diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/guides/validators.md b/docs/src/content/docs/guides/validators.md
index 66469de..6deb557 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/guides/validators.md
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/guides/validators.md
@@ -694,6 +694,20 @@ Schema(Map({0: "off", 1: "on", 2: "auto"}))(1)       # 'on'
 Schema(Map({0: "off"}, default="unknown"))(9)        # 'unknown'
 ```
 
+A fixed `default` folds every miss to one value. To rewrite only the keys you list
+and leave everything else untouched, pass `default=PASSTHROUGH`. That is the
+difference between "unknown means this value" and "only touch what I named", which is
+what you want when a table just cleans up a few sentinel strings ahead of a stricter
+validator.
+
+```python
+from probatio import Schema, Map, PASSTHROUGH
+
+sentinels = Map({"N.v.t.": None, "n/a": None}, default=PASSTHROUGH)
+Schema(sentinels)("N.v.t.")     # None
+Schema(sentinels)("Personenauto")  # 'Personenauto'  (unmapped, left as-is)
+```
+
 `Msg` rewrites the message on failure:
 
 <!-- verify: raises MultipleInvalid -->
diff --git a/docs/src/content/docs/recipes/cookbook.md b/docs/src/content/docs/recipes/cookbook.md
index 53d9cc9..19109d0 100644
--- a/docs/src/content/docs/recipes/cookbook.md
+++ b/docs/src/content/docs/recipes/cookbook.md
@@ -140,6 +140,31 @@ Schema(Scale(9, divisor=5, offset=32))(20)  # 68.0
 Schema(Map({0: "off", 1: "on", 2: "auto"}))(2)  # 'auto'
 ```
 
+`Map` rejects a key it does not know, which is right for a closed set of codes. When
+a table exists only to rewrite a few sentinel values ahead of a stricter step, pass
+`default=PASSTHROUGH` so an unlisted value flows through untouched. A scraped source
+that sends `"N.v.t."` (not applicable) for a missing enum is the common case: fold
+the sentinel to `None`, let a real value reach the enum.
+
+```python
+from enum import StrEnum
+
+from probatio import Schema, All, Map, Maybe, PASSTHROUGH
+
+class VehicleType(StrEnum):
+    CAR = "Personenauto"
+
+vehicle_type = Schema(
+    All(Map({"N.v.t.": None}, default=PASSTHROUGH), Maybe(VehicleType))
+)
+vehicle_type("N.v.t.")        # None
+vehicle_type("Personenauto")  # <VehicleType.CAR: 'Personenauto'>
+```
+
+`Map` runs first here and rewrites only what it names, so the enum coerces whatever
+is left. Order matters: put the `Map` before the enum in the `All`, or the enum
+rejects the sentinel before the table ever sees it.
+
 RSSI to a signal percentage is the classic case with no single agreed formula.
 `Remap` lets you pick the input range, and `Clamp` keeps the result in bounds when a
 reading runs past it:
diff --git a/src/probatio/__init__.py b/src/probatio/__init__.py
index d9fb294..a08f7fc 100644
--- a/src/probatio/__init__.py
+++ b/src/probatio/__init__.py
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@
     ASCII,
     E164,
     IBAN,
+    PASSTHROUGH,
     ULID,
     UUID,
     Abs,
@@ -326,6 +327,7 @@ def __getattr__(name: str) -> object:
     "ASCII",
     "E164",
     "IBAN",
+    "PASSTHROUGH",
     "PREVENT_EXTRA",
     "REMOVE_EXTRA",
     "ULID",
diff --git a/src/probatio/validators/__init__.py b/src/probatio/validators/__init__.py
index 34536be..9303470 100644
--- a/src/probatio/validators/__init__.py
+++ b/src/probatio/validators/__init__.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from probatio.validators.coerce import (
+    PASSTHROUGH,
     Boolean,
     Coerce,
     DefaultTo,
@@ -166,6 +167,7 @@
     "ASCII",
     "E164",
     "IBAN",
+    "PASSTHROUGH",
     "ULID",
     "UUID",
     "Abs",
diff --git a/src/probatio/validators/coerce.py b/src/probatio/validators/coerce.py
index d847b55..36064cd 100644
--- a/src/probatio/validators/coerce.py
+++ b/src/probatio/validators/coerce.py
@@ -224,15 +224,32 @@ def __call__(self, value: typing.Any) -> typing.Any:
         return value
 
 
+class _Passthrough:
+    """Type of the ``PASSTHROUGH`` sentinel: a ``Map`` miss returns the value unchanged."""
+
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        """Render as ``PASSTHROUGH`` so it reads clearly in debug output."""
+        return "PASSTHROUGH"
+
+
+PASSTHROUGH = _Passthrough()
+
+
 class Map(_SafeValidator):
     """Translate a value through a mapping, like a status code to a name.
 
     ``Map({0: "off", 1: "on", 2: "auto"})`` returns the mapped value for a key it
     knows. This is the bring-your-own-table generalization of a domain converter:
     probatio does not pick the mapping, you do, so a disputed or app-specific lookup
-    (an RSSI bucket, a vendor status code) stays yours. A value not in the mapping is
-    rejected, unless a ``default`` is given, in which case the default is returned. An
-    unhashable value, which cannot be a mapping key, is treated as a miss.
+    (an RSSI bucket, a vendor status code) stays yours. An unhashable value, which
+    cannot be a mapping key, is treated as a miss.
+
+    A value not in the mapping is rejected. Two escapes change that. A ``default``
+    value is returned in place of any miss (``Map({...}, default=None)`` folds every
+    unknown key to ``None``). Passing ``default=PASSTHROUGH`` instead returns the
+    value *unchanged* on a miss, so a ``Map`` rewrites only the keys it lists and
+    leaves everything else alone. That is the difference between "unknown means this
+    fixed value" and "only touch what I named".
     """
 
     def __init__(
@@ -260,8 +277,11 @@ def __call__(self, value: typing.Any) -> typing.Any:
             return self.mapping[value]
         except Exception as exc:
             # A miss (KeyError), an unhashable value (TypeError), or a hostile
-            # ``__hash__``/``__eq__``: none is a valid key. Fall back to the default
-            # if one was given, otherwise report the allowed keys.
+            # ``__hash__``/``__eq__``: none is a valid key. ``PASSTHROUGH`` leaves the
+            # value as-is; any other default replaces the miss; otherwise report the
+            # allowed keys.
+            if self.default is PASSTHROUGH:
+                return value
             if self.default is not UNDEFINED:
                 return self.default
             raise Invalid(
diff --git a/tests/__snapshots__/test_public_surface.ambr b/tests/__snapshots__/test_public_surface.ambr
index f7d17a1..130ccca 100644
--- a/tests/__snapshots__/test_public_surface.ambr
+++ b/tests/__snapshots__/test_public_surface.ambr
@@ -1215,6 +1215,9 @@
         'kwargs VAR_KEYWORD required',
       ]),
     }),
+    'PASSTHROUGH': dict({
+      'kind': 'value',
+    }),
     'PREVENT_EXTRA': dict({
       'kind': 'value',
     }),
diff --git a/tests/validators/test_coerce.py b/tests/validators/test_coerce.py
index 639383f..5faf1c7 100644
--- a/tests/validators/test_coerce.py
+++ b/tests/validators/test_coerce.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import voluptuous
 
 from probatio import (
+    PASSTHROUGH,
     Boolean,
     Coerce,
     DefaultTo,
@@ -266,6 +267,23 @@ def test_map_treats_an_unhashable_value_as_a_miss() -> None:
     assert Schema(Map({0: "off"}, default=None))([1, 2]) is None
 
 
+def test_map_passthrough_returns_an_unmapped_value_unchanged() -> None:
+    """With default=PASSTHROUGH, a miss returns the value as-is, a hit still maps."""
+    remap = Map({"N.v.t.": None, "Niet geregistreerd": None}, default=PASSTHROUGH)
+    assert Schema(remap)("N.v.t.") is None
+    assert Schema(remap)("Personenauto") == "Personenauto"
+
+
+def test_map_passthrough_returns_an_unhashable_value_unchanged() -> None:
+    """PASSTHROUGH leaves even an unhashable miss alone rather than rejecting it."""
+    assert Schema(Map({0: "off"}, default=PASSTHROUGH))([1, 2]) == [1, 2]
+
+
+def test_passthrough_repr() -> None:
+    """The PASSTHROUGH sentinel renders as its name."""
+    assert repr(PASSTHROUGH) == "PASSTHROUGH"
+
+
 def test_map_rejects_a_non_dict_mapping_at_build_time() -> None:
     """A mapping that is not a dict is a schema error, raised when the validator is built."""
     with pytest.raises(SchemaError):