diff --git a/packages/runed/src/lib/utilities/persisted-state/persisted-state.svelte.ts b/packages/runed/src/lib/utilities/persisted-state/persisted-state.svelte.ts
index 6d03c747..1893680d 100644
--- a/packages/runed/src/lib/utilities/persisted-state/persisted-state.svelte.ts
+++ b/packages/runed/src/lib/utilities/persisted-state/persisted-state.svelte.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { defaultWindow, type ConfigurableWindow } from "$lib/internal/configurable-globals.js";
+import { dequal } from "dequal";
 import { on } from "svelte/events";
 import { createSubscriber } from "svelte/reactivity";
 
@@ -51,6 +52,14 @@ type PersistedStateOptions<T> = {
 	 * @default true
 	 */
 	connected?: boolean;
+
+	/**
+	 * When `true`, writing a value deep-equal to `initialValue` removes the storage key instead of
+	 * persisting it (an absent key reads back as the default), keeping storage clean.
+	 *
+	 * @default false
+	 */
+	eraseWhenDefault?: boolean;
 } & ConfigurableWindow;
 
 function proxy<T>(
@@ -108,6 +117,8 @@ export class PersistedState<T> {
 	#window?: Window & typeof globalThis;
 	#syncTabs: boolean;
 	#storageType: StorageType;
+	#initialValue: T;
+	#eraseWhenDefault: boolean;
 
 	constructor(key: string, initialValue: T, options: PersistedStateOptions<T> = {}) {
 		const {
@@ -115,16 +126,20 @@ export class PersistedState<T> {
 			serializer = { serialize: JSON.stringify, deserialize: JSON.parse },
 			syncTabs = true,
 			connected = true,
+			eraseWhenDefault = false,
 		} = options;
 		const window = "window" in options ? options.window : defaultWindow; // window is not mockable to be undefined without this, because JavaScript will fill undefined with `= default`
 
-		this.#current = initialValue;
 		this.#key = key;
 		this.#serializer = serializer;
+		// clone so #current/#initialValue don't alias the caller's object (see #clone)
+		this.#current = this.#clone(initialValue);
 		this.#connected = connected;
 		this.#window = window;
 		this.#syncTabs = syncTabs;
 		this.#storageType = storageType;
+		this.#initialValue = this.#clone(initialValue);
+		this.#eraseWhenDefault = eraseWhenDefault;
 
 		if (window === undefined) return;
 
@@ -135,7 +150,7 @@ export class PersistedState<T> {
 		if (existingValue !== null) {
 			this.#current = this.#deserialize(existingValue);
 		} else if (connected) {
-			this.#serialize(initialValue);
+			this.#serialize(this.#current);
 		}
 
 		this.#setupStorageListener();
@@ -169,7 +184,15 @@ export class PersistedState<T> {
 	}
 
 	#handleStorageEvent = (event: StorageEvent): void => {
-		if (event.key !== this.#key || event.newValue === null) return;
+		if (event.key !== this.#key) return;
+		if (event.newValue === null) {
+			// a removed key resets to the default when erasing defaults; otherwise it's ignored
+			if (this.#eraseWhenDefault) {
+				this.#current = this.#clone(this.#initialValue);
+				this.#update?.();
+			}
+			return;
+		}
 		this.#current = this.#deserialize(event.newValue);
 		this.#update?.();
 	};
@@ -184,14 +207,20 @@ export class PersistedState<T> {
 	}
 
 	#serialize(value: T | undefined): void {
+		// keep the in-memory value in sync so `current`'s fallback isn't stale when the key is absent
+		this.#current = value;
+
 		if (!this.#connected) {
 			// when we're not connected to storage, we only update the value in memory
-			this.#current = value;
 			return;
 		}
 
 		try {
-			if (value !== undefined) {
+			if (value === undefined) return;
+			if (this.#eraseWhenDefault && dequal(value, this.#initialValue)) {
+				// an absent key reads back as the default, so clear it instead of persisting the default
+				this.#storage?.removeItem(this.#key);
+			} else {
 				this.#storage?.setItem(this.#key, this.#serializer.serialize(value));
 			}
 		} catch (error) {
@@ -202,6 +231,16 @@ export class PersistedState<T> {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// deep copy via the serializer so a mutable default isn't aliased: mutating `current` through the
+	// proxy must not corrupt #initialValue, which `eraseWhenDefault` compares against
+	#clone(value: T): T {
+		try {
+			return this.#serializer.deserialize(this.#serializer.serialize(value)) ?? value;
+		} catch {
+			return value;
+		}
+	}
+
 	#setupStorageListener(): void {
 		if (!this.#window || !this.#connected) return;
 		this.#subscribe = createSubscriber((update) => {
diff --git a/packages/runed/src/lib/utilities/persisted-state/persisted-state.test.svelte.ts b/packages/runed/src/lib/utilities/persisted-state/persisted-state.test.svelte.ts
index bfc0e74a..deb87161 100644
--- a/packages/runed/src/lib/utilities/persisted-state/persisted-state.test.svelte.ts
+++ b/packages/runed/src/lib/utilities/persisted-state/persisted-state.test.svelte.ts
@@ -504,4 +504,83 @@ describe("PersistedState", async () => {
 			expect(persistedState.connected).toBe(true);
 		});
 	});
+
+	describe("eraseWhenDefault", () => {
+		testWithEffect("does not persist the initial value on construction", () => {
+			const persistedState = new PersistedState(key, initialValue, { eraseWhenDefault: true });
+			expect(persistedState.current).toBe(initialValue);
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).toBeNull();
+		});
+
+		testWithEffect("persists non-default values", () => {
+			const persistedState = new PersistedState(key, initialValue, { eraseWhenDefault: true });
+			persistedState.current = newValue;
+			expect(persistedState.current).toBe(newValue);
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).toBe(JSON.stringify(newValue));
+		});
+
+		testWithEffect("removes the key when the value returns to the default", () => {
+			const persistedState = new PersistedState(key, initialValue, { eraseWhenDefault: true });
+			persistedState.current = newValue;
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).toBe(JSON.stringify(newValue));
+
+			persistedState.current = initialValue;
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).toBeNull();
+		});
+
+		// Regression: after erasing the key, `current` must report the value that was just written,
+		// not a stale in-memory value left over from before.
+		testWithEffect("reads back the default after erasing, even when constructed from a value", () => {
+			localStorage.setItem(key, JSON.stringify(newValue));
+			const persistedState = new PersistedState(key, initialValue, { eraseWhenDefault: true });
+			expect(persistedState.current).toBe(newValue);
+
+			persistedState.current = initialValue;
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).toBeNull();
+			expect(persistedState.current).toBe(initialValue);
+		});
+
+		// Regression: #current/#initialValue must not alias the caller's object, or mutating the
+		// reactive value through the proxy would also mutate the default that `dequal` compares against.
+		testWithEffect("does not alias the caller's initialValue object", () => {
+			const initial = { nested: { value: 1 } };
+			const persistedState = new PersistedState(key, initial, { eraseWhenDefault: true });
+
+			persistedState.current.nested.value = 2;
+			expect(initial.nested.value).toBe(1);
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).not.toBeNull();
+
+			persistedState.current.nested.value = 1;
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).toBeNull();
+		});
+
+		testWithEffect("deep-equal objects are treated as the default", () => {
+			const initial = { nested: { value: 1 } };
+			const persistedState = new PersistedState(key, initial, { eraseWhenDefault: true });
+			persistedState.current = { nested: { value: 2 } };
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).not.toBeNull();
+
+			persistedState.current = { nested: { value: 1 } };
+			expect(localStorage.getItem(key)).toBeNull();
+			expect(persistedState.current).toEqual(initial);
+		});
+
+		testWithEffect("a cross-tab removal resets current to the default", () => {
+			$effect(() => {
+				const persistedState = new PersistedState(key, initialValue, { eraseWhenDefault: true });
+				persistedState.current = newValue;
+				expect(persistedState.current).toBe(newValue);
+
+				localStorage.removeItem(key);
+				window.dispatchEvent(
+					new StorageEvent("storage", {
+						key,
+						oldValue: JSON.stringify(newValue),
+						newValue: null,
+					})
+				);
+				expect(persistedState.current).toBe(initialValue);
+			});
+		});
+	});
 });
diff --git a/sites/docs/src/content/utilities/persisted-state.md b/sites/docs/src/content/utilities/persisted-state.md
index f3b868f8..0ebcf654 100644
--- a/sites/docs/src/content/utilities/persisted-state.md
+++ b/sites/docs/src/content/utilities/persisted-state.md
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ const state = new PersistedState("user-preferences", initialValue, {
 	// Start disconnected from storage (default: true)
 	connected: false,
 
+	// Clear the storage key when the value equals the initial value (default: false)
+	eraseWhenDefault: true,
+
 	// Custom serialization handlers
 	serializer: {
 		serialize: superjson.stringify,
@@ -137,6 +140,18 @@ When disconnected:
 Calling `disconnect()` removes the current value from storage but preserves it in memory. Calling
 `connect()` immediately persists the current in-memory value to storage.
 
+### Erasing Defaults
+
+With `eraseWhenDefault: true`, writing a value deep-equal to `initialValue` removes the storage key
+instead of persisting it. An empty storage key is treated the same as a storage key equal to `initialValue`.
+
+```ts
+const htmlPreview = new PersistedState("page-123456:html-preview", false, { eraseWhenDefault: true });
+
+htmlPreview.current = true; // -> localStorage["page-123456:html-preview"] === "true"
+htmlPreview.current = false; //  localStorage["page-123456:html-preview"] === undefined -- key removed, reads back as false
+```
+
 ### Custom Serialization
 
 Provide custom `serialize` and `deserialize` functions to handle complex data types: