diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b71a4a4..04a80e5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ API_USAGE = {
     "RETENTION_DAYS": 90,
     "TRACK_CONSUMERS": False,        # opt-in; stores hashed callers only
     "CONSUMER_SALT": "a-rotatable-secret",
+    "TRACK_WOULD_DENY": False,       # opt-in; counts shadow-mode denies as "403*"
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/src/django_api_usage/buffers.py b/src/django_api_usage/buffers.py
index 592e31d..d84d54a 100644
--- a/src/django_api_usage/buffers.py
+++ b/src/django_api_usage/buffers.py
@@ -47,15 +47,18 @@ def status_class(status_code):
     return f"{int(status_code) // 100}xx"
 
 
-def record_hit(dimensions, status_code, consumer=None):
+def record_hit(dimensions, status_code=None, consumer=None, as_class=None):
     """Record a single hit.
 
-    ``dimensions`` is a mapping with the keys in :data:`_FIELDS`.
+    ``dimensions`` is a mapping with the keys in :data:`_FIELDS`. The status class
+    is derived from ``status_code`` (``204`` -> ``2xx``) unless ``as_class`` is
+    given, which is how shadow-mode "would deny" hits are recorded (``403*``).
     """
+    klass = as_class or status_class(status_code)
     if api_settings.BUFFER_BACKEND == "db":
-        _write_to_db(dimensions, status_class(status_code), 1)
+        _write_to_db(dimensions, klass, 1)
     else:
-        _buffer(dimensions, status_class(status_code))
+        _buffer(dimensions, klass)
     if consumer and api_settings.TRACK_CONSUMERS:
         _touch_consumer(consumer)
 
diff --git a/src/django_api_usage/conf.py b/src/django_api_usage/conf.py
index 841a065..bdfe797 100644
--- a/src/django_api_usage/conf.py
+++ b/src/django_api_usage/conf.py
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
     "RETENTION_DAYS": 90,
     # Opt-in consumer attribution. Only salted hashes are stored; see the docs.
     "TRACK_CONSUMERS": False,
+    # Opt-in: also count the requests that shadow mode *would* have denied, as a
+    # synthetic "403*" status class. Shows who already hits the endpoints you are
+    # about to protect, without blocking anybody.
+    "TRACK_WOULD_DENY": False,
     # Salt used to hash consumer identifiers. Keep it secret and rotatable.
     "CONSUMER_SALT": "",
     # Resolvers (dotted path or callable).
diff --git a/src/django_api_usage/middleware.py b/src/django_api_usage/middleware.py
index 4d2ac94..f66cd46 100644
--- a/src/django_api_usage/middleware.py
+++ b/src/django_api_usage/middleware.py
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("django_api_usage")
 
+#: Synthetic status class for requests that shadow mode would have denied.
+WOULD_DENY_STATUS_CLASS = "403*"
+
 
 class ApiUsageMiddleware:
     """Record one aggregated hit per request and expose the shadow-mode header.
@@ -42,11 +45,25 @@ def _record(self, request, response):
             if api_settings.TRACK_CONSUMERS:
                 consumer = api_settings.CONSUMER_RESOLVER(request)
             record_hit(dimensions, response.status_code, consumer)
+            self._record_would_deny(request, dimensions, consumer)
         except Exception:
             logger.exception("django-api-usage: could not record request")
             if not api_settings.FAIL_OPEN:
                 raise
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _record_would_deny(request, dimensions, consumer):
+        """Count a shadow-mode deny as a synthetic ``403*`` hit (opt-in).
+
+        ``request._api_usage_would_deny`` is set by the permission classes
+        (:class:`django_api_usage.drf.HasAPIScope` and friends) when enforcement is
+        off; the same hook feeds ``X-Api-Would-Deny``.
+        """
+        if not api_settings.TRACK_WOULD_DENY:
+            return
+        if getattr(request, "_api_usage_would_deny", None):
+            record_hit(dimensions, consumer=consumer, as_class=WOULD_DENY_STATUS_CLASS)
+
     @staticmethod
     def _add_shadow_header(request, response):
         would_deny = getattr(request, "_api_usage_would_deny", None)
diff --git a/tests/test_middleware.py b/tests/test_middleware.py
index 4b51642..8112cb8 100644
--- a/tests/test_middleware.py
+++ b/tests/test_middleware.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+from django.test import override_settings
+
 from django_api_usage.buffers import flush
+from django_api_usage.conf import api_settings
 from django_api_usage.models import Consumer, Endpoint, EndpointStat
 
 from .base import UsageTestCase
@@ -44,3 +47,27 @@ def test_raw_ip_is_not_stored(self):
         self.client.get("/ping/", REMOTE_ADDR="203.0.113.9")
         consumer = Consumer.objects.get()
         self.assertNotIn("203.0.113.9", consumer.ref_hash)
+
+
+class WouldDenyTrackingTest(UsageTestCase):
+    """Shadow-mode denies can be counted as a synthetic ``403*`` status class."""
+
+    def test_shadow_denies_are_not_counted_by_default(self):
+        self.client.get("/shadow/")
+        flush()
+
+        self.assertEqual(EndpointStat.objects.count(), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(EndpointStat.objects.get().status_class, "2xx")
+
+    def test_shadow_denies_are_counted_when_enabled(self):
+        current = dict(api_settings.user_settings)
+        self.addCleanup(api_settings.reload)
+
+        with override_settings(API_USAGE={**current, "TRACK_WOULD_DENY": True}):
+            api_settings.reload()
+            self.client.get("/shadow/")
+            flush()
+
+        self.assertEqual(EndpointStat.objects.get(status_class="403*").count, 1)
+        # The real hit is still counted, with its own status class.
+        self.assertEqual(EndpointStat.objects.get(status_class="2xx").count, 1)
diff --git a/tests/urls.py b/tests/urls.py
index bc924c1..c727d2f 100644
--- a/tests/urls.py
+++ b/tests/urls.py
@@ -11,8 +11,15 @@ def boom(request):
     return HttpResponse("nope", status=500)
 
 
+def shadow(request):
+    """Simulate a permission in shadow mode that would deny the call."""
+    request._api_usage_would_deny = {"content:write"}
+    return HttpResponse("ok")
+
+
 urlpatterns = [
     path("admin/", admin.site.urls),
     path("ping/", ping, name="ping"),
     path("boom/", boom, name="boom"),
+    path("shadow/", shadow, name="shadow"),
 ]