directDepencencies.add("{\"uuid\":\"" + component.getUuid() + "\"}");
+                component.setDirect(true);
             }
             // Recent & Outdated
             if ((i >= 25) && (i < 225)) {
@@ -151,7 +150,6 @@ private Project prepareProject() throws Exception {
             new PackageMetadataDao(handle).upsertAll(metadataList);
             new PackageArtifactMetadataDao(handle).upsertAll(artifactMetadataList);
         });
-        project.setDirectDependencies("[" + String.join(",", directDepencencies.toArray(new String[0])) + "]");
         return project;
     }
 
@@ -270,7 +268,6 @@ public void testMappingComponentProjectionWithAllFields() throws Exception {
      */
     private Project prepareProjectUngroupedComponents() throws Exception {
         final Project project = qm.createProject("Ungrouped Application", null, null, null, null, null, null, false);
-        final List<String> directDepencencies = new ArrayList<>();
         final List<PackageMetadata> metadataList = new ArrayList<>();
         final List<PackageArtifactMetadata> artifactMetadataList = new ArrayList<>();
         // Generate 10 dependencies
@@ -284,7 +281,7 @@ private Project prepareProjectUngroupedComponents() throws Exception {
             // direct depencencies
             if (i < 4) {
                 // 4 direct depencencies, 6 transitive depencencies
-                directDepencencies.add("{\"uuid\":\"" + component.getUuid() + "\"}");
+                component.setDirect(true);
             }
             // Recent & Outdated
             if ((i < 7)) {
@@ -313,7 +310,6 @@ private Project prepareProjectUngroupedComponents() throws Exception {
             new PackageMetadataDao(handle).upsertAll(metadataList);
             new PackageArtifactMetadataDao(handle).upsertAll(artifactMetadataList);
         });
-        project.setDirectDependencies("[" + String.join(",", directDepencencies.toArray(new String[0])) + "]");
         return project;
     }
 }
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/jdbi/ComponentDaoTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/jdbi/ComponentDaoTest.java
index bd4dad748b..32025b5a07 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/jdbi/ComponentDaoTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/persistence/jdbi/ComponentDaoTest.java
@@ -172,4 +172,28 @@ public void testGetComponentId() {
         qm.persist(component);
         assertThat(componentDao.getComponentId(component.getUuid())).isEqualTo(component.getId());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testSettingIsDirectFlag() {
+        final var project = qm.createProject("acme-app", "Description 1", "1.0.0", null, null, null, null, false);
+        final var componentA = new Component();
+        componentA.setName("acme-lib-a");
+        componentA.setVersion("1.0.0");
+        componentA.setProject(project);
+        qm.persist(componentA);
+        final var componentB = new Component();
+        componentB.setName("acme-lib-b");
+        componentB.setVersion("2.0.0");
+        componentB.setProject(project);
+        qm.persist(componentB);
+        project.setDirectDependencies("[" + String.join(",", "{\"uuid\":\"" + componentB.getUuid() + "\"}]"));
+
+        componentDao.setDirect(project.getId());
+
+        qm.getPersistenceManager().refresh(componentA);
+        qm.getPersistenceManager().refresh(componentB);
+
+        assertThat(componentA.isDirect()).isFalse();
+        assertThat(componentB.isDirect()).isTrue();
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/CelPolicyEngineTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/CelPolicyEngineTest.java
index 5b3b488ee7..9eed2769e5 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/CelPolicyEngineTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/CelPolicyEngineTest.java
@@ -500,9 +500,8 @@ void testEvaluateProjectWithPolicyOperatorForVersionDistance() throws Exception
         component.setName("bar");
         component.setPurl("pkg:maven/foo/bar@1.0.0");
         component.setVersion("1.2.3");
+        component.setDirect(true);
         qm.persist(component);
-
-        project.setDirectDependencies("[{\"uuid\":\"" + component.getUuid() + "\"}]");
         qm.persist(project);
 
         new CelPolicyEngine().evaluateProject(project.getUuid());
@@ -1277,11 +1276,13 @@ void testEvaluateProjectWithFuncComponentIsDependencyOfExclusiveComponentWithMul
         final var componentA = new Component();
         componentA.setProject(project);
         componentA.setName("acme-lib-a");
+        componentA.setDirect(true);
         qm.persist(componentA);
 
         final var componentB = new Component();
         componentB.setProject(project);
         componentB.setName("acme-lib-b");
+        componentB.setDirect(true);
         qm.persist(componentB);
 
         final var componentC = new Component();
@@ -1297,10 +1298,6 @@ void testEvaluateProjectWithFuncComponentIsDependencyOfExclusiveComponentWithMul
         //  /-> A -------\
         // *              > C
         //  \-> B -> D --/
-        project.setDirectDependencies("[%s, %s]".formatted(
-                new ComponentIdentity(componentA).toJSON(),
-                new ComponentIdentity(componentB).toJSON())
-        );
         componentA.setDirectDependencies("[%s]".formatted(new ComponentIdentity(componentC).toJSON()));
         componentB.setDirectDependencies("[%s]".formatted(new ComponentIdentity(componentD).toJSON()));
         componentD.setDirectDependencies("[%s]".formatted(new ComponentIdentity(componentC).toJSON()));
@@ -1710,20 +1707,18 @@ void testEvaluateProjectWithFuncComponentIsDependencyOfExclusiveComponentWithMul
         final var componentA = new Component();
         componentA.setProject(project);
         componentA.setName("acme-lib-a");
+        componentA.setDirect(true);
         qm.persist(componentA);
 
         final var componentB = new Component();
         componentB.setProject(project);
         componentB.setName("acme-lib-b");
+        componentB.setDirect(true);
         qm.persist(componentB);
 
         //  /-> A -> B
         // *         ^
         //  \-------/
-        project.setDirectDependencies("[%s, %s]".formatted(
-                new ComponentIdentity(componentA).toJSON(),
-                new ComponentIdentity(componentB).toJSON()
-        ));
         componentA.setDirectDependencies("[%s]".formatted(new ComponentIdentity(componentB).toJSON()));
         qm.persist(project);
         qm.persist(componentA);
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/compat/VersionDistanceCelPolicyEvaluatorTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/compat/VersionDistanceCelPolicyEvaluatorTest.java
index a138ed0580..1c653b6754 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/compat/VersionDistanceCelPolicyEvaluatorTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/compat/VersionDistanceCelPolicyEvaluatorTest.java
@@ -156,9 +156,8 @@ public void evaluateTest(final String version, String latestVersion, Operator op
         component.setName("bar");
         component.setPurl(componentPurl);
         component.setVersion(version);
+        component.setDirect(true);
         qm.persist(component);
-
-        project.setDirectDependencies("[{\"uuid\":\"" + component.getUuid() + "\"}]");
         qm.persist(project);
 
         new CelPolicyEngine().evaluateProject(project.getUuid());
@@ -172,8 +171,8 @@ public void evaluateTest(final String version, String latestVersion, Operator op
         }
 
         // https://github.com/DependencyTrack/dependency-track/issues/3295
-        project.setDirectDependencies(null);
-        qm.persist(project);
+        component.setDirect(false);
+        qm.persist(component);
         new CelPolicyEngine().evaluateProject(project.getUuid());
         assertThat(qm.getAllPolicyViolations(component)).isEmpty();
     }
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyDaoTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyDaoTest.java
index 4996398dd7..b377eb60b9 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyDaoTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/policy/cel/persistence/CelPolicyDaoTest.java
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ public void testLoadRequiredFieldsForComponent() throws Exception {
                           "purl": "pkg:maven/componentGroup/componentName@componentVersion",
                           "swidTagId": "componentSwidTagId",
                           "isInternal": true,
+                          "isDirect": false,
                           "md5": "componentmd5",
                           "sha1": "componentsha1",
                           "sha256": "componentsha256",
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v1/ComponentResourceTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v1/ComponentResourceTest.java
index 65b0d6a5e0..762036ca63 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v1/ComponentResourceTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v1/ComponentResourceTest.java
@@ -1347,6 +1347,7 @@ public void getAllComponentsTest() throws Exception {
                           },
                           "expandDependencyGraph": false,
                           "isInternal": false,
+                          "isDirect": false,
                           "occurrenceCount": 0
                         }
                         """);
@@ -1510,6 +1511,7 @@ private Project prepareProject() throws Exception {
             component.setPurl(new PackageURL(RepositoryType.MAVEN.toString(), "component-group", "component-name-" + i, i + ".0", null, null));
             component = qm.createComponent(component, false);
             if (i < 10) {
+                component.setDirect(true);
                 directDependencies.add("{\"uuid\":\"" + component.getUuid() + "\"}");
             }
             if ((i >= 5) && (i < 15)) {
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v1/VulnerabilityResourceTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v1/VulnerabilityResourceTest.java
index 82c8298560..13d9718532 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v1/VulnerabilityResourceTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v1/VulnerabilityResourceTest.java
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ public void getVulnerabilitiesByProjectTest() {
                                  "uuid": "${json-unit.any-string}",
                                  "expandDependencyGraph": false,
                                  "isInternal": false,
+                                 "isDirect": false,
                                  "externalReferences":[]
                              }
                          ],
@@ -303,6 +304,7 @@ public void getVulnerabilitiesByProjectTest() {
                                  "uuid": "${json-unit.any-string}",
                                  "expandDependencyGraph": false,
                                  "isInternal": false,
+                                 "isDirect": false,
                                  "externalReferences":[]
                              }
                          ],
@@ -336,6 +338,7 @@ public void getVulnerabilitiesByProjectTest() {
                                  "uuid": "${json-unit.any-string}",
                                  "expandDependencyGraph": false,
                                  "isInternal": false,
+                                 "isDirect": false,
                                  "externalReferences":[]
                              }
                          ],
@@ -359,6 +362,7 @@ public void getVulnerabilitiesByProjectTest() {
                                  "uuid": "${json-unit.any-string}",
                                  "expandDependencyGraph": false,
                                  "isInternal": false,
+                                 "isDirect": false,
                                  "externalReferences":[]
                              }
                          ],
@@ -447,6 +451,7 @@ public void getVulnerabilitiesByProjectIncludeProjectSuppressedTest() {
                             "uuid": "${json-unit.any-string}",
                             "expandDependencyGraph": false,
                             "isInternal": false,
+                            "isDirect": false,
                             "externalReferences":[]
                         }
                     ],
@@ -470,6 +475,7 @@ public void getVulnerabilitiesByProjectIncludeProjectSuppressedTest() {
                             "uuid": "${json-unit.any-string}",
                             "expandDependencyGraph": false,
                             "isInternal": false,
+                            "isDirect": false,
                             "externalReferences":[]
                         }
                     ],
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ComponentsResourceTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ComponentsResourceTest.java
index 59e7035f77..d3fd8e9093 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ComponentsResourceTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ComponentsResourceTest.java
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ public void createComponentTest() {
                     "uuid" : "${json-unit.any-string}",
                     "expandDependencyGraph" : false,
                     "occurrenceCount" : 0,
-                    "isInternal" : false
+                    "isInternal" : false,
+                    "isDirect" : false
                   } ]
                 }
                 """);
diff --git a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ProjectsResourceTest.java b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ProjectsResourceTest.java
index 2f54e52b61..d501e716b8 100644
--- a/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ProjectsResourceTest.java
+++ b/apiserver/src/test/java/org/dependencytrack/resources/v2/ProjectsResourceTest.java
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ public void listProjectComponents() {
                         "group" : "component-group",
                         "purl" : "pkg:maven/foo/bar@1.0",
                         "internal" : false,
+                        "direct": false,
                         "hashes": {
                               "md5": "hash-md5"
                         },
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ public void listProjectComponents() {
                         "group" : "component-group",
                         "purl" : "pkg:maven/foo/bar@2.0",
                         "internal" : false,
+                        "direct": false,
                         "scope": "REQUIRED",
                         "resolved_license" : {
                               "name" : "MIT License",
@@ -124,6 +126,7 @@ public void listProjectComponents() {
                        "group" : "component-group",
                        "purl" : "pkg:maven/foo/bar@3.0",
                        "internal" : false,
+                       "direct": true,
                        "uuid" : "${json-unit.any-string}"
                       }
                   ],
@@ -718,6 +721,7 @@ private Project prepareProject() {
         component.setGroup("component-group");
         component.setName("component-name");
         component.setVersion("3.0");
+        component.setDirect(true);
         component.setPurl("pkg:maven/foo/bar@3.0");
         qm.createComponent(component, false);
 
diff --git a/migration/src/main/resources/org/dependencytrack/migration/V202605291156__add_direct_column_to_component.sql b/migration/src/main/resources/org/dependencytrack/migration/V202605291156__add_direct_column_to_component.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e918875bde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migration/src/main/resources/org/dependencytrack/migration/V202605291156__add_direct_column_to_component.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+ALTER TABLE "COMPONENT"
+    ADD COLUMN "DIRECT" BOOLEAN;
+
+CREATE INDEX "COMPONENT_DIRECT_IDX"
+    ON "COMPONENT" ("DIRECT");
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/proto/src/main/proto/org/dependencytrack/policy/v1/policy.proto b/proto/src/main/proto/org/dependencytrack/policy/v1/policy.proto
index 62ad840988..ce12bea075 100644
--- a/proto/src/main/proto/org/dependencytrack/policy/v1/policy.proto
+++ b/proto/src/main/proto/org/dependencytrack/policy/v1/policy.proto
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ message Component {
   // When the component current version last modified.
   optional google.protobuf.Timestamp published_at = 53;
   optional string latest_version = 54;
+  // Whether the component is direct dependency of the project.
+  optional bool is_direct = 55;
 
   message Property {
     string group = 1;