diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bdc97f4..fe32320 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -132,9 +132,12 @@ Configured via YAML file (`--config`). Key settings:
   address is then the rightmost forwarded entry that is not itself a
   trusted proxy. Otherwise the direct peer address is used and the header
   is ignored, so a client connecting directly cannot spoof its address.
-  Omitted or empty trusts no one; an invalid CIDR aborts startup. Set
-  this to your proxy's address range when deploying behind a reverse
-  proxy
+  An omitted key defaults to the RFC 1918 private ranges (`10.0.0.0/8`,
+  `172.16.0.0/12`, `192.168.0.0/16`), since pixa is deployed behind a
+  proxy on a private network; an explicitly empty list (`[]`) trusts no
+  one, and an explicit list replaces the default. An invalid CIDR aborts
+  startup. Set this to your proxy's address range if it is not already
+  covered by the defaults
 - `upstream_fetch_timeout` — timeout for origin requests
 - `upstream_max_response_size` — max origin response size
 - `downstream_timeout` — client response timeout
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index fa231ad..715ad1b 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ exhaustion
 - 2026-09-21 trusted-proxy client IP resolution (closes #94): a
   `trusted_proxies` config key taking a list of CIDRs, parsed by the same
   `net/netip` list parser as `blocked_networks` (an invalid entry aborts
-  startup naming the key and value; omitted or empty trusts no one); a new
+  startup naming the key and value; an omitted key defaults to the RFC 1918
+  private ranges, an explicitly empty list trusts no one, and an explicit
+  list replaces the default); a new
   `internal/clientip` package resolves the client address by honoring
   `X-Forwarded-For` only when the direct peer is a trusted proxy, walking
   the chain right-to-left to the rightmost non-proxy entry, so a client
diff --git a/config.example.yml b/config.example.yml
index fd41c86..09f415f 100644
--- a/config.example.yml
+++ b/config.example.yml
@@ -36,9 +36,12 @@ allowlist_hosts:
 # the client address in the access log and login records is then the
 # rightmost forwarded entry that is not itself a trusted proxy. A client
 # connecting directly (peer outside these ranges) cannot spoof its
-# address: the header is ignored and the peer address is used. Omitted or
-# empty trusts no one; an invalid CIDR aborts startup. Set this when
-# deploying behind a proxy.
+# address: the header is ignored and the peer address is used. When
+# omitted, this defaults to the RFC 1918 private ranges (10.0.0.0/8,
+# 172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/16), since pixa is deployed behind a proxy on
+# a private network. An explicitly empty list ([]) trusts no one; an
+# explicit list replaces the default. An invalid CIDR aborts startup.
+# Uncomment to override the defaults with your proxy's address range.
 # trusted_proxies:
 #   - 10.0.0.0/8
 #   - 2001:db8::/32