diff --git a/packages/quicktype-core/src/language/TypeScriptZod/TypeScriptZodRenderer.ts b/packages/quicktype-core/src/language/TypeScriptZod/TypeScriptZodRenderer.ts
index d9d62c617..4686ca6f1 100644
--- a/packages/quicktype-core/src/language/TypeScriptZod/TypeScriptZodRenderer.ts
+++ b/packages/quicktype-core/src/language/TypeScriptZod/TypeScriptZodRenderer.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ import { legalizeName } from "../JavaScript/utils.js";
 
 import type { typeScriptZodOptions } from "./language.js";
 
+type TypeScriptZodRendererOptions = Omit<
+    OptionValues<typeof typeScriptZodOptions>,
+    "preferUnknown"
+> &
+    Partial<Pick<OptionValues<typeof typeScriptZodOptions>, "preferUnknown">>;
+
 export class TypeScriptZodRenderer extends ConvenienceRenderer {
     /** TypeRefs of object types that participate in a reference cycle.
      * These must be emitted as z.lazy() schemas with an explicit type
@@ -42,7 +48,7 @@ export class TypeScriptZodRenderer extends ConvenienceRenderer {
     public constructor(
         targetLanguage: TargetLanguage,
         renderContext: RenderContext,
-        protected readonly _options: OptionValues<typeof typeScriptZodOptions>,
+        protected readonly _options: TypeScriptZodRendererOptions,
     ) {
         super(targetLanguage, renderContext);
     }
@@ -106,7 +112,10 @@ export class TypeScriptZodRenderer extends ConvenienceRenderer {
 
         const match = matchType<Sourcelike>(
             t,
-            (_anyType) => "z.any()",
+            (_anyType) =>
+                this._options.preferUnknown !== false
+                    ? "z.unknown()"
+                    : "z.any()",
             (_nullType) => "z.null()",
             (_boolType) => "z.boolean()",
             (_integerType) => "z.number()",
diff --git a/packages/quicktype-core/src/language/TypeScriptZod/language.ts b/packages/quicktype-core/src/language/TypeScriptZod/language.ts
index 63b9abab5..52e3e0070 100644
--- a/packages/quicktype-core/src/language/TypeScriptZod/language.ts
+++ b/packages/quicktype-core/src/language/TypeScriptZod/language.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ import { TypeScriptZodRenderer } from "./TypeScriptZodRenderer.js";
 
 export const typeScriptZodOptions = {
     justSchema: new BooleanOption("just-schema", "Schema only", false),
+    preferUnknown: new BooleanOption(
+        "prefer-unknown",
+        "Use unknown instead of any",
+        false,
+    ),
 };
 
 export const typeScriptZodLanguageConfig = {
@@ -35,8 +40,8 @@ export class TypeScriptZodTargetLanguage extends TargetLanguage<
         super(typeScriptZodLanguageConfig);
     }
 
-    public getOptions(): Record<string, never> {
-        return {};
+    public getOptions(): typeof typeScriptZodOptions {
+        return typeScriptZodOptions;
     }
 
     public get stringTypeMapping(): StringTypeMapping {
diff --git a/test/unit/typescript-zod-unknown.test.ts b/test/unit/typescript-zod-unknown.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef4b81d1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/typescript-zod-unknown.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import {
+    InputData,
+    JSONSchemaInput,
+    type RendererOptions,
+    quicktype,
+} from "quicktype-core";
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+
+async function render(rendererOptions: RendererOptions = {}): Promise<string> {
+    const schemaInput = new JSONSchemaInput(undefined);
+    await schemaInput.addSource({
+        name: "TopLevel",
+        schema: JSON.stringify({
+            type: "object",
+            properties: {
+                value: {},
+            },
+            required: ["value"],
+        }),
+    });
+    const inputData = new InputData();
+    inputData.addInput(schemaInput);
+
+    const result = await quicktype({
+        inputData,
+        lang: "typescript-zod",
+        rendererOptions,
+    });
+    return result.lines.join("\n");
+}
+
+test("TypeScript Zod emits any for unconstrained JSON Schema values by default", async () => {
+    const output = await render();
+
+    expect(output).toContain("z.any()");
+    expect(output).not.toContain("z.unknown()");
+});
+
+test("TypeScript Zod emits unknown when prefer-unknown is enabled", async () => {
+    const output = await render({ "prefer-unknown": true });
+
+    expect(output).toContain("z.unknown()");
+    expect(output).not.toContain("z.any()");
+});