diff --git a/src/index.d.ts b/src/index.d.ts
index f572f16..dbda441 100644
--- a/src/index.d.ts
+++ b/src/index.d.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,12 @@ export declare interface Model<T extends Function> {
   is(thing: any): boolean
 }
 
+export declare type ModelOptions = {
+  auto: boolean,
+}
 export declare function model<T extends Function>(target: T): T & Model<T> & PropertyDecorator
-export declare function model(name: string): typeof model
+export declare function model(name?: string, options?: ModelOptions): typeof model
+export declare function model(options?: ModelOptions): typeof model
 export declare function prop(...args: any[]): any
 export declare const view: MethodDecorator
 
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 391d1d5..98d7369 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -24,7 +24,16 @@ const ExcludeKeys = [
   TypeKey, PropsKey, ViewsKey,
 ]
 
-export const model = classDecorator((Class, name = Class.name) => {
+export const model = classDecorator((
+  Class,
+  name = Class.name,
+  options = {auto: false},
+) => {
+  if (is.obj(name)) {
+    options = merge(options, name)
+    name = Class.name
+  }
+
   const {preProcessSnapshot, postProcessSnapshot} = Class
   // TS class property initializers and defaults from constructor
   const values = new Class()
@@ -67,7 +76,10 @@ export const model = classDecorator((Class, name = Class.name) => {
 
   Model = Model.preProcessSnapshot(snapshot => {
     snapshot = preProcessSnapshot ? preProcessSnapshot(snapshot) : snapshot
-    if (!is.obj(snapshot)) return snapshot
+    if (!is.obj(snapshot)) {
+      if (!options.auto) return snapshot
+      snapshot = {}
+    }
     return merge(values, snapshot)
   })
 
diff --git a/test/js/basic.js b/test/js/basic.js
index a116f84..230d6a6 100644
--- a/test/js/basic.js
+++ b/test/js/basic.js
@@ -110,6 +110,20 @@ describe('basic', () => {
     getMembers(base).name.should.be.equal('User')
   })
 
+  it('auto model', () => {
+    @model({auto: true}) class Base {
+      @t.str str = 'str'
+    }
+
+    @model class Container {
+      @Base base
+    }
+
+    const cont = Container.create()
+    cont.should.have.property('base')
+    cont.base.str.should.be.equal('str')
+  })
+
   it('prop', () => {
     @model class Base {
       @prop(t.str) prop
diff --git a/test/ts/basic.ts b/test/ts/basic.ts
index 65a8df7..c8d721d 100644
--- a/test/ts/basic.ts
+++ b/test/ts/basic.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,22 @@ describe('basic', () => {
     getMembers(base).name.should.be.equal('User')
   })
 
+  it('auto model', () => {
+    class MBase {
+      @t.str str = 'str'
+    }
+    const Base = model({auto: true})(MBase)
+
+    class MContainer {
+      @Base base
+    }
+    const Container = model(MContainer)
+
+    const cont = Container.create()
+    cont.should.have.property('base')
+    cont.base.str.should.be.equal('str')
+  })
+
   it('prop', () => {
     class MBase {
       @prop(t.str) prop