diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 983ce93..444e527 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@ $ uvx --from 'gp-libs' --prerelease allow gp-libs
 _Notes on upcoming releases will be added here_
 <!-- END PLACEHOLDER - ADD NEW CHANGELOG ENTRIES BELOW THIS LINE -->
 
+### What's new
+
+#### New doctest flag: `+HIDE` (#79)
+
+Doctest examples can now be marked `# doctest: +HIDE`. The flag is a
+no-op for the test runner — the example still executes and its output is
+still checked — and exists so documentation tooling can drop the marked
+lines from *rendered* output while the runner keeps executing them from
+source.
+
 ## gp-libs 0.0.18 (2026-06-27)
 
 gp-libs 0.0.18 refreshes the project documentation and maintainer workflow around the shared git-pull docs stack. The docs now use the Library Skeleton page shape, the [gp-sphinx](https://gp-sphinx.git-pull.com/) theme and API presentation packages, and a [just](https://just.systems/)-based command surface that matches the rest of the workspace. Readers get a more navigable site; maintainers get reusable commands and fewer repo-local Sphinx assets to keep in sync.
diff --git a/src/pytest_doctest_docutils.py b/src/pytest_doctest_docutils.py
index a5ca7f7..13c2db0 100644
--- a/src/pytest_doctest_docutils.py
+++ b/src/pytest_doctest_docutils.py
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ def pytest_configure(config: pytest.Config) -> None:
 
     Todo: Find a way to make these plugins cooperate without collecting twice.
     """
+    # Register HIDE eagerly, before collection parses any docstring. The .py
+    # path delegates to pytest's own DoctestModule (which never calls our
+    # _get_flag_lookup), so registering it here is what lets a docstring carry
+    # ``# doctest: +HIDE`` without raising ``invalid option`` at parse time.
+    _get_hide_flag()
     if config.pluginmanager.has_plugin("doctest"):
         config.pluginmanager.set_blocked("doctest")
 
@@ -232,6 +237,20 @@ def _get_number_flag() -> int:
     return doctest.register_optionflag("NUMBER")
 
 
+def _get_hide_flag() -> int:
+    """Register and return the HIDE flag.
+
+    ``HIDE`` is a no-op for execution: the output checker never consults it.
+    It marks a doctest example that documentation tooling should drop from the
+    rendered output while still running it as a test. Registering it here means
+    ``# doctest: +HIDE`` parses instead of raising ``ValueError: invalid
+    option`` at collection time.
+    """
+    import doctest
+
+    return doctest.register_optionflag("HIDE")
+
+
 def _get_flag_lookup() -> dict[str, int]:
     import doctest
 
@@ -245,6 +264,7 @@ def _get_flag_lookup() -> dict[str, int]:
         "ALLOW_UNICODE": _get_allow_unicode_flag(),
         "ALLOW_BYTES": _get_allow_bytes_flag(),
         "NUMBER": _get_number_flag(),
+        "HIDE": _get_hide_flag(),
     }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_pytest_doctest_docutils.py b/tests/test_pytest_doctest_docutils.py
index 6a5d06c..70fbd5a 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytest_doctest_docutils.py
+++ b/tests/test_pytest_doctest_docutils.py
@@ -480,3 +480,43 @@ def test_ignore_build_artifacts(
 
     result = pytester.runpytest(str(docs_path), "--doctest-docutils-modules")
     result.assert_outcomes(passed=1)
+
+
+def test_hide_optionflag_py_docstring(
+    pytester: _pytest.pytester.Pytester,
+) -> None:
+    """``# doctest: +HIDE`` parses and runs as a no-op in a .py docstring.
+
+    ``HIDE`` is registered so documentation tooling can mark a setup example to
+    drop from rendered output. Without the registration, collection would raise
+    ``ValueError: ... invalid option: '+HIDE'``. Here it must simply run.
+    """
+    pytester.plugins = ["pytest_doctest_docutils"]
+    pytester.makefile(
+        ".ini",
+        pytest=textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+[pytest]
+addopts=-p no:doctest
+        """.strip(),
+        ),
+    )
+    example = pytester.path / "example.py"
+    example.write_text(
+        textwrap.dedent(
+            '''
+def demo() -> int:
+    """Return a computed value.
+
+    >>> base = 40  # doctest: +HIDE
+    >>> base + 2
+    42
+    """
+    return 42
+        ''',
+        ),
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+
+    result = pytester.runpytest(str(example), "--doctest-docutils-modules")
+    result.assert_outcomes(passed=1)