diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 71dd723..72adeb0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ npm install --save-dev babel-plugin-inline-react-svg
 
 - *`ignorePattern`* - A pattern that imports will be tested against to selectively ignore imports.
 - *`caseSensitive`* - A boolean value that if true will require file paths to match with case-sensitivity. Useful to ensure consistent behavior if working on both a case-sensitive operating system like Linux and a case-insensitive one like OS X or Windows.
+- *`spreadDefaultProps`* - A boolean value that if `true` will spread additional props, rather than setting them as `defaultProps` static assignment. This is important for tree shaking, as static assignments prevent efficient dead code removal.
 - *`svgo`* - svgo options (`false` to disable). Example:
 ```json
 {
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index ed9a63f..1dddd91 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -39,9 +39,26 @@ export default declare(({
     `;
 
     if (SVG_NAME !== 'default') {
-      return template(namedTemplate)({ SVG_NAME, SVG_CODE, SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE });
+      const substitutions = { SVG_CODE, SVG_NAME };
+
+      // If a key is present in the substitutions object, but is unused in the template, even if
+      // even if it's value is undefined, Babel will throw an error.
+      if (SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE) {
+        substitutions.SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE = SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE;
+      }
+
+      return template(namedTemplate)(substitutions);
     }
-    return template(anonymousTemplate)({ SVG_CODE, SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE, EXPORT_FILENAME });
+
+    const substitutions = { SVG_CODE, EXPORT_FILENAME };
+
+    // If a key is present in the substitutions object, but is unused in the template, even if
+    // even if it's value is undefined, Babel will throw an error.
+    if (SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE) {
+      substitutions.SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE = SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE;
+    }
+
+    return template(anonymousTemplate)(substitutions);
   };
 
   function applyPlugin(importIdentifier, importPath, path, state, isExport, exportFilename) {
@@ -91,8 +108,9 @@ export default declare(({
         EXPORT_FILENAME: exportFilename,
       };
 
-      // Move props off of element and into defaultProps
-      if (svgCode.openingElement.attributes.length > 1) {
+      // Move props off of element and into defaultProps, but only if
+      // the "spreadDefaultProps" argument is not true
+      if (state.opts.spreadDefaultProps !== true && svgCode.openingElement.attributes.length > 1) {
         const keepProps = [];
         const defaultProps = [];
 
@@ -108,11 +126,10 @@ export default declare(({
         opts.SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE = t.objectExpression(defaultProps);
       }
 
-      if (opts.SVG_DEFAULT_PROPS_CODE) {
-        const svgReplacement = buildSvg(opts);
+      const svgReplacement = buildSvg(opts);
+      if (svgReplacement.length > 1) {
         path.replaceWithMultiple(svgReplacement);
       } else {
-        const svgReplacement = buildSvg(opts);
         path.replaceWith(svgReplacement);
       }
       file.get('ensureReact')();
diff --git a/test/sanity.js b/test/sanity.js
index b04db4c..4ae812e 100644
--- a/test/sanity.js
+++ b/test/sanity.js
@@ -13,8 +13,20 @@ function assertReactImport(result) {
   }
 }
 
+function assertSpreadProps(result) {
+  const hasSpreadProps = result.code.match(/_extends\(\{.*"'data-name'": "Livello 1".*\}, props\)/gs);
+  if (!hasSpreadProps) {
+    throw new Error('Spread props were not found');
+  }
+
+  const hasDefaultProps = result.code.match(/\.defaultProps/g);
+  if (hasDefaultProps) {
+    throw new Error('Default props were found, when spread should have been used instead');
+  }
+}
+
 function validateDefaultProps(result) {
-  if (!(/'data-name':/g).test(result.code)) {
+  if (!(/'data-name':?/g).test(result.code)) {
     throw new Error('data-* props need to be quoted');
   }
 }
@@ -177,3 +189,15 @@ transformFile('test/fixtures/test-export-default-as.jsx', {
   if (err) throw err;
   console.log('test/fixtures/test-export-default-as.jsx', result.code);
 });
+
+transformFile('test/fixtures/test-export-default-as.jsx', {
+  presets: ['airbnb'],
+  plugins: [
+    [inlineReactSvgPlugin, { spreadDefaultProps: true }],
+  ],
+}, (err, result) => {
+  if (err) throw err;
+  console.log('test/fixtures/test-export-default-as.jsx', result.code);
+  validateDefaultProps(result);
+  assertSpreadProps(result);
+});