diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e78ae45..dc1b08d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -126,6 +126,14 @@ This can also be a string accepted by the
 Specify the maximum response content size, defaults to the entire file size.
 This will be used when `acceptRanges` is true.
 
+##### onFile
+
+Called with the final selected file's absolute path and file system statistics
+after file resolution, but before response processing and file stream creation.
+The callback may be synchronous or return a promise. If it returns a promise,
+`send` waits for it to settle. If the callback throws or its returned promise
+rejects, the operation is aborted and `send()` rejects.
+
 ##### root
 
 Serve files relative to `path`.
diff --git a/lib/send.js b/lib/send.js
index 975125b..645e766 100644
--- a/lib/send.js
+++ b/lib/send.js
@@ -138,6 +138,14 @@ function normalizeOptions (options) {
     ? Number(options.maxContentRangeChunkSize)
     : null
 
+  let onFile = null
+  if (options.onFile !== undefined) {
+    if (typeof options.onFile !== 'function') {
+      throw new TypeError('onFile option must be a function')
+    }
+    onFile = options.onFile
+  }
+
   const root = options.root
     ? resolve(options.root)
     : null
@@ -158,6 +166,7 @@ function normalizeOptions (options) {
     lastModified,
     maxage,
     maxContentRangeChunkSize,
+    onFile,
     root,
     highWaterMark,
     start: options.start,
@@ -465,7 +474,11 @@ function sendNotModified (headers, path, stat) {
   }
 }
 
-function sendFileDirectly (request, path, stat, options) {
+async function sendFileDirectly (request, path, stat, options) {
+  if (options.onFile !== null) {
+    await options.onFile(path, stat)
+  }
+
   let len = stat.size
   let offset = options.start ?? 0
 
diff --git a/test/onFile.test.js b/test/onFile.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ccf4bcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/onFile.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,247 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const { test } = require('node:test')
+const fs = require('node:fs')
+const path = require('node:path')
+const send = require('..')
+
+const fixtures = path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures')
+
+function createRequest (method = 'GET', headers = {}) {
+  return { method, headers }
+}
+
+function destroyStream (result) {
+  result.stream.destroy()
+}
+
+test('onFile receives the final selected file', async function (t) {
+  const cases = [
+    {
+      name: 'direct file',
+      requestPath: '/name.txt',
+      options: {},
+      expectedPath: path.join(fixtures, 'name.txt')
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'default index',
+      requestPath: '/pets/',
+      options: {},
+      expectedPath: path.join(fixtures, 'pets', 'index.html')
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'custom index',
+      requestPath: '/',
+      options: { index: ['missing.html', 'pets', 'tobi.html'] },
+      expectedPath: path.join(fixtures, 'tobi.html')
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'extension fallback',
+      requestPath: '/name',
+      options: { extensions: ['missing', 'dir', 'html'] },
+      expectedPath: path.join(fixtures, 'name.html')
+    }
+  ]
+
+  for (const testCase of cases) {
+    await t.test(testCase.name, async function (t) {
+      let calls = 0
+      let selectedPath
+      let selectedStat
+      const result = await send(createRequest(), testCase.requestPath, {
+        ...testCase.options,
+        root: fixtures,
+        onFile (filePath, stat) {
+          calls++
+          selectedPath = filePath
+          selectedStat = stat
+        }
+      })
+
+      t.assert.strictEqual(calls, 1)
+      t.assert.strictEqual(selectedPath, testCase.expectedPath)
+      t.assert.strictEqual(selectedStat, result.metadata.stat)
+      t.assert.ok(selectedStat instanceof fs.Stats)
+      destroyStream(result)
+    })
+  }
+})
+
+test('onFile is not called for directory or error results', async function (t) {
+  let calls = 0
+  const options = {
+    root: fixtures,
+    onFile () {
+      calls++
+    }
+  }
+
+  const directoryResult = await send(createRequest(), '/pets', options)
+  t.assert.strictEqual(directoryResult.type, 'directory')
+  destroyStream(directoryResult)
+
+  const errorResult = await send(createRequest(), '/missing.txt', options)
+  t.assert.strictEqual(errorResult.type, 'error')
+  destroyStream(errorResult)
+
+  t.assert.strictEqual(calls, 0)
+})
+
+test('onFile waits before creating the file stream', { timeout: 5000 }, async function (t) {
+  const originalCreateReadStream = fs.createReadStream
+  const events = []
+  let releaseHook
+  let markHookStarted
+  const hookStarted = new Promise((resolve) => {
+    markHookStarted = resolve
+  })
+  const hookGate = new Promise((resolve) => {
+    releaseHook = resolve
+  })
+
+  fs.createReadStream = function (...args) {
+    events.push('stream')
+    return originalCreateReadStream.apply(this, args)
+  }
+
+  try {
+    let settled = false
+    const pending = send(createRequest(), '/name.txt', {
+      root: fixtures,
+      async onFile () {
+        events.push('hook start')
+        markHookStarted()
+        await hookGate
+        events.push('hook end')
+      }
+    }).then((result) => {
+      settled = true
+      return result
+    })
+
+    await hookStarted
+    await Promise.resolve()
+    t.assert.strictEqual(settled, false)
+    t.assert.deepStrictEqual(events, ['hook start'])
+
+    releaseHook()
+    const result = await pending
+    t.assert.deepStrictEqual(events, ['hook start', 'hook end', 'stream'])
+    destroyStream(result)
+  } finally {
+    fs.createReadStream = originalCreateReadStream
+  }
+})
+
+test('onFile errors reject send unchanged before stream creation', async function (t) {
+  const originalCreateReadStream = fs.createReadStream
+  let streamCalls = 0
+
+  fs.createReadStream = function (...args) {
+    streamCalls++
+    return originalCreateReadStream.apply(this, args)
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const thrownError = new Error('thrown by onFile')
+    await t.assert.rejects(
+      send(createRequest(), '/name.txt', {
+        root: fixtures,
+        onFile () {
+          throw thrownError
+        }
+      }),
+      (error) => error === thrownError
+    )
+
+    const rejectedError = new Error('rejected by onFile')
+    await t.assert.rejects(
+      send(createRequest(), '/name.txt', {
+        root: fixtures,
+        onFile () {
+          return Promise.reject(rejectedError)
+        }
+      }),
+      (error) => error === rejectedError
+    )
+
+    t.assert.strictEqual(streamCalls, 0)
+  } finally {
+    fs.createReadStream = originalCreateReadStream
+  }
+})
+
+test('onFile is called for ranged GET requests', async function (t) {
+  let calls = 0
+  const result = await send(
+    createRequest('GET', { range: 'bytes=0-4' }),
+    '/nums.txt',
+    {
+      root: fixtures,
+      onFile (filePath) {
+        calls++
+        t.assert.strictEqual(filePath, path.join(fixtures, 'nums.txt'))
+      }
+    }
+  )
+
+  t.assert.strictEqual(calls, 1)
+  t.assert.strictEqual(result.statusCode, 206)
+  t.assert.strictEqual(result.headers['Content-Range'], 'bytes 0-4/9')
+
+  let body = ''
+  for await (const chunk of result.stream) {
+    body += chunk
+  }
+  t.assert.strictEqual(body, '12345')
+})
+
+test('onFile is called for HEAD and conditional requests', async function (t) {
+  const originalCreateReadStream = fs.createReadStream
+  let streamCalls = 0
+  const methods = []
+
+  fs.createReadStream = function (...args) {
+    streamCalls++
+    return originalCreateReadStream.apply(this, args)
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const headResult = await send(createRequest('HEAD'), '/name.txt', {
+      root: fixtures,
+      onFile () {
+        methods.push('HEAD')
+      }
+    })
+    t.assert.strictEqual(headResult.statusCode, 200)
+    destroyStream(headResult)
+
+    const conditionalResult = await send(
+      createRequest('GET', { 'if-none-match': '*' }),
+      '/name.txt',
+      {
+        root: fixtures,
+        onFile () {
+          methods.push('conditional')
+        }
+      }
+    )
+    t.assert.strictEqual(conditionalResult.statusCode, 304)
+    destroyStream(conditionalResult)
+
+    t.assert.deepStrictEqual(methods, ['HEAD', 'conditional'])
+    t.assert.strictEqual(streamCalls, 0)
+  } finally {
+    fs.createReadStream = originalCreateReadStream
+  }
+})
+
+test('onFile must be a function when provided', async function (t) {
+  await t.assert.rejects(
+    send(createRequest(), '/name.txt', { root: fixtures, onFile: null }),
+    {
+      name: 'TypeError',
+      message: 'onFile option must be a function'
+    }
+  )
+})
diff --git a/types/index.d.ts b/types/index.d.ts
index 36184e1..4bd2e83 100644
--- a/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/types/index.d.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 /// <reference types="node" />
 
-import { Dirent } from 'node:fs'
+import { Stats } from 'node:fs'
 import * as stream from 'node:stream'
 
 /**
@@ -110,6 +110,12 @@ declare namespace send {
      */
     maxContentRangeChunkSize?: number | undefined;
 
+    /**
+     * Called with the selected file's absolute path and file system statistics before response processing and stream creation.
+     * The callback may return a promise, which will be awaited.
+     */
+    onFile?: ((path: string, stat: Stats) => void | Promise<void>) | undefined;
+
     /**
      * Serve files relative to path.
      */
@@ -138,7 +144,7 @@ declare namespace send {
     type: 'file'
     metadata: {
       path: string
-      stat: Dirent
+      stat: Stats
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/types/index.tst.ts b/types/index.tst.ts
index 032a54f..9336281 100644
--- a/types/index.tst.ts
+++ b/types/index.tst.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Dirent } from 'node:fs'
+import { Stats } from 'node:fs'
 import { resolve } from 'node:path'
 import { Readable } from 'node:stream'
 import { expect } from 'tstyche'
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import send, {
   DirectorySendResult,
   ErrorSendResult,
   FileSendResult,
+  SendOptions,
   SendResult
 } from '..'
 
@@ -15,6 +16,9 @@ send.mime.define({
 
 expect(send.isUtf8MimeType).type.toBe<(value: string) => boolean>()
 expect(send.isUtf8MimeType('application/json')).type.toBe<boolean>()
+expect<SendOptions['onFile']>().type.toBe<
+  ((path: string, stat: Stats) => void | Promise<void>) | undefined
+>()
 
 const req: any = {};
 
@@ -53,7 +57,7 @@ const req: any = {};
     case 'file': {
       expect(result).type.toBe<FileSendResult>()
       expect(result.metadata.path).type.toBe<string>()
-      expect(result.metadata.stat).type.toBe<Dirent>()
+      expect(result.metadata.stat).type.toBe<Stats>()
       break
     }
     case 'directory': {