diff --git a/packages/react-slots/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/react-slots/CHANGELOG.md
index f03d9dd..b239896 100644
--- a/packages/react-slots/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/react-slots/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org).
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Added
+
+- `createSlot({ fallback })` — a component (no props) rendered while the slot has never received an insert. The first `insert` removes it for good: a later `clear` empties the slot but does not bring the fallback back. Emptiness is list-based — the fallback tracks `insert`/`clear`, not what children render. On the server it renders whenever nothing was inserted at render time, mirroring the client pre-insert state. Composes with `presence: true`; the fallback is not probed and never counts toward `useCount`/`usePresence`.
+
 ### Fixed
 
 - `filter` freeze is now concurrent-safe: a render attempt React abandons (an interrupted `startTransition`, a suspended attempt) can no longer leak a never-committed element into the frozen child. The freeze cache moved from a render-written ref to render-phase state.
diff --git a/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/createSlot.test-d.tsx b/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/createSlot.test-d.tsx
index 78edd61..2a877b8 100644
--- a/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/createSlot.test-d.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/createSlot.test-d.tsx
@@ -342,6 +342,34 @@ describe("createSlot types", () => {
     })
   })
 
+  it("fallback receives no props, even on a typed slot", () => {
+    createSlot<{ userId: number }>({
+      fallback: (props) => {
+        expectTypeOf(props).toEqualTypeOf<EmptyObject>()
+
+        return null
+      },
+    })
+
+    // @ts-expect-error — fallback receives no props
+    createSlot<{ userId: number }>({ fallback: (props: { userId: number }) => <b>{props.userId}</b> })
+  })
+
+  it("fallback is optional and forbids props on a propless slot", () => {
+    createSlot({ fallback: () => null })
+    createSlot({})
+
+    // @ts-expect-error — fallback receives no props
+    createSlot({ fallback: (props: { name: string }) => <b>{props.name}</b> })
+  })
+
+  it("fallback composes with presence", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot<{ userId: number }>({ presence: true, fallback: () => null })
+
+    expectTypeOf(slot.useCount).toEqualTypeOf<() => number>()
+    expectTypeOf(slot.usePresence).toEqualTypeOf<() => readonly boolean[]>()
+  })
+
   it("convention: filter above mapProps — reversed order silently loses narrowing", () => {
     const slot = createSlot<{ kind: "str"; text: string } | { kind: "num"; value: number }>()
 
diff --git a/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/createSlot.test.tsx b/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/createSlot.test.tsx
index 230a0c9..cce0c21 100644
--- a/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/createSlot.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/createSlot.test.tsx
@@ -744,6 +744,156 @@ describe("createSlot", () => {
     expect(new Set(texts(container, "b")).size).toBe(1)
   })
 
+  it("renders fallback while nothing was ever inserted", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot({ fallback: () => <i>empty</i> })
+
+    const { container } = render(<slot.Root />)
+
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual(["empty"])
+  })
+
+  it("does not render fallback when something was inserted before mount", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot({ fallback: () => <i>empty</i> })
+
+    slot.api.insert({ Component: () => <b>content</b> })
+
+    const { container } = render(<slot.Root />)
+
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual([])
+    expect(texts(container, "b")).toEqual(["content"])
+  })
+
+  it("removes fallback when something is inserted after mount", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot({ fallback: () => <i>empty</i> })
+
+    const { container } = render(<slot.Root />)
+
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual(["empty"])
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.insert({ Component: () => <b>content</b> })
+    })
+
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual([])
+    expect(texts(container, "b")).toEqual(["content"])
+  })
+
+  it("does not bring fallback back after clear", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot({ fallback: () => <i>empty</i> })
+
+    slot.api.insert({ Component: () => <b>content</b> })
+
+    const { container } = render(<slot.Root />)
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.clear()
+    })
+
+    expect(container.innerHTML).toBe("")
+  })
+
+  it("keeps fallback when clear is called before any insert", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot({ fallback: () => <i>empty</i> })
+
+    const { container } = render(<slot.Root />)
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.clear()
+    })
+
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual(["empty"])
+  })
+
+  it("renders children inserted after clear, still without fallback", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot({ fallback: () => <i>empty</i> })
+
+    slot.api.insert({ Component: () => <b>first</b> })
+
+    const { container } = render(<slot.Root />)
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.clear()
+    })
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.insert({ Component: () => <b>second</b> })
+    })
+
+    expect(texts(container, "b")).toEqual(["second"])
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual([])
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.clear()
+    })
+
+    expect(container.innerHTML).toBe("")
+  })
+
+  it("never re-renders fallback, no matter how Root props churn", () => {
+    let renders = 0
+
+    const slot = createSlot<{ tick: number }>({
+      fallback: () => {
+        renders += 1
+
+        return <i>empty</i>
+      },
+    })
+
+    const { container, rerender } = render(<slot.Root tick={1} />)
+
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual(["empty"])
+
+    const before = renders
+
+    rerender(<slot.Root tick={2} />)
+    rerender(<slot.Root tick={3} />)
+
+    expect(renders).toBe(before)
+  })
+
+  it("fallback latch is shared between two mounted Roots of the same slot", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot({ fallback: () => <i>empty</i> })
+
+    const first = render(<slot.Root />)
+    const second = render(<slot.Root />)
+
+    expect(texts(first.container, "i")).toEqual(["empty"])
+    expect(texts(second.container, "i")).toEqual(["empty"])
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.insert({ Component: () => <b>content</b> })
+    })
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.clear()
+    })
+
+    expect(first.container.innerHTML).toBe("")
+    expect(second.container.innerHTML).toBe("")
+  })
+
+  it("supports fallback on a presence slot", () => {
+    const slot = createSlot({ presence: true, fallback: () => <i>empty</i> })
+
+    const { container } = render(<slot.Root />)
+
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual(["empty"])
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.insert({ Component: () => <b>content</b> })
+    })
+
+    expect(texts(container, "i")).toEqual([])
+    expect(texts(container, "b")).toEqual(["content"])
+
+    act(() => {
+      slot.api.clear()
+    })
+
+    expect(container.innerHTML).toBe("")
+  })
+
   it("mapProps receives only props that passed filter", () => {
     const slot = createSlot<{ kind: "str"; text: string } | { kind: "num"; value: number }>()
     const seen: string[] = []
diff --git a/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/store.test.ts b/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/store.test.ts
index 6042b28..801c129 100644
--- a/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/store.test.ts
+++ b/packages/react-slots/src/__tests__/store.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest"
-import { createStore } from "../store"
+import { createStore, neverInserted } from "../store"
 
 type Item = { order?: number; label?: string }
 
@@ -99,16 +99,45 @@ describe("createStore", () => {
     expect(snapshot.map((x) => x.label)).toEqual(["a"])
   })
 
-  it("empty state is the shared EMPTY reference", () => {
+  it("initial empty state is the shared EMPTY reference", () => {
     const first = createStore<Item>()
     const second = createStore<Item>()
 
     expect(first.get()).toBe(second.get())
+  })
+
+  it("cleared state is a stable shared reference, distinct from the initial one", () => {
+    const first = createStore<Item>()
+    const second = createStore<Item>()
+
+    const initial = first.get()
 
     first.insert({})
     first.clear()
+    second.insert({})
+    second.clear()
 
     expect(first.get()).toBe(second.get())
+    expect(first.get()).not.toBe(initial)
+    expect(first.get()).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  it("neverInserted tells a pristine store from a cleared one", () => {
+    const store = createStore<Item>()
+
+    expect(neverInserted(store.get())).toBe(true)
+
+    store.clear()
+
+    expect(neverInserted(store.get())).toBe(true)
+
+    store.insert({})
+
+    expect(neverInserted(store.get())).toBe(false)
+
+    store.clear()
+
+    expect(neverInserted(store.get())).toBe(false)
   })
 
   it("stores are isolated from each other", () => {
diff --git a/packages/react-slots/src/createSlot.tsx b/packages/react-slots/src/createSlot.tsx
index c02d2fa..53d2701 100644
--- a/packages/react-slots/src/createSlot.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-slots/src/createSlot.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from "react"
 import React, { memo, useState, type FunctionComponent, type NamedExoticComponent, type ReactElement } from "react"
 import { useSyncExternalStore } from "use-sync-external-store/shim"
-import type { Insertable, NormalizedProps, Payload } from "./payload"
+import type { EmptyObject, Insertable, NormalizedProps, Payload } from "./payload"
 import { createPresenceStore, probe, type PresenceStore } from "./presenceStore"
-import { createStore, useStore } from "./store"
+import { createStore, neverInserted, useStore } from "./store"
 
 let idCounter = 0
 
 const EMPTY_PRESENCE: readonly boolean[] = []
 
-type SlotConfig = { presence?: boolean | undefined }
+type SlotConfig = {
+  presence?: boolean | undefined
+  fallback?: ((props: EmptyObject) => ReactNode) | undefined
+}
 
 type Slot<T extends Insertable> = {
   Root: NamedExoticComponent<NormalizedProps<T> & object>
@@ -23,7 +27,7 @@ type PresenceSlot<T extends Insertable> = Slot<T> & {
 const projectAllFalse = (items: readonly { id: string }[]): readonly boolean[] =>
   items.length === 0 ? EMPTY_PRESENCE : items.map(() => false)
 
-function createSlot<T extends Insertable = void>(config: { presence: true }): PresenceSlot<T>
+function createSlot<T extends Insertable = void>(config: SlotConfig & { presence: true }): PresenceSlot<T>
 function createSlot<T extends Insertable = void>(config?: SlotConfig): Slot<T>
 function createSlot<T extends Insertable = void>(config?: SlotConfig) {
   if (!config?.presence) {
@@ -74,11 +78,23 @@ function createSlot<T extends Insertable = void>(config?: SlotConfig) {
       store.insert(item)
     }) as Payload<T>
 
-    const Root = memo<SlotProps>((props) =>
-      useStore(store).map((child) =>
-        child.withProps ? <child.Child key={child.id} {...props} /> : <child.Child key={child.id} />,
-      ),
-    )
+    const Fallback = config?.fallback ? memo(config.fallback) : null
+
+    const Root = Fallback
+      ? memo<SlotProps>((props) => {
+          const items = useStore(store)
+
+          if (items.length === 0) return neverInserted(items) ? <Fallback /> : null
+
+          return items.map((child) =>
+            child.withProps ? <child.Child key={child.id} {...props} /> : <child.Child key={child.id} />,
+          )
+        })
+      : memo<SlotProps>((props) =>
+          useStore(store).map((child) =>
+            child.withProps ? <child.Child key={child.id} {...props} /> : <child.Child key={child.id} />,
+          ),
+        )
 
     return { Root, api: { insert, clear: store.clear } }
   }
@@ -132,11 +148,23 @@ function createSlot<T extends Insertable = void>(config?: SlotConfig) {
     store.insert(item)
   }) as Payload<T>
 
-  const Root = memo<SlotProps>((props) =>
-    useStore(store).map((child) =>
-      child.withProps ? <child.Child key={child.id} {...props} /> : <child.Child key={child.id} />,
-    ),
-  )
+  const Fallback = config.fallback ? memo(config.fallback) : null
+
+  const Root = Fallback
+    ? memo<SlotProps>((props) => {
+        const items = useStore(store)
+
+        if (items.length === 0) return neverInserted(items) ? <Fallback /> : null
+
+        return items.map((child) =>
+          child.withProps ? <child.Child key={child.id} {...props} /> : <child.Child key={child.id} />,
+        )
+      })
+    : memo<SlotProps>((props) =>
+        useStore(store).map((child) =>
+          child.withProps ? <child.Child key={child.id} {...props} /> : <child.Child key={child.id} />,
+        ),
+      )
 
   const subscribe = (listener: () => void) => presence.subscribe(listener)
 
diff --git a/packages/react-slots/src/store.ts b/packages/react-slots/src/store.ts
index ea432ee..9676afb 100644
--- a/packages/react-slots/src/store.ts
+++ b/packages/react-slots/src/store.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@ import { useSyncExternalStore } from "use-sync-external-store/shim"
 import { insertSorted, type WithOrder } from "./insertSorted"
 
 const EMPTY: readonly never[] = []
+// Deliberately distinct from EMPTY: snapshot identity is what tells a never-inserted
+// store (EMPTY) from an emptied one (CLEARED) — fallback rendering relies on it.
+const CLEARED: readonly never[] = []
+
+const neverInserted = (state: readonly unknown[]): boolean => state === EMPTY
 
 const createStore = <Item extends WithOrder>() => {
   let state: readonly Item[] = EMPTY
@@ -19,7 +24,7 @@ const createStore = <Item extends WithOrder>() => {
   const clear = (): void => {
     if (state.length === 0) return
 
-    state = EMPTY
+    state = CLEARED
     notify()
   }
 
@@ -39,5 +44,5 @@ type Store<Item extends WithOrder> = ReturnType<typeof createStore<Item>>
 const useStore = <Item extends WithOrder>(store: Store<Item>): readonly Item[] =>
   useSyncExternalStore(store.subscribe, store.get, store.get)
 
-export { createStore, useStore }
+export { createStore, neverInserted, useStore }
 export type { Store }