diff --git a/src/SharpYaml.Tests/Serialization/YamlTagOnlyDerivedTypeTests.cs b/src/SharpYaml.Tests/Serialization/YamlTagOnlyDerivedTypeTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c5eff4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/SharpYaml.Tests/Serialization/YamlTagOnlyDerivedTypeTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,304 @@
+#nullable enable
+
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
+using SharpYaml.Serialization;
+
+namespace SharpYaml.Tests.Serialization;
+
+[TestClass]
+public class YamlTagOnlyDerivedTypeTests
+{
+    // ---- Model types: tag-only entries (no discriminator) via attributes ----
+
+    [YamlPolymorphic(DiscriminatorStyle = YamlTypeDiscriminatorStyle.Tag)]
+    [YamlDerivedType(typeof(AttrCheckin), Tag = "!checkin")]
+    [YamlDerivedType(typeof(AttrDns), Tag = "!dns")]
+    [YamlDerivedType(typeof(AttrHttp), Tag = "!http")]
+    private class AttrMonitor
+    {
+        public string Interval { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    }
+
+    private sealed class AttrCheckin : AttrMonitor
+    {
+        public string Endpoint { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    }
+
+    private sealed class AttrDns : AttrMonitor
+    {
+        public string Host { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    }
+
+    private sealed class AttrHttp : AttrMonitor
+    {
+        public string Url { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    }
+
+    // ---- Model types: runtime tag-only entries ----
+
+    private class RuntimeMonitor
+    {
+        public string Interval { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    }
+
+    private sealed class RuntimeCheckin : RuntimeMonitor
+    {
+        public string Endpoint { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    }
+
+    private sealed class RuntimeDns : RuntimeMonitor
+    {
+        public string Host { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    }
+
+    private sealed class RuntimeHttp : RuntimeMonitor
+    {
+        public string Url { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+    }
+
+    // ---- Attribute-based: tag-only entries should NOT set default ----
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyAttribute_NoTagDeserializesAsBaseType()
+    {
+        // All derived types have tags but no discriminators.
+        // An untagged mapping should deserialize as the base type, not the first entry.
+        var yaml = "Interval: 00:00:10\n";
+        var value = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<AttrMonitor>(yaml);
+
+        Assert.IsNotNull(value);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrMonitor>(value);
+        Assert.IsFalse(value is AttrCheckin, "Should not be AttrCheckin — tag-only entries must not become default");
+        Assert.IsFalse(value is AttrDns);
+        Assert.IsFalse(value is AttrHttp);
+        Assert.AreEqual("00:00:10", value.Interval);
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyAttribute_TaggedDeserializesAsDerivedType()
+    {
+        var yaml = "!dns\nHost: google.com\nInterval: 00:01:00\n";
+        var value = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<AttrMonitor>(yaml);
+
+        Assert.IsNotNull(value);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrDns>(value);
+        Assert.AreEqual("google.com", ((AttrDns)value).Host);
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyAttribute_AllTagsWork()
+    {
+        var checkinYaml = "!checkin\nEndpoint: /health\nInterval: 00:00:30\n";
+        var dnsYaml = "!dns\nHost: dns.google\nInterval: 00:01:00\n";
+        var httpYaml = "!http\nUrl: https://example.com\nInterval: 00:05:00\n";
+
+        var checkin = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<AttrMonitor>(checkinYaml);
+        var dns = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<AttrMonitor>(dnsYaml);
+        var http = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<AttrMonitor>(httpYaml);
+
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrCheckin>(checkin);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrDns>(dns);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrHttp>(http);
+        Assert.AreEqual("/health", ((AttrCheckin)checkin).Endpoint);
+        Assert.AreEqual("dns.google", ((AttrDns)dns).Host);
+        Assert.AreEqual("https://example.com", ((AttrHttp)http).Url);
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyAttribute_DictionaryWithMixedTagsAndUntagged()
+    {
+        var yaml = """
+            google: !http
+              Url: https://google.com
+              Interval: 00:05:00
+            router: !dns
+              Host: 192.168.1.1
+              Interval: 00:01:00
+            base:
+              Interval: 00:00:10
+            """;
+
+        var dict = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<Dictionary<string, AttrMonitor>>(yaml);
+
+        Assert.IsNotNull(dict);
+        Assert.AreEqual(3, dict.Count);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrHttp>(dict["google"]);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrDns>(dict["router"]);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrMonitor>(dict["base"]);
+        Assert.IsFalse(dict["base"] is AttrCheckin, "Untagged entries must not resolve to first tag-only entry");
+    }
+
+    // ---- Runtime: tag-only entries should NOT set default ----
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyRuntime_NoTagDeserializesAsBaseType()
+    {
+        var options = new YamlSerializerOptions
+        {
+            PolymorphismOptions = new YamlPolymorphismOptions
+            {
+                DiscriminatorStyle = YamlTypeDiscriminatorStyle.Tag,
+                DerivedTypeMappings =
+                {
+                    [typeof(RuntimeMonitor)] = new List<YamlDerivedType>
+                    {
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeCheckin)) { Tag = "!checkin" },
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeDns)) { Tag = "!dns" },
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeHttp)) { Tag = "!http" },
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        var yaml = "Interval: 00:00:10\n";
+        var value = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<RuntimeMonitor>(yaml, options);
+
+        Assert.IsNotNull(value);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<RuntimeMonitor>(value);
+        Assert.IsFalse(value is RuntimeCheckin, "Should not be RuntimeCheckin — tag-only entries must not become default");
+        Assert.IsFalse(value is RuntimeDns);
+        Assert.IsFalse(value is RuntimeHttp);
+        Assert.AreEqual("00:00:10", value.Interval);
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyRuntime_TaggedDeserializesAsDerivedType()
+    {
+        var options = new YamlSerializerOptions
+        {
+            PolymorphismOptions = new YamlPolymorphismOptions
+            {
+                DiscriminatorStyle = YamlTypeDiscriminatorStyle.Tag,
+                DerivedTypeMappings =
+                {
+                    [typeof(RuntimeMonitor)] = new List<YamlDerivedType>
+                    {
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeCheckin)) { Tag = "!checkin" },
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeHttp)) { Tag = "!http" },
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        var yaml = "!http\nUrl: https://example.com\nInterval: 00:05:00\n";
+        var value = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<RuntimeMonitor>(yaml, options);
+
+        Assert.IsNotNull(value);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<RuntimeHttp>(value);
+        Assert.AreEqual("https://example.com", ((RuntimeHttp)value).Url);
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyRuntime_DictionaryWithMixedTagsAndUntagged()
+    {
+        var options = new YamlSerializerOptions
+        {
+            PolymorphismOptions = new YamlPolymorphismOptions
+            {
+                DiscriminatorStyle = YamlTypeDiscriminatorStyle.Tag,
+                DerivedTypeMappings =
+                {
+                    [typeof(RuntimeMonitor)] = new List<YamlDerivedType>
+                    {
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeCheckin)) { Tag = "!checkin" },
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeDns)) { Tag = "!dns" },
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        var yaml = """
+            health: !checkin
+              Endpoint: /ping
+              Interval: 00:00:30
+            plain:
+              Interval: 00:00:10
+            """;
+
+        var dict = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<Dictionary<string, RuntimeMonitor>>(yaml, options);
+
+        Assert.IsNotNull(dict);
+        Assert.AreEqual(2, dict.Count);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<RuntimeCheckin>(dict["health"]);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<RuntimeMonitor>(dict["plain"]);
+        Assert.IsFalse(dict["plain"] is RuntimeCheckin);
+    }
+
+    // ---- Explicit default still works when a separate no-tag no-discriminator entry exists ----
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void ExplicitDefaultDerivedTypeWithTagOnlyEntries()
+    {
+        var options = new YamlSerializerOptions
+        {
+            PolymorphismOptions = new YamlPolymorphismOptions
+            {
+                DiscriminatorStyle = YamlTypeDiscriminatorStyle.Tag,
+                DerivedTypeMappings =
+                {
+                    [typeof(RuntimeMonitor)] = new List<YamlDerivedType>
+                    {
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeCheckin)) { Tag = "!checkin" },
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeDns)) { Tag = "!dns" },
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeHttp)),  // no tag, no discriminator → explicit default
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        // Untagged entries should resolve to RuntimeHttp (the explicit default)
+        var yaml = "Url: https://fallback.com\nInterval: 00:01:00\n";
+        var value = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<RuntimeMonitor>(yaml, options);
+
+        Assert.IsNotNull(value);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<RuntimeHttp>(value);
+        Assert.AreEqual("https://fallback.com", ((RuntimeHttp)value).Url);
+    }
+
+    // ---- Serialization roundtrip for tag-only entries ----
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyAttribute_RoundtripSerialization()
+    {
+        AttrMonitor monitor = new AttrDns { Host = "google.com", Interval = "00:01:00" };
+        var yaml = YamlSerializer.Serialize(monitor, typeof(AttrMonitor));
+
+        StringAssert.Contains(yaml, "!dns");
+        StringAssert.Contains(yaml, "Host: google.com");
+
+        var deserialized = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<AttrMonitor>(yaml);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<AttrDns>(deserialized);
+        Assert.AreEqual("google.com", ((AttrDns)deserialized).Host);
+    }
+
+    [TestMethod]
+    public void TagOnlyRuntime_RoundtripSerialization()
+    {
+        var options = new YamlSerializerOptions
+        {
+            PolymorphismOptions = new YamlPolymorphismOptions
+            {
+                DiscriminatorStyle = YamlTypeDiscriminatorStyle.Tag,
+                DerivedTypeMappings =
+                {
+                    [typeof(RuntimeMonitor)] = new List<YamlDerivedType>
+                    {
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeCheckin)) { Tag = "!checkin" },
+                        new YamlDerivedType(typeof(RuntimeDns)) { Tag = "!dns" },
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        RuntimeMonitor monitor = new RuntimeDns { Host = "dns.google", Interval = "00:01:00" };
+        var yaml = YamlSerializer.Serialize(monitor, typeof(RuntimeMonitor), options);
+
+        StringAssert.Contains(yaml, "!dns");
+        StringAssert.Contains(yaml, "Host: dns.google");
+
+        var deserialized = YamlSerializer.Deserialize<RuntimeMonitor>(yaml, options);
+        Assert.IsInstanceOfType<RuntimeDns>(deserialized);
+        Assert.AreEqual("dns.google", ((RuntimeDns)deserialized).Host);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/SharpYaml/Serialization/YamlDerivedTypeAttribute.cs b/src/SharpYaml/Serialization/YamlDerivedTypeAttribute.cs
index 01245d2..96a2650 100644
--- a/src/SharpYaml/Serialization/YamlDerivedTypeAttribute.cs
+++ b/src/SharpYaml/Serialization/YamlDerivedTypeAttribute.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ public sealed class YamlDerivedTypeAttribute : YamlAttribute
 {
     /// <summary>
     /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="YamlDerivedTypeAttribute"/> class
-    /// with no discriminator, marking this derived type as the default when no discriminator matches.
+    /// with no discriminator. When <see cref="Tag"/> is also <see langword="null"/>, this derived type
+    /// becomes the default when no discriminator or tag matches. When <see cref="Tag"/> is set, this entry
+    /// participates only in tag-based dispatch and does not become the default.
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="derivedType">The derived CLR type.</param>
     /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException"><paramref name="derivedType"/> is <see langword="null"/>.</exception>
diff --git a/src/SharpYaml/YamlDerivedType.cs b/src/SharpYaml/YamlDerivedType.cs
index cd8442c..7558b7a 100644
--- a/src/SharpYaml/YamlDerivedType.cs
+++ b/src/SharpYaml/YamlDerivedType.cs
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ namespace SharpYaml;
 public sealed class YamlDerivedType
 {
     /// <summary>
-    /// Initializes a new instance with no discriminator, marking this derived type
-    /// as the default when no discriminator matches.
+    /// Initializes a new instance with no discriminator.
+    /// When <see cref="Tag"/> is also <see langword="null"/>, this derived type becomes the default
+    /// when no discriminator or tag matches. When <see cref="Tag"/> is set, this entry participates
+    /// only in tag-based dispatch and does not become the default.
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="derivedType">The derived CLR type.</param>
     /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException"><paramref name="derivedType"/> is <see langword="null"/>.</exception>