diff --git a/apps/landing/src/content/docs/docs/core-concepts/options.mdx b/apps/landing/src/content/docs/docs/core-concepts/options.mdx
index 3cb9b96..371eb8f 100644
--- a/apps/landing/src/content/docs/docs/core-concepts/options.mdx
+++ b/apps/landing/src/content/docs/docs/core-concepts/options.mdx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ ShiftAPI uses a layered option system. Options configure the API, groups, and in
 |------|---------------|----------|
 | `Option` | API, Group, and Route | `WithError`, `WithMiddleware`, `WithResponseHeader` |
 | `APIOption` | API only (`New`) | `WithInfo`, `WithBadRequestError`, `WithInternalServerError` |
-| `RouteOption` | Route only (`Get`, `Post`, etc.) | `WithStatus`, `WithRouteInfo` |
+| `RouteOption` | Route only (`Get`, `Post`, etc.) | `WithStatus`, `WithRouteInfo`, `WithHidden` |
 
 `Option` implements all three level interfaces, so `WithError` and `WithMiddleware` work everywhere. Level-specific options like `WithStatus` are restricted to their level at compile time.
 
@@ -84,3 +84,13 @@ shiftapi.Get(admin, "/stats", getStats) // GET /api/v1/admin/stats
 ```
 
 Options merge across all three levels: `New()` (API-wide) → `Group()` (group-level) → route registration (route-level).
+
+## Hiding routes from the spec
+
+Use `WithHidden()` to exclude a route from the generated OpenAPI schema (and therefore from any generated client). The route is still registered and serves requests normally — it just won't appear in the spec or docs.
+
+```go
+shiftapi.Get(api, "/internal/health", healthCheck, shiftapi.WithHidden())
+```
+
+This is useful for internal endpoints, health checks, or debug routes that shouldn't be part of the public API surface.
diff --git a/doc.go b/doc.go
index 3e44be6..9e93c49 100644
--- a/doc.go
+++ b/doc.go
@@ -211,8 +211,13 @@
 // [WithError], [WithMiddleware], and [WithResponseHeader] all return [Option].
 //
 // Some options are level-specific: [WithInfo] and [WithBadRequestError] only work
-// with [New] ([APIOption]), while [WithStatus] and [WithRouteInfo] only work with
-// route registration functions ([RouteOption]).
+// with [New] ([APIOption]), while [WithStatus], [WithRouteInfo], and [WithHidden]
+// only work with route registration functions ([RouteOption]).
+//
+// Use [WithHidden] to exclude a route from the generated OpenAPI schema (and any
+// generated client) while still serving it normally:
+//
+//	shiftapi.Get(api, "/internal/health", healthCheck, shiftapi.WithHidden())
 //
 // Use [ComposeOptions] to bundle multiple [Option] values into a reusable option:
 //
diff --git a/handlerFuncs.go b/handlerFuncs.go
index dfb0855..547cbcd 100644
--- a/handlerFuncs.go
+++ b/handlerFuncs.go
@@ -99,8 +99,10 @@ func registerRoute[In, Resp any](
 		pathType = rawInType
 	}
 
-	if err := api.updateSchema(method, fullPath, pathType, queryType, headerType, bodyType, outType, hasRespHeader, noBody, hasForm, rawInType, cfg.info, cfg.status, allErrors, allStaticHeaders); err != nil {
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("shiftapi: schema generation failed for %s %s: %v", method, fullPath, err))
+	if !cfg.hidden {
+		if err := api.updateSchema(method, fullPath, pathType, queryType, headerType, bodyType, outType, hasRespHeader, noBody, hasForm, rawInType, cfg.info, cfg.status, allErrors, allStaticHeaders); err != nil {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("shiftapi: schema generation failed for %s %s: %v", method, fullPath, err))
+		}
 	}
 
 	errLookup := buildErrorLookup(allErrors)
diff --git a/handlerOptions.go b/handlerOptions.go
index 57d5882..a782267 100644
--- a/handlerOptions.go
+++ b/handlerOptions.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ type routeConfig struct {
 	errors            []errorEntry
 	middleware         []func(http.Handler) http.Handler
 	staticRespHeaders []staticResponseHeader
+	hidden            bool
 }
 
 func (c *routeConfig) addError(e errorEntry) {
@@ -52,6 +53,17 @@ func WithRouteInfo(info RouteInfo) routeOptionFunc {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithHidden excludes the route from the generated OpenAPI schema (and
+// therefore from any generated client). The route is still registered and
+// serves requests normally.
+//
+//	shiftapi.Get(api, "/internal/health", healthCheck, shiftapi.WithHidden())
+func WithHidden() routeOptionFunc {
+	return func(cfg *routeConfig) {
+		cfg.hidden = true
+	}
+}
+
 // WithStatus sets the success HTTP status code for the route (default: 200).
 // Use this for routes that should return 201 Created, 204 No Content, etc.
 func WithStatus(status int) routeOptionFunc {
diff --git a/shiftapi_test.go b/shiftapi_test.go
index ae30029..94db866 100644
--- a/shiftapi_test.go
+++ b/shiftapi_test.go
@@ -560,6 +560,37 @@ func TestSpecHasPath(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestWithHiddenExcludesRouteFromSpec(t *testing.T) {
+	api := newTestAPI(t)
+	shiftapi.Get(api, "/health", func(r *http.Request, _ struct{}) (*Status, error) {
+		return &Status{OK: true}, nil
+	}, shiftapi.WithHidden())
+
+	spec := api.Spec()
+	if spec.Paths.Find("/health") != nil {
+		t.Fatal("hidden route should not appear in spec paths")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWithHiddenRouteStillServes(t *testing.T) {
+	api := newTestAPI(t)
+	shiftapi.Get(api, "/health", func(r *http.Request, _ struct{}) (*Status, error) {
+		return &Status{OK: true}, nil
+	}, shiftapi.WithHidden())
+
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(api)
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	resp, err := http.Get(srv.URL + "/health")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("expected 200, got %d", resp.StatusCode)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSpecGetHasNoRequestBody(t *testing.T) {
 	api := newTestAPI(t)
 	shiftapi.Get(api, "/health", func(r *http.Request, _ struct{}) (*Status, error) {