diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.js b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.js
index 688b9da2af69e5..3a46d2d98d539b 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.js
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { styled } from '@mui/system';
 
 export default function UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue() {
   return (
-    <CustomSelect renderValue={renderValue}>
+    <CustomSelect renderValue={renderValue} placeholder="Select an option…">
       <StyledOption value={10}>Ten</StyledOption>
       <StyledOption value={20}>Twenty</StyledOption>
       <StyledOption value={30}>Thirty</StyledOption>
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ CustomSelect.propTypes = {
 
 function renderValue(option) {
   if (option == null) {
-    return <span>Select an option...</span>;
+    return null;
   }
 
   return (
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.tsx b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.tsx
index eefbfd7f347c3d..7724dc7d197fa4 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.tsx
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { styled } from '@mui/system';
 
 export default function UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue() {
   return (
-    <CustomSelect renderValue={renderValue}>
+    <CustomSelect renderValue={renderValue} placeholder="Select an option…">
       <StyledOption value={10}>Ten</StyledOption>
       <StyledOption value={20}>Twenty</StyledOption>
       <StyledOption value={30}>Thirty</StyledOption>
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ function CustomSelect(props: SelectProps<number, false>) {
 
 function renderValue(option: SelectOption<number> | null) {
   if (option == null) {
-    return <span>Select an option...</span>;
+    return null;
   }
 
   return (
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.tsx.preview b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.tsx.preview
index cd9bd85a491b05..f76c392d4b0ef8 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.tsx.preview
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectCustomRenderValue.tsx.preview
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<CustomSelect renderValue={renderValue}>
+<CustomSelect renderValue={renderValue} placeholder="Select an option…">
   <StyledOption value={10}>Ten</StyledOption>
   <StyledOption value={20}>Twenty</StyledOption>
   <StyledOption value={30}>Thirty</StyledOption>
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.js b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.js
index 83b2532b7a93f4..0340f2d0d94f7d 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.js
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { styled } from '@mui/system';
 
 export default function UnstyledSelectGrouping() {
   return (
-    <CustomSelect>
+    <CustomSelect placeholder="Choose a character…">
       <CustomOptionGroup label="Hobbits">
         <StyledOption value="Frodo">Frodo</StyledOption>
         <StyledOption value="Sam">Sam</StyledOption>
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.tsx b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.tsx
index 1e1a749f327009..8d103451bd6312 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.tsx
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { styled } from '@mui/system';
 
 export default function UnstyledSelectGrouping() {
   return (
-    <CustomSelect>
+    <CustomSelect placeholder="Choose a character…">
       <CustomOptionGroup label="Hobbits">
         <StyledOption value="Frodo">Frodo</StyledOption>
         <StyledOption value="Sam">Sam</StyledOption>
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.tsx.preview b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.tsx.preview
index f5a1372a09834b..5118b52abee265 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.tsx.preview
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectGrouping.tsx.preview
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<CustomSelect>
+<CustomSelect placeholder="Choose a character…">
   <CustomOptionGroup label="Hobbits">
     <StyledOption value="Frodo">Frodo</StyledOption>
     <StyledOption value="Sam">Sam</StyledOption>
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm.js b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm.js
index efc09f6ff658e2..b4c785314042fa 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm.js
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm.js
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ export default function UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm() {
               name="character"
               id="object-value-default-button"
               aria-labelledby="object-value-default-label object-value-default-button"
+              placeholder="Choose a character…"
             >
               {characters.map((character) => (
                 <StyledOption key={character.name} value={character}>
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ export default function UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm() {
               name="character"
               id="object-value-serialize-button"
               aria-labelledby="object-value-serialize-label object-value-serialize-button"
+              placeholder="Choose a character…"
             >
               {characters.map((character) => (
                 <StyledOption key={character.name} value={character}>
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm.tsx b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm.tsx
index 520ae148c9d954..fa1249d8336fb5 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm.tsx
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export default function UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm() {
               name="character"
               id="object-value-default-button"
               aria-labelledby="object-value-default-label object-value-default-button"
+              placeholder="Choose a character…"
             >
               {characters.map((character) => (
                 <StyledOption key={character.name} value={character}>
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ export default function UnstyledSelectObjectValuesForm() {
               name="character"
               id="object-value-serialize-button"
               aria-labelledby="object-value-serialize-label object-value-serialize-button"
+              placeholder="Choose a character…"
             >
               {characters.map((character) => (
                 <StyledOption key={character.name} value={character}>
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.js b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.js
index 1ed5a641a83a4a..f173c87b95c265 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.js
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { Popper } from '@mui/base';
 
 export default function UnstyledSelectRichOptions() {
   return (
-    <CustomSelect>
+    <CustomSelect placeholder="Select country…">
       {countries.map((c) => (
         <StyledOption key={c.code} value={c.code} label={c.label}>
           <img
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.tsx b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.tsx
index 8a673f1480ad4e..cd73f9736d7309 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.tsx
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { Popper } from '@mui/base';
 
 export default function UnstyledSelectRichOptions() {
   return (
-    <CustomSelect>
+    <CustomSelect placeholder="Select country…">
       {countries.map((c) => (
         <StyledOption key={c.code} value={c.code} label={c.label}>
           <img
diff --git a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.tsx.preview b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.tsx.preview
index 31d481da995c63..19c7b7cfab2da4 100644
--- a/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.tsx.preview
+++ b/docs/data/base/components/select/UnstyledSelectRichOptions.tsx.preview
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<CustomSelect>
+<CustomSelect placeholder="Select country…">
   {countries.map((c) => (
     <StyledOption key={c.code} value={c.code} label={c.label}>
       <img
diff --git a/docs/pages/base-ui/api/select.json b/docs/pages/base-ui/api/select.json
index d0d38abef68e90..6cddf6bd2ab0d6 100644
--- a/docs/pages/base-ui/api/select.json
+++ b/docs/pages/base-ui/api/select.json
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     "name": { "type": { "name": "string" } },
     "onChange": { "type": { "name": "func" } },
     "onListboxOpenChange": { "type": { "name": "func" } },
+    "placeholder": { "type": { "name": "node" } },
     "renderValue": { "type": { "name": "func" } },
     "required": { "type": { "name": "bool" }, "default": "false" },
     "slotProps": {
diff --git a/docs/translations/api-docs-base/select/select.json b/docs/translations/api-docs-base/select/select.json
index 123c17ef82c4f9..3fb87260c9dfa9 100644
--- a/docs/translations/api-docs-base/select/select.json
+++ b/docs/translations/api-docs-base/select/select.json
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     "onListboxOpenChange": {
       "description": "Callback fired when the component requests to be opened. Use in controlled mode (see listboxOpen)."
     },
+    "placeholder": { "description": "Text to show when there is no selected value." },
     "renderValue": {
       "description": "Function that customizes the rendering of the selected value."
     },
diff --git a/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.test.tsx b/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.test.tsx
index 852a8cf090ca63..3511327037c924 100644
--- a/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.test.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ describe('<Select />', () => {
   const { render } = createRenderer();
 
   const componentToTest = (
-    <Select defaultListboxOpen slotProps={{ popper: { disablePortal: true } }}>
+    <Select defaultListboxOpen defaultValue={1} slotProps={{ popper: { disablePortal: true } }}>
       <OptionGroup label="Group">
         <Option value={1}>1</Option>
       </OptionGroup>
@@ -801,6 +801,19 @@ describe('<Select />', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('prop: placeholder', () => {
+    it('renders when no value is selected ', () => {
+      const { getByRole } = render(
+        <Select placeholder="Placeholder text">
+          <Option value={1}>One</Option>
+          <Option value={2}>Two</Option>
+        </Select>,
+      );
+
+      expect(getByRole('combobox')).to.have.text('Placeholder text');
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('prop: renderValue', () => {
     it('renders the selected value using the renderValue prop', () => {
       const { getByRole } = render(
@@ -824,6 +837,20 @@ describe('<Select />', () => {
       expect(getByRole('combobox')).to.have.text('One');
     });
 
+    it('renders a zero-width space when there is no selected value nor placeholder and renderValue is not provided', () => {
+      const { getByRole } = render(
+        <Select>
+          <Option value={1}>One</Option>
+          <Option value={2}>Two</Option>
+        </Select>,
+      );
+
+      const select = getByRole('combobox');
+      const zws = select.querySelector('.notranslate');
+
+      expect(zws).not.to.equal(null);
+    });
+
     it('renders the selected values (multiple) using the renderValue prop', () => {
       const { getByRole } = render(
         <Select
diff --git a/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.tsx b/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.tsx
index a74e8ba2fcf6d8..9eb8efc904dd6b 100644
--- a/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.tsx
+++ b/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.tsx
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ function defaultRenderValue<OptionValue>(
     return <React.Fragment>{selectedOptions.map((o) => o.label).join(', ')}</React.Fragment>;
   }
 
-  return selectedOptions?.label ?? '';
+  return selectedOptions?.label ?? null;
 }
 
 function useUtilityClasses<OptionValue extends {}, Multiple extends boolean>(
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ const Select = React.forwardRef(function Select<
     onListboxOpenChange,
     getOptionAsString = defaultOptionStringifier,
     renderValue: renderValueProp,
+    placeholder,
     slotProps = {},
     slots = {},
     value: valueProp,
@@ -209,7 +210,13 @@ const Select = React.forwardRef(function Select<
 
   return (
     <React.Fragment>
-      <Button {...buttonProps}>{renderValue(selectedOptionsMetadata)}</Button>
+      <Button {...buttonProps}>
+        {renderValue(selectedOptionsMetadata) ?? placeholder ?? (
+          // fall back to a zero-width space to prevent layout shift
+          // from https://github.com/mui/material-ui/pull/24563
+          <span className="notranslate">&#8203;</span>
+        )}
+      </Button>
       {buttonDefined && (
         <PopperComponent {...popperProps}>
           <ListboxRoot {...listboxProps}>
@@ -307,6 +314,10 @@ Select.propTypes /* remove-proptypes */ = {
    * Use in controlled mode (see listboxOpen).
    */
   onListboxOpenChange: PropTypes.func,
+  /**
+   * Text to show when there is no selected value.
+   */
+  placeholder: PropTypes.node,
   /**
    * Function that customizes the rendering of the selected value.
    */
diff --git a/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.types.ts b/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.types.ts
index b744246f76af46..f2d2be2c5cb93b 100644
--- a/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.types.ts
+++ b/packages/mui-base/src/Select/Select.types.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ export interface SelectOwnProps<OptionValue extends {}, Multiple extends boolean
    * Function that customizes the rendering of the selected value.
    */
   renderValue?: (option: SelectValue<SelectOption<OptionValue>, Multiple>) => React.ReactNode;
+  /**
+   * Text to show when there is no selected value.
+   */
+  placeholder?: React.ReactNode;
   /**
    * The props used for each slot inside the Input.
    * @default {}