diff --git a/.changeset/issue-102-passthrough-missing-socket-warning.md b/.changeset/issue-102-passthrough-missing-socket-warning.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..273ebaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/issue-102-passthrough-missing-socket-warning.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+bump: patch
+---
+
+dind-box: warn when host-image passthrough is opted into but no host socket is
+mounted (issue #102).
+
+Running `box-dind` with passthrough enabled (the default `public` mode) **and**
+an explicit allowlist (`DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES=...`) but **without** the
+host Docker socket bind-mounted used to be a silent no-op: the entrypoint copied
+nothing, printed nothing, and the first nested `docker run` re-pulled the full
+image from the registry with no hint why. Downstream this re-pulled a 30+ GB
+image because of a forgotten `-v` flag (`link-assistant/hive-mind#1914`).
+
+A non-empty `DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES` is an unambiguous opt-in signal, so
+`passthrough_host_images` now emits a single actionable warning in exactly that
+case — enabled passthrough + allowlist set + no socket mounted — naming the
+missing `-v /var/run/docker.sock:${DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK}:ro` mount. The
+present-but-unreachable socket already warned and still does; plain `box-dind`
+containers that never set an allowlist stay silent so the default mode is not
+spammed. Covered by new cases in `experiments/preload-unit-test.sh` and
+documented in `docs/dind/USAGE.md`.
diff --git a/docs/dind/USAGE.md b/docs/dind/USAGE.md
index 114a898..c9f4557 100644
--- a/docs/dind/USAGE.md
+++ b/docs/dind/USAGE.md
@@ -263,6 +263,14 @@ gate, `public` mode still refuses a locally-built or private image even when it
 matches a pattern — the allowlist only ever *narrows* the eligible set, it never
 widens it past the security filter.
 
+Setting `DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES` is an unambiguous "I expect these images
+passed through" signal. So if it is set but **no host socket is mounted**, the
+entrypoint no longer stays silent — it emits a single warning naming the
+missing `-v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/host-docker.sock:ro` mount, because
+the nested daemon will otherwise re-pull from the registry on the first
+`docker run` with no hint as to why (issue #102). Plain `box-dind` containers
+that never set an allowlist still see no extra noise when no socket is mounted.
+
 ## Commit Cycles
 
 `DIND_SKIP_DAEMON=1` is useful for setup containers where you want to install or
diff --git a/experiments/preload-unit-test.sh b/experiments/preload-unit-test.sh
index 8cb700d..b251fc1 100755
--- a/experiments/preload-unit-test.sh
+++ b/experiments/preload-unit-test.sh
@@ -150,6 +150,33 @@ DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH=public DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK="$WORK/absent.sock" \
 check "no host save attempted without a socket" bash -c '! test -s "$DOCKER_SAVED"'
 check "no warning emitted when socket simply absent" bash -c '! test -s "$WORK/err.log"'
 
+echo "== Case 8b: explicit allowlist + absent socket warns about the missing mount (issue #102) =="
+reset_state
+# The operator named the images they expect passed through, but forgot the
+# host-socket mount. That opt-in signal turns the otherwise-silent no-op into a
+# single actionable warning.
+DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH=public DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK="$WORK/absent.sock" \
+  DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES="hello-world" \
+  DIND_PRELOAD_TARBALL="" DIND_PRELOAD_IMAGES="" DOCKER_INFO_OK=1 \
+  preload_into_daemon 2>"$WORK/err.log"
+check "no host save attempted without a socket" bash -c '! test -s "$DOCKER_SAVED"'
+check "warning names DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES" grep -q "DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES is set" "$WORK/err.log"
+check "warning suggests the -v mount remediation" grep -q -- "-v /var/run/docker.sock:" "$WORK/err.log"
+
+echo "== Case 8c: present-but-unreachable socket still wins over the allowlist warning =="
+reset_state
+# When a socket file exists but is unreachable, the original (more specific)
+# "not accessible" warning fires — even with an allowlist set — and the generic
+# missing-mount hint does not.
+touch "$WORK/dead.sock"
+DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH=public DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK="$WORK/dead.sock" \
+  DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES="hello-world" \
+  DIND_PRELOAD_TARBALL="" DIND_PRELOAD_IMAGES="" DOCKER_INFO_OK=1 HOST_DOCKER_OK=0 \
+  preload_into_daemon 2>"$WORK/err.log"
+check "unreachable-socket warning fires" grep -q "is not accessible; skipping passthrough" "$WORK/err.log"
+check "missing-mount hint suppressed when a socket file exists" bash -c '! grep -q "DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES is set" "$WORK/err.log"'
+rm -f "$WORK/dead.sock"
+
 echo "== Case 9: public mode copies a Docker Hub image, skips a local one =="
 reset_state
 # A hub image (has a docker.io RepoDigest) and a locally-built one (no digest):
diff --git a/tests/dind/example-preload-images.sh b/tests/dind/example-preload-images.sh
index b3c22ac..a1968f5 100755
--- a/tests/dind/example-preload-images.sh
+++ b/tests/dind/example-preload-images.sh
@@ -228,4 +228,23 @@ if ! docker logs "$images_container" 2>&1 | grep -q "images=${fixture_repo}"; th
 fi
 log "images-allowlist passthrough copied only the named repo and skipped the rest"
 
+# --- Opt-in allowlist but no host socket mounted (issue #102) ---------------
+# Setting DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES is an unambiguous "pass these through"
+# signal. If the operator forgets the `-v` socket mount, passthrough used to be
+# a silent no-op and the first nested `docker run` re-pulled from the registry
+# with no hint why. The entrypoint must now surface a single actionable warning
+# naming the missing mount. Note: NO -v host-sock mount here, on purpose.
+no_sock_container="${DIND_EXAMPLE_ID}-passthrough-no-sock"
+log "starting consumer with DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES set but NO host socket mounted"
+run_dind_container "$no_sock_container" \
+  -e DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH=public \
+  -e "DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES=$fixture_repo"
+wait_for_inner_docker "$no_sock_container"
+wait_for_preload_complete "$no_sock_container"
+if ! docker logs "$no_sock_container" 2>&1 | grep -q "DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES is set, but no host docker socket is mounted"; then
+  docker logs "$no_sock_container" >&2 || true
+  fail "expected a warning when DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES is set but no host socket is mounted"
+fi
+log "missing-socket warning surfaced the forgotten -v mount instead of failing silently"
+
 log "preload example passed"
diff --git a/ubuntu/24.04/dind/dind-entrypoint.sh b/ubuntu/24.04/dind/dind-entrypoint.sh
index 3d4987d..44b7907 100644
--- a/ubuntu/24.04/dind/dind-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/ubuntu/24.04/dind/dind-entrypoint.sh
@@ -399,11 +399,17 @@ passthrough_host_images() {
   host_passthrough_enabled || return 0
 
   if ! host_docker_available; then
-    # A socket file exists but is unreachable: surface it. Otherwise the common
-    # "no host socket mounted" case stays silent so the default mode is free.
     if [ -n "$DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK" ] && [ -e "$DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK" ]; then
+      # A socket file exists but is unreachable: surface it.
       warn "host docker socket at ${DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK} is not accessible; skipping passthrough"
+    elif [ -n "$DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES" ]; then
+      # Operator opted in via an allowlist but no host socket is mounted: the
+      # nested daemon will NOT be seeded and the first nested 'docker run' will
+      # re-pull from the registry. Surface it instead of failing silently. (issue #102)
+      warn "host-image passthrough is enabled and DIND_HOST_PASSTHROUGH_IMAGES is set, but no host docker socket is mounted at ${DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK}; the nested daemon will NOT be seeded from the host (first 'docker run' will pull from the registry). Mount it with: -v /var/run/docker.sock:${DIND_HOST_DOCKER_SOCK}:ro"
     fi
+    # Otherwise (no opt-in signal) the common "no host socket mounted" case stays
+    # silent so plain box-dind containers are not spammed.
     return 0
   fi