diff --git a/.changeset/gentle-eyes-sell.md b/.changeset/gentle-eyes-sell.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fd8bbaa760
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/gentle-eyes-sell.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'react-select': patch
+'storybook': patch
+---
+
+Introduces a new optional prop allowEmptySearch to the Async Select component.
diff --git a/packages/react-select/src/useAsync.ts b/packages/react-select/src/useAsync.ts
index 334f66d7f2..19d20a8543 100644
--- a/packages/react-select/src/useAsync.ts
+++ b/packages/react-select/src/useAsync.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ export interface AsyncAdditionalProps<Option, Group extends GroupBase<Option>> {
    * Async select is not currently waiting for loadOptions to resolve
    */
   isLoading?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * When set to `true`, the `loadOptions` function will be called even when the input is empty (`''`).
+   * This allows consumers to handle empty input searches (e.g., return a default set of results).
+   * If `false` (default), the input will reset without triggering `loadOptions('')`.
+   */
+  allowEmptySearch?: boolean;
 }
 
 export type AsyncProps<
@@ -55,6 +61,7 @@ export default function useAsync<
   isLoading: propsIsLoading = false,
   onInputChange: propsOnInputChange,
   filterOption = null,
+  allowEmptySearch,
   ...restSelectProps
 }: AsyncProps<Option, IsMulti, Group> & AdditionalProps): StateManagerProps<
   Option,
@@ -143,7 +150,7 @@ export default function useAsync<
         actionMeta,
         propsOnInputChange
       );
-      if (!inputValue) {
+      if (!inputValue && !allowEmptySearch) {
         lastRequest.current = undefined;
         setStateInputValue('');
         setLoadedInputValue('');
@@ -183,6 +190,7 @@ export default function useAsync<
       loadedInputValue,
       optionsCache,
       propsOnInputChange,
+      allowEmptySearch,
     ]
   );
 
diff --git a/storybook/stories/AsyncPromisesWithAllowEmptySearch.stories.tsx b/storybook/stories/AsyncPromisesWithAllowEmptySearch.stories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..570e06891e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storybook/stories/AsyncPromisesWithAllowEmptySearch.stories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import type { ComponentMeta } from '@storybook/react';
+import * as React from 'react';
+import AsyncSelect from 'react-select/async';
+
+import { Field } from '../components';
+import { ColourOption, colourOptions } from '../data';
+
+export default {
+  title: 'Select/AsyncPromises',
+  component: AsyncSelect,
+  argTypes: {},
+} as ComponentMeta<typeof AsyncSelect>;
+
+export function AsyncPromises() {
+  return (
+    <Field label="Async Promises" htmlFor="async-promises">
+      <AsyncSelect
+        inputId="async-promises"
+        cacheOptions
+        defaultOptions
+        loadOptions={promiseOptions}
+        allowEmptySearch
+      />
+    </Field>
+  );
+}
+
+// =============================================================================
+// Utils
+// =============================================================================
+
+function filterColors(inputValue: string) {
+  return colourOptions.filter((i) =>
+    i.label.toLowerCase().includes(inputValue.toLowerCase())
+  );
+}
+
+function promiseOptions(inputValue: string) {
+  return new Promise<ColourOption[]>((resolve) => {
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      resolve(filterColors(inputValue));
+    }, 1000);
+  });
+}