diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ce33fde..8e5a832 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ options:
 
 - `forceFloat64`, a boolean to that forces all floats to be encoded as 64-bits floats. Defaults to false.
 - `compatibilityMode`, a boolean that enables "compatibility mode" which doesn't use str 8 format. Defaults to false.
+- `protoAction`, a string which can be `error|ignore|remove` that determines what happens when decoding a plain object with a `__proto__` property which would cause prototype poisoning. `error` (default) throws an error, `remove` removes the property, `ignore` (not recommended) allows the property, thereby causing prototype poisoning on the decoded object.
 
 -------------------------------------------------------
 <a name="encode"></a>
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 4c7d7d9..679c800 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ function msgpack (options) {
 
   options = options || {
     forceFloat64: false,
-    compatibilityMode: false
+    compatibilityMode: false,
+    // options.protoAction: 'error' (default) / 'remove' / 'ignore'
+    protoAction: 'error'
   }
 
   function registerEncoder (check, encode) {
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@ function msgpack (options) {
 
   return {
     encode: buildEncode(encodingTypes, options.forceFloat64, options.compatibilityMode),
-    decode: buildDecode(decodingTypes),
+    decode: buildDecode(decodingTypes, options),
     register: register,
     registerEncoder: registerEncoder,
     registerDecoder: registerDecoder,
diff --git a/lib/decoder.js b/lib/decoder.js
index 86b63b5..c83b784 100644
--- a/lib/decoder.js
+++ b/lib/decoder.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function IncompleteBufferError (message) {
 
 util.inherits(IncompleteBufferError, Error)
 
-module.exports = function buildDecode (decodingTypes) {
+module.exports = function buildDecode (decodingTypes, options) {
   return decode
 
   function getSize (first) {
@@ -358,6 +358,17 @@ module.exports = function buildDecode (decodingTypes) {
         var valueResult = tryDecode(buf, offset)
         if (valueResult) {
           key = keyResult.value
+
+          if (key === '__proto__') {
+            if (options.protoAction === 'error') {
+              throw new SyntaxError('Object contains forbidden prototype property')
+            }
+
+            if (options.protoAction === 'remove') {
+              continue
+            }
+          }
+
           result[key] = valueResult.value
           offset += valueResult.bytesConsumed
           totalBytesConsumed += (keyResult.bytesConsumed + valueResult.bytesConsumed)
diff --git a/test/object-prototype-poisoning.js b/test/object-prototype-poisoning.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..18644cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/object-prototype-poisoning.js
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+'use strict'
+
+var test = require('tape').test
+var msgpack = require('../')
+
+test('decode throws when object has forbidden __proto__ property', function (t) {
+  const encoder = msgpack()
+
+  const payload = { hello: 'world' }
+  Object.defineProperty(payload, '__proto__', {
+    value: { polluted: true },
+    enumerable: true
+  })
+
+  const encoded = encoder.encode(payload)
+
+  t.throws(() => encoder.decode(encoded), /Object contains forbidden prototype property/)
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('decode ignores forbidden __proto__ property if protoAction is "ignore"', function (t) {
+  const encoder = msgpack({ protoAction: 'ignore' })
+
+  const payload = { hello: 'world' }
+  Object.defineProperty(payload, '__proto__', {
+    value: { polluted: true },
+    enumerable: true
+  })
+
+  const decoded = encoder.decode(encoder.encode(payload))
+
+  t.equal(decoded.polluted, true)
+  t.end()
+})
+
+test('decode removes forbidden __proto__ property if protoAction is "remove"', function (t) {
+  const encoder = msgpack({ protoAction: 'remove' })
+
+  const payload = { hello: 'world' }
+  Object.defineProperty(payload, '__proto__', {
+    value: { polluted: true },
+    enumerable: true
+  })
+
+  const decoded = encoder.decode(encoder.encode(payload))
+
+  t.equal(decoded.polluted, undefined)
+  t.end()
+})