diff --git a/.changeset/breezy-dodos-lick.md b/.changeset/breezy-dodos-lick.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d564b556
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/breezy-dodos-lick.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'react-textarea-autosize': minor
+---
+
+Add `ignorePlaceholder` option
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3263d9bb..dc5ea0e4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ https://andarist.github.io/react-textarea-autosize/
 | `minRows`           | `number`  | Minimum number of rows to show for textarea                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
 | `onHeightChange`    | `func`    | Function invoked on textarea height change, with height as first argument. The second function argument is an object containing additional information that might be useful for custom behaviors. Current options include `{ rowHeight: number }`. |
 | `cacheMeasurements` | `boolean` | Reuse previously computed measurements when computing height of textarea. Default: `false`                                                                                                                                                         |
+| `ignorePlaceholder` | `boolean` | Whether to ignore placeholder when computing height of textarea. Default: `false`                                                                                                                                                                  |
 
 Apart from these, the component accepts all props that are accepted by `<textarea/>`, like `style`, `onChange`, `value`, etc.
 
diff --git a/example/index.tsx b/example/index.tsx
index 0725562b..15e404d6 100644
--- a/example/index.tsx
+++ b/example/index.tsx
@@ -100,6 +100,42 @@ const SetRows = () => {
   );
 };
 
+const WithPlaceholder = () => {
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <h2>{'Component with placeholder'}</h2>
+      <pre>
+        {`
+  <TextareaAutosize
+    placeholder="The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog..."
+    />
+`}
+      </pre>
+      <TextareaAutosize placeholder="The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog..." />
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
+const WithIgnoredPlaceholder = () => {
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <h2>{'Component with ignored placeholder'}</h2>
+      <pre>
+        {`
+  <TextareaAutosize
+    placeholder="The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog..."
+    ignorePlaceholder
+    />
+`}
+      </pre>
+      <TextareaAutosize
+        placeholder="The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog..."
+        ignorePlaceholder
+      />
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
 const ControlledMode = () => {
   const [value, setValue] = React.useState(new Array(15).join('\nLine.'));
   return (
@@ -210,6 +246,8 @@ const Demo = () => {
       <MinMaxRowsBorderBox />
       <MaxRows />
       <SetRows />
+      <WithPlaceholder />
+      <WithIgnoredPlaceholder />
       <ControlledMode />
       <UncontrolledMode />
       <OnHeightChangeCallback />
diff --git a/src/index.tsx b/src/index.tsx
index e1183f80..dafa041c 100644
--- a/src/index.tsx
+++ b/src/index.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export interface TextareaAutosizeProps extends Omit<TextareaProps, 'style'> {
   minRows?: number;
   onHeightChange?: (height: number, meta: TextareaHeightChangeMeta) => void;
   cacheMeasurements?: boolean;
+  ignorePlaceholder?: boolean;
   style?: Style;
 }
 
@@ -33,7 +34,8 @@ const TextareaAutosize: React.ForwardRefRenderFunction<
   TextareaAutosizeProps
 > = (
   {
-    cacheMeasurements,
+    cacheMeasurements = false,
+    ignorePlaceholder = false,
     maxRows,
     minRows,
     onChange = noop,
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ const TextareaAutosize: React.ForwardRefRenderFunction<
 
     const [height, rowHeight] = calculateNodeHeight(
       nodeSizingData,
-      node.value || node.placeholder || 'x',
+      node.value || (!ignorePlaceholder && node.placeholder) || 'x',
       minRows,
       maxRows,
     );