diff --git a/changelog.d/328.changed.md b/changelog.d/328.changed.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc6efdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/328.changed.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+**`@cache(no_store=True)` warns about the arguments it overrides.** A
+`UserWarning` naming them is emitted when the decorator is applied with
+`no_store=True` and `ttl`, `stale`, `no_cache`, `public`, `private`,
+`immutable` or `must_revalidate`. The response is unchanged: `no-store` only.
diff --git a/changelog.d/363.fixed.md b/changelog.d/363.fixed.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4483e86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/363.fixed.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+**A bare `@cache()` no longer sends an empty `Cache-Control` header.** With
+neither `ttl` nor a directive, the decorator has no directive of its own: it
+keeps the handler's `Cache-Control`, or sends none, and adds only the ETag. A
+response that sets a cookie or answers a request with credentials is still
+sent with `private`.
diff --git a/docs/CACHE_FLOW.md b/docs/CACHE_FLOW.md
index b43e0dd..148380d 100644
--- a/docs/CACHE_FLOW.md
+++ b/docs/CACHE_FLOW.md
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ The header value is built once per decorated route:
 |-----------|----------------------|
 | `no_store=True` | `no-store` (overrides everything else) |
 | `no_cache=True` | `no-cache`, plus `must-revalidate` if requested; `public`/`private`/`max-age`/`stale-*`/`immutable` are omitted |
+| none (a bare `@cache()`) | none of its own; the handler's header, if any, is kept (`private` for a cookie or credentials, as on every route) |
 | anything else | in order: `public` or `private`, `max-age=<ttl>`, `must-revalidate`, `stale-while-revalidate=<n>` or `stale-if-error=<n>`, `immutable` |
 
 > [!NOTE]
diff --git a/docs/HTTP_CACHING.md b/docs/HTTP_CACHING.md
index d808bf7..8b14868 100644
--- a/docs/HTTP_CACHING.md
+++ b/docs/HTTP_CACHING.md
@@ -78,6 +78,17 @@ header, and the server-side cache behaves the same with or without them.
 `no_store` only `no-store`. How the other arguments combine is described in
 [Cache flow](CACHE_FLOW.md#2-cache-control-directives).
 
+`no_store=True` together with any other caching argument (`ttl`, `stale`,
+`no_cache`, `public`, `private`, `immutable`, `must_revalidate`) emits a
+`UserWarning` pointing at your `@cache(...)` line when the decorator is
+applied: `no_store` overrides them, and the warning names them.
+
+A bare `@cache()`, with neither `ttl` nor a directive, stores nothing and has no
+`Cache-Control` of its own. It adds an ETag and answers a matching
+`If-None-Match` with `304`, and keeps the handler's own `Cache-Control` (or
+sends none). As on every route, a response that sets a cookie or answers a
+request with `Authorization` or a session is still sent with `private`.
+
 ### The request's `Cache-Control` is ignored
 
 A client's own `Cache-Control` request header (`no-cache`, `max-age=0`, as sent
diff --git a/fastapi_cachex/cache.py b/fastapi_cachex/cache.py
index 36356c3..21699bb 100644
--- a/fastapi_cachex/cache.py
+++ b/fastapi_cachex/cache.py
@@ -259,6 +259,14 @@ def _request_credential(request: Request) -> str | None:
 )
 
 
+def _no_store_ignored_warning(ignored: list[str]) -> str:
+    return (
+        f"cache no_store ignores {', '.join(ignored)}: @cache(no_store=True) "
+        "stores nothing and sends only Cache-Control: no-store, so the other "
+        "arguments have no effect. Remove them, or drop no_store."
+    )
+
+
 # How the one-time bypass warning names each `_request_credential` result.
 _CREDENTIAL_DESCRIPTIONS = {
     "Authorization header": "an Authorization header",
@@ -739,7 +747,8 @@ def _not_modified(
     response = Response(status_code=HTTP_304_NOT_MODIFIED)
     _append_headers(response, _revalidation_headers(headers))
     response.headers["ETag"] = etag
-    response.headers["Cache-Control"] = cache_control
+    if cache_control:
+        response.headers["Cache-Control"] = cache_control
     response.headers.update(age or {})
     return response
 
@@ -781,12 +790,16 @@ def _cache_control_for(
     A handler that marked its response ``private`` or ``no-store`` keeps its own
     header; the decorator's would widen what the handler allowed. A response
     that sets a cookie gets ``private_cache_control``, so a shared cache in
-    front of the app does not store it either.
+    front of the app does not store it either. When the decorator has no
+    directive to send (a bare ``@cache()``), the handler's own header is kept,
+    or none is sent (#363); a cookie still gets ``private_cache_control``.
     """
     if _marked_unshareable(response):
         return ", ".join(response.headers.getlist("cache-control"))
     if "set-cookie" in response.headers:
         return private_cache_control
+    if not cache_control:
+        return ", ".join(response.headers.getlist("cache-control"))
     return cache_control
 
 
@@ -794,9 +807,9 @@ def _with_cache_control(
     response: Response, cache_control: str, private_cache_control: str
 ) -> Response:
     if not _marked_unshareable(response):
-        response.headers["Cache-Control"] = _cache_control_for(
-            response, cache_control, private_cache_control
-        )
+        value = _cache_control_for(response, cache_control, private_cache_control)
+        if value:
+            response.headers["Cache-Control"] = value
     return response
 
 
@@ -1062,6 +1075,17 @@ def cache(
             ``key_builder``, or if ``key_builder`` is an ``async`` callable.
             At request time, if
             ``key_builder`` returns anything but a ``str``.
+
+    Without ``ttl`` or any directive (a bare ``@cache()``), nothing is stored
+    and the decorator has no ``Cache-Control`` of its own: it adds an ETag,
+    answers a matching ``If-None-Match`` with 304 and keeps the handler's own
+    ``Cache-Control``, except that a response setting a cookie or answering a
+    request with credentials is still sent with ``private``.
+
+    Warns:
+        UserWarning: When the decorator is applied, if ``vary`` lists
+            ``Cookie``, or if ``no_store`` is combined with another caching
+            argument it overrides.
     """
 
     def decorator(func: HandlerCallable) -> AsyncResponseCallable:
@@ -1092,6 +1116,27 @@ def decorator(func: HandlerCallable) -> AsyncResponseCallable:
             # stacklevel=2: the caller applying the decorator, i.e. the line
             # of the user's @cache(...).
             warnings.warn(_COOKIE_VARY_WARNING, UserWarning, stacklevel=2)
+        # Arguments no_store overrides are accepted but warned about (#328);
+        # rejecting them would break routes that work today.
+        if no_store:
+            ignored = [
+                name
+                for name, value in (
+                    ("ttl", ttl),
+                    ("stale", stale),
+                    ("stale_ttl", stale_ttl),
+                    ("no_cache", no_cache),
+                    ("public", public),
+                    ("private", private),
+                    ("immutable", immutable),
+                    ("must_revalidate", must_revalidate),
+                )
+                if value is not None and value is not False
+            ]
+            if ignored:
+                warnings.warn(
+                    _no_store_ignored_warning(ignored), UserWarning, stacklevel=2
+                )
 
         # Analyze the original function's signature
         sig: Signature = inspect.signature(func)
diff --git a/i18n/zh-TW/docs/CACHE_FLOW.md b/i18n/zh-TW/docs/CACHE_FLOW.md
index efc0a1a..0b97fbc 100644
--- a/i18n/zh-TW/docs/CACHE_FLOW.md
+++ b/i18n/zh-TW/docs/CACHE_FLOW.md
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ cache_key = "|".join(
 |------|------------------------|
 | `no_store=True` | `no-store`（覆蓋其他所有設定） |
 | `no_cache=True` | `no-cache`，若有要求則加上 `must-revalidate`；省略 `public`／`private`／`max-age`／`stale-*`／`immutable` |
+| 無（不帶參數的 `@cache()`） | 不送出自己的標頭；保留 handler 的標頭（若有）（遇到 Cookie 或憑證時送出 `private`，與其他路由相同） |
 | 其他情況 | 依序為：`public` 或 `private`、`max-age=<ttl>`、`must-revalidate`、`stale-while-revalidate=<n>` 或 `stale-if-error=<n>`、`immutable` |
 
 > [!NOTE]
diff --git a/i18n/zh-TW/docs/HTTP_CACHING.md b/i18n/zh-TW/docs/HTTP_CACHING.md
index 0c12382..6aa2217 100644
--- a/i18n/zh-TW/docs/HTTP_CACHING.md
+++ b/i18n/zh-TW/docs/HTTP_CACHING.md
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ async def items(): ...
 
 `no_cache=True` 與 `no_store=True` 會取代標頭的其餘內容：使用 `no_cache` 時只送出 `no-cache`（若有設定，再加上 `must-revalidate`），使用 `no_store` 時只送出 `no-store`。其他參數如何組合，請見[快取流程](CACHE_FLOW.md#2-cache-control-directives)。
 
+`no_store=True` 搭配其他任何快取參數（`ttl`、`stale`、`no_cache`、`public`、`private`、`immutable`、`must_revalidate`）時，套用裝飾器時 `@cache` 會發出指向你 `@cache(...)` 那一行的 `UserWarning`：`no_store` 會覆蓋這些參數，警告會列出它們。
+
+不帶參數的 `@cache()`，既沒有 `ttl` 也沒有任何指令，不會儲存任何內容，也沒有自己的 `Cache-Control`。它會加上 ETag，以 `304` 回應相符的 `If-None-Match`，並保留 handler 自己的 `Cache-Control`（沒有就不送）。與其他路由一樣，設定 Cookie 的回應，或回應帶有 `Authorization` 或 Session 的請求時，仍會送出 `private`。
+
 ### 請求的 `Cache-Control` 會被忽略 {#the-requests-cache-control-is-ignored}
 
 用戶端自己送出的 `Cache-Control` 請求標頭（例如瀏覽器強制重新整理時送出的 `no-cache`、`max-age=0` 等）不會改變 `@cache` 的行為。這是刻意的設計：若請求標頭能繞過快取，任何用戶端都能讓每個請求直接打到你的 handler。條件式請求仍會處理：`If-None-Match` 相符時回 304。
diff --git a/tests/test_cache.py b/tests/test_cache.py
index dbbf77b..26d4028 100644
--- a/tests/test_cache.py
+++ b/tests/test_cache.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ async def default_cache_endpoint():
 
     response = client.get("/default")
     assert response.status_code == 200
-    assert response.headers["Cache-Control"] == ""
+    assert "Cache-Control" not in response.headers
     assert "ETag" in response.headers
 
 
@@ -627,10 +627,12 @@ def test_no_store_and_no_cache_combined():
     """no_store=True takes priority; only 'no-store' appears in Cache-Control."""
     combo_app = FastAPI()
 
-    @combo_app.get("/no-store-no-cache")
-    @cache(no_store=True, no_cache=True)
-    async def no_store_no_cache_endpoint():
-        return Response(content=b"data", media_type="text/plain")
+    with pytest.warns(UserWarning, match="no_store ignores no_cache"):
+
+        @combo_app.get("/no-store-no-cache")
+        @cache(no_store=True, no_cache=True)
+        async def no_store_no_cache_endpoint():
+            return Response(content=b"data", media_type="text/plain")
 
     combo_client = TestClient(combo_app)
     r = combo_client.get("/no-store-no-cache")
@@ -640,7 +642,7 @@ async def no_store_no_cache_endpoint():
     assert "no-cache" not in cc
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(("ttl", "cache_control"), [(None, ""), (0, "max-age=0")])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(("ttl", "cache_control"), [(None, None), (0, "max-age=0")])
 def test_without_a_positive_ttl_nothing_is_stored_or_served(ttl, cache_control):
     """No positive ttl means no server-side cache, and no 304 from a stale ETag (#110).
 
@@ -664,14 +666,14 @@ async def no_ttl_endpoint():
 
     r1 = no_ttl_client.get("/no-ttl")
     assert r1.status_code == 200
-    assert r1.headers["Cache-Control"] == cache_control
+    assert r1.headers.get("Cache-Control") == cache_control
     old_etag = r1.headers["ETag"]
     assert backend.cache == {}
 
     # An unchanged response still revalidates, against the fresh render.
     r2 = no_ttl_client.get("/no-ttl", headers={"If-None-Match": old_etag})
     assert r2.status_code == 304
-    assert r2.headers["Cache-Control"] == cache_control
+    assert r2.headers.get("Cache-Control") == cache_control
     assert len(calls) == 2
 
     # The data changes: the old validator must not get a 304 any more.
diff --git a/tests/test_cache_age.py b/tests/test_cache_age.py
index d89d371..feb49e6 100644
--- a/tests/test_cache_age.py
+++ b/tests/test_cache_age.py
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ async def test_no_cache_revalidation_sends_no_age(clock, client_for):
     assert "age" not in full.headers
 
 
+@pytest.mark.filterwarnings("ignore:cache no_store ignores:UserWarning")
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ("cache_kwargs", "method", "headers"),
     [
diff --git a/tests/test_cache_arguments.py b/tests/test_cache_arguments.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f1b819
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_cache_arguments.py
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+"""`@cache` arguments that send no directive or contradict each other (#328, #363).
+
+A bare `@cache()` has no directive to send: it used to set an empty
+`Cache-Control` header, replacing the handler's own one. It now keeps the
+handler's header and only adds the ETag, which makes it an ETag-only mode, so
+it does not warn. `no_store` overrides every other caching argument, so passing
+one with it warns.
+"""
+
+from collections.abc import AsyncIterator
+
+import pytest
+from fastapi import FastAPI
+from fastapi import Response
+from fastapi.responses import StreamingResponse
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+
+from fastapi_cachex.cache import cache
+
+
+def _bare_app(handler_cache_control: str | None = None, **kwargs: object) -> TestClient:
+    app = FastAPI()
+
+    @app.get("/bare")
+    @cache(**kwargs)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+    async def bare(response: Response):
+        if handler_cache_control is not None:
+            response.headers["Cache-Control"] = handler_cache_control
+        return {"ok": True}
+
+    return TestClient(app)
+
+
+def test_bare_cache_sends_no_cache_control() -> None:
+    client = _bare_app()
+
+    first = client.get("/bare")
+    assert "Cache-Control" not in first.headers
+    assert "ETag" in first.headers
+
+    revalidated = client.get("/bare", headers={"If-None-Match": first.headers["ETag"]})
+    assert revalidated.status_code == 304
+    assert "Cache-Control" not in revalidated.headers
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("handler_header", ["max-age=30", "private, max-age=30"])
+def test_bare_cache_keeps_the_handlers_cache_control(handler_header: str) -> None:
+    client = _bare_app(handler_header)
+
+    first = client.get("/bare")
+    assert first.headers["Cache-Control"] == handler_header
+
+    revalidated = client.get("/bare", headers={"If-None-Match": first.headers["ETag"]})
+    assert revalidated.status_code == 304
+    assert revalidated.headers["Cache-Control"] == handler_header
+
+
+def test_bare_cache_with_vary_sends_vary_and_no_cache_control() -> None:
+    response = _bare_app(vary=["Accept-Language"]).get("/bare")
+
+    assert "Cache-Control" not in response.headers
+    assert response.headers["Vary"] == "Accept-Language"
+
+
+def test_bare_cache_streaming_response_gets_no_cache_control() -> None:
+    app = FastAPI()
+
+    async def chunks() -> AsyncIterator[bytes]:
+        yield b"x"
+
+    @app.get("/stream")
+    @cache()
+    async def stream():
+        return StreamingResponse(chunks(), media_type="text/plain")
+
+    assert "Cache-Control" not in TestClient(app).get("/stream").headers
+
+
+def test_bare_cache_still_sends_private_for_a_cookie() -> None:
+    app = FastAPI()
+
+    @app.get("/cookie")
+    @cache()
+    async def cookie(response: Response):
+        response.set_cookie("c", "1")
+        response.headers["Cache-Control"] = "max-age=30"
+        return {}
+
+    # As on every route: a response that sets a cookie is sent with the
+    # decorator's private header, in place of the handler's own one.
+    assert TestClient(app).get("/cookie").headers["Cache-Control"] == "private"
+
+
+def test_bare_cache_still_sends_private_for_a_credential_request() -> None:
+    response = _bare_app("max-age=30").get(
+        "/bare", headers={"Authorization": "Bearer t"}
+    )
+
+    assert response.headers["Cache-Control"] == "private"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("kwargs", "ignored"),
+    [
+        ({"ttl": 60}, "ttl"),
+        ({"ttl": 0}, "ttl"),
+        ({"stale": "revalidate", "stale_ttl": 30}, "stale, stale_ttl"),
+        ({"no_cache": True}, "no_cache"),
+        ({"public": True}, "public"),
+        ({"private": True}, "private"),
+        ({"immutable": True}, "immutable"),
+        ({"must_revalidate": True}, "must_revalidate"),
+        ({"ttl": 60, "public": True}, "ttl, public"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_no_store_warns_about_the_arguments_it_overrides(
+    kwargs: dict[str, object], ignored: str
+) -> None:
+    app = FastAPI()
+
+    with pytest.warns(
+        UserWarning, match=f"cache no_store ignores {ignored}:"
+    ) as record:
+
+        @app.get("/none")
+        @cache(no_store=True, **kwargs)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+        async def none():
+            return {}
+
+    assert len(record) == 1
+    assert record[0].filename == __file__
+    # The warning changes nothing at request time.
+    assert TestClient(app).get("/none").headers["Cache-Control"] == "no-store"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "kwargs",
+    [
+        {"no_store": True},
+        {"ttl": 60},
+        {"ttl": 0},
+        {"public": True},
+        {"no_cache": True},
+        {"must_revalidate": True},
+        {"private": True},
+        {"immutable": True},
+        {"stale": "revalidate", "stale_ttl": 30},
+        {},
+        {"vary": ["Accept-Language"]},
+        {"ttl": 60, "public": False, "no_cache": False},
+    ],
+)
+def test_arguments_that_do_something_do_not_warn(kwargs: dict[str, object]) -> None:
+    # filterwarnings = error turns any warning into a failure here.
+    @cache(**kwargs)  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+    async def handler():
+        return {}
diff --git a/tests/test_cache_internals.py b/tests/test_cache_internals.py
index 8d2ba2f..83b3def 100644
--- a/tests/test_cache_internals.py
+++ b/tests/test_cache_internals.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ async def item() -> dict[str, str]:
     return TestClient(app), calls
 
 
+@pytest.mark.filterwarnings("ignore:cache no_store ignores:UserWarning")
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "cache_kwargs",
     [
diff --git a/tests/test_cache_private.py b/tests/test_cache_private.py
index 85ca05e..7aa6174 100644
--- a/tests/test_cache_private.py
+++ b/tests/test_cache_private.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 from collections.abc import AsyncIterator
 
+import pytest
 from fastapi import FastAPI
 from fastapi import Request
 from fastapi import Response
@@ -134,10 +135,12 @@ def test_no_store_still_wins_over_private():
     app = FastAPI()
     client = TestClient(app)
 
-    @app.get("/private-no-store")
-    @cache(private=True, no_store=True)
-    async def private_no_store():
-        return Response(content="x", media_type="text/plain")
+    with pytest.warns(UserWarning, match="no_store ignores private"):
+
+        @app.get("/private-no-store")
+        @cache(private=True, no_store=True)
+        async def private_no_store():
+            return Response(content="x", media_type="text/plain")
 
     assert client.get("/private-no-store").headers["Cache-Control"] == "no-store"
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cache_unshareable.py b/tests/test_cache_unshareable.py
index fa5d0f6..df5aa8a 100644
--- a/tests/test_cache_unshareable.py
+++ b/tests/test_cache_unshareable.py
@@ -482,10 +482,12 @@ async def opted_in():
 def test_no_store_decorator_wins_over_set_cookie():
     app = FastAPI()
 
-    @app.get("/nothing")
-    @cache(no_store=True, public=True)
-    async def nothing(response: Response):
-        response.set_cookie("c", "1")
-        return {}
+    with pytest.warns(UserWarning, match="no_store ignores public"):
+
+        @app.get("/nothing")
+        @cache(no_store=True, public=True)
+        async def nothing(response: Response):
+            response.set_cookie("c", "1")
+            return {}
 
     assert TestClient(app).get("/nothing").headers["Cache-Control"] == "no-store"
diff --git a/tests/test_cache_vary.py b/tests/test_cache_vary.py
index e9abe7d..11e96e2 100644
--- a/tests/test_cache_vary.py
+++ b/tests/test_cache_vary.py
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ def test_vary_header_on_miss_hit_and_304() -> None:
         assert response.headers["vary"] == "Accept-Language"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.filterwarnings("ignore:cache no_store ignores:UserWarning")
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ("cache_kwargs", "request_headers"),
     [