diff --git a/playground/pages/picture.vue b/playground/pages/picture.vue
index 895faec5c..05a05a9ea 100644
--- a/playground/pages/picture.vue
+++ b/playground/pages/picture.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <template>
   <div>
+    <h1>Original</h1>
     <nuxt-picture
       src="/images/colors.jpg"
       format="avif,webp"
@@ -8,6 +9,16 @@
       @load="isLoaded = true"
     />
     <p>Received onLoad event: {{ isLoaded }}</p>
+    <h1>Placeholder</h1>
+    <nuxt-picture
+      src="/images/colors.jpg"
+      placeholder
+      format="avif,webp"
+      width="500"
+      height="500"
+      @load="isLoaded2 = true"
+    />
+    <p>Received onLoad event: {{ isLoaded2 }}</p>
   </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -15,4 +26,5 @@
 import { ref } from '#imports'
 
 const isLoaded = ref(false)
+const isLoaded2 = ref(false)
 </script>
diff --git a/src/runtime/components/NuxtImg.vue b/src/runtime/components/NuxtImg.vue
index 31cd40c75..03ef8d573 100644
--- a/src/runtime/components/NuxtImg.vue
+++ b/src/runtime/components/NuxtImg.vue
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 <template>
   <img
     ref="imgEl"
-    :class="props.placeholder && !placeholderLoaded ? props.placeholderClass : undefined"
     v-bind="{
       ...isServer ? { onerror: 'this.setAttribute(\'data-error\', 1)' } : {},
       ..._attrs,
       ...attrs,
+      ...(placeholderClass && placeholder) ? { class: placeholderClass } : {},
     }"
     :src="src"
   >
@@ -34,30 +34,29 @@ const isServer = import.meta.server
 
 const $img = useImage()
 
-const _base = useBaseImage(props)
+const { placeholder, placeholderLoaded, options: baseOptions, modifiers: baseModifiers, attrs: baseAttrs } = useBaseImage(props)
 
-const placeholderLoaded = ref(false)
 const imgEl = ref<HTMLImageElement>()
 
-type AttrsT = typeof _base.attrs.value & {
+type AttrsT = typeof baseAttrs.value & {
   'sizes'?: string
   'srcset'?: string
   'data-nuxt-img'?: string
 }
 
 const sizes = computed(() => $img.getSizes(props.src!, {
-  ..._base.options.value,
+  ...baseOptions.value,
   sizes: props.sizes,
   densities: props.densities,
   modifiers: {
-    ..._base.modifiers.value,
+    ...baseModifiers.value,
     width: parseSize(props.width),
     height: parseSize(props.height),
   },
 }))
 
 const _attrs = computed(() => {
-  const attrs: AttrsT = { ..._base.attrs.value, 'data-nuxt-img': '' }
+  const attrs: AttrsT = { ...baseAttrs.value, 'data-nuxt-img': '' }
 
   if (!props.placeholder || placeholderLoaded.value) {
     attrs.sizes = sizes.value.sizes
@@ -67,38 +66,10 @@ const _attrs = computed(() => {
   return attrs
 })
 
-const placeholder = computed(() => {
-  let placeholder = props.placeholder
-
-  if (placeholder === '') {
-    placeholder = true
-  }
-
-  if (!placeholder || placeholderLoaded.value) {
-    return false
-  }
-
-  if (typeof placeholder === 'string') {
-    return placeholder
-  }
-
-  const size = (Array.isArray(placeholder)
-    ? placeholder
-    : (typeof placeholder === 'number' ? [placeholder, placeholder] : [10, 10])) as [w: number, h: number, q: number, b: number]
-
-  return $img(props.src!, {
-    ..._base.modifiers.value,
-    width: size[0],
-    height: size[1],
-    quality: size[2] || 50,
-    blur: size[3] || 3,
-  }, _base.options.value)
-})
-
 const mainSrc = computed(() =>
   props.sizes
     ? sizes.value.src
-    : $img(props.src!, _base.modifiers.value, _base.options.value),
+    : $img(props.src!, baseModifiers.value, baseOptions.value),
 )
 
 const src = computed(() => placeholder.value ? placeholder.value : mainSrc.value)
@@ -138,13 +109,13 @@ onMounted(() => {
   if (placeholder.value) {
     const img = new Image()
 
-    img.src = mainSrc.value
-
     if (props.sizes) {
       img.sizes = sizes.value.sizes || ''
       img.srcset = sizes.value.srcset
     }
 
+    img.src = mainSrc.value
+
     img.onload = (event) => {
       placeholderLoaded.value = true
       emit('load', event)
diff --git a/src/runtime/components/NuxtPicture.vue b/src/runtime/components/NuxtPicture.vue
index 27cb1a64b..af9f22426 100644
--- a/src/runtime/components/NuxtPicture.vue
+++ b/src/runtime/components/NuxtPicture.vue
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <template>
-  <picture>
+  <picture v-bind="(placeholderClass && placeholder) ? { class: placeholderClass } : {}">
     <source
       v-for="source in sources.slice(0, -1)"
       :key="source.src"
-      :type="source.type"
+      :type="placeholder ? 'display/never' : source.type"
       :sizes="source.sizes"
       :srcset="source.srcset"
     >
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@
         ...(isServer ? { onerror: 'this.setAttribute(\'data-error\', 1)' } : {}),
         ...imgAttrs,
       }"
-      :src="sources[lastSourceIndex].src"
-      :sizes="sources[lastSourceIndex].sizes"
-      :srcset="sources[lastSourceIndex].srcset"
+      :src="placeholder ? placeholder : sources[lastSourceIndex]?.src"
+      :sizes="placeholder ? undefined : sources[lastSourceIndex]?.sizes"
+      :srcset="placeholder ? undefined : sources[lastSourceIndex]?.srcset"
     >
   </picture>
 </template>
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ const isServer = import.meta.server
 
 const $img = useImage()
 
-const { attrs: baseAttrs, options: baseOptions, modifiers: baseModifiers } = useBaseImage(props)
+const { placeholder, placeholderLoaded, attrs: baseAttrs, options: baseOptions, modifiers: baseModifiers } = useBaseImage(props)
 
 const originalFormat = computed(() => getFileExtension(props.src))
 
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ const sources = computed<Source[]>(() => {
 })
 
 const lastSourceIndex = computed(() => sources.value.length - 1)
+const mainSrc = computed(() => sources.value[lastSourceIndex.value])
 
 if (import.meta.server && props.preload) {
   const link: NonNullable<Head['link']>[number] = {
@@ -131,6 +132,22 @@ const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
 const initialLoad = nuxtApp.isHydrating
 
 onMounted(() => {
+  if (placeholder.value) {
+    const img = new Image()
+
+    if (mainSrc.value.sizes) img.sizes = mainSrc.value.sizes
+    if (mainSrc.value.srcset) img.srcset = mainSrc.value.srcset
+    if (mainSrc.value.src) img.src = mainSrc.value.src
+
+    img.onload = (event) => {
+      placeholderLoaded.value = true
+      emit('load', event)
+    }
+
+    markFeatureUsage('nuxt-picture')
+    return
+  }
+
   if (!imgEl.value) {
     return
   }
diff --git a/src/runtime/components/_base.ts b/src/runtime/components/_base.ts
index cbcd44afd..b6563d40e 100644
--- a/src/runtime/components/_base.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/components/_base.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ export const baseImageProps = {
 
   // csp
   nonce: { type: [String], default: undefined },
+
+  // placeholders
+  placeholder: { type: [Boolean, String, Number, Array], default: undefined },
+  placeholderClass: { type: String, default: undefined },
 }
 
 export interface BaseImageAttrs {
@@ -117,7 +121,39 @@ export const useBaseImage = (props: ExtractPropTypes<typeof baseImageProps>) =>
     }
   })
 
+  const placeholderLoaded = ref(false)
+
+  const placeholder = computed(() => {
+    let placeholder = props.placeholder
+
+    if (placeholder === '') {
+      placeholder = true
+    }
+
+    if (!placeholder || placeholderLoaded.value) {
+      return false
+    }
+
+    if (typeof placeholder === 'string') {
+      return placeholder
+    }
+
+    const size = (Array.isArray(placeholder)
+      ? placeholder
+      : (typeof placeholder === 'number' ? [placeholder, placeholder] : [10, 10])) as [w: number, h: number, q: number, b: number]
+
+    return $img(props.src!, {
+      ...modifiers.value,
+      width: size[0],
+      height: size[1],
+      quality: size[2] || 50,
+      blur: size[3] || 3,
+    }, options.value)
+  })
+
   return {
+    placeholder,
+    placeholderLoaded,
     options,
     attrs,
     modifiers,
@@ -130,8 +166,4 @@ export const pictureProps = {
   imgAttrs: { type: Object, default: null },
 }
 
-export const imgProps = {
-  ...baseImageProps,
-  placeholder: { type: [Boolean, String, Number, Array], default: undefined },
-  placeholderClass: { type: String, default: undefined },
-}
+export const imgProps = baseImageProps
diff --git a/test/unit/helpers.ts b/test/unit/helpers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8252ce8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/helpers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { vi } from 'vitest'
+
+export const getImageLoad = (cb = () => {}) => {
+  let resolve = () => {}
+  let image = {} as HTMLImageElement
+  const loadEvent = Symbol('loadEvent')
+  const ImageMock = vi.fn(() => {
+    const _image = {
+      onload: () => {},
+    } as unknown as HTMLImageElement
+    image = _image
+    // @ts-expect-error not valid argument for onload
+    resolve = () => _image.onload?.(loadEvent)
+
+    return _image
+  })
+
+  vi.stubGlobal('Image', ImageMock)
+  cb()
+  vi.unstubAllGlobals()
+
+  return {
+    resolve,
+    image,
+    loadEvent,
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/unit/image.test.ts b/test/unit/image.test.ts
index 1147c77e7..468d18d8d 100644
--- a/test/unit/image.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/image.test.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 // @vitest-environment nuxt
 
-import { beforeEach, describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { beforeEach, describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
 import { mount } from '@vue/test-utils'
 import type { ComponentMountingOptions, VueWrapper } from '@vue/test-utils'
+import { getImageLoad } from './helpers'
 // @ts-expect-error virtual file
 import { imageOptions } from '#build/image-options'
 import { NuxtImg } from '#components'
@@ -158,32 +159,6 @@ describe('Renders simple image', () => {
   })
 })
 
-const getImageLoad = (cb = () => {}) => {
-  let resolve = () => {}
-  let image = {} as HTMLImageElement
-  const loadEvent = Symbol('loadEvent')
-  const ImageMock = vi.fn(() => {
-    const _image = {
-      onload: () => {},
-    } as unknown as HTMLImageElement
-    image = _image
-    // @ts-expect-error not valid argument for onload
-    resolve = () => _image.onload?.(loadEvent)
-
-    return _image
-  })
-
-  vi.stubGlobal('Image', ImageMock)
-  cb()
-  vi.unstubAllGlobals()
-
-  return {
-    resolve,
-    image,
-    loadEvent,
-  }
-}
-
 describe('Renders placeholder image', () => {
   let wrapper: VueWrapper<any>
   const src = '/image.png'
diff --git a/test/unit/picture.test.ts b/test/unit/picture.test.ts
index ed1690fd0..67327b91a 100644
--- a/test/unit/picture.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/picture.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import type { VueWrapper } from '@vue/test-utils'
 import { mount } from '@vue/test-utils'
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { getImageLoad } from './helpers'
 import { NuxtPicture } from '#components'
 import { useNuxtApp, useRuntimeConfig } from '#imports'
 // @ts-expect-error virtual file
@@ -164,6 +165,104 @@ describe('Renders simple image', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('Renders placeholder image', () => {
+  let wrapper: VueWrapper<any>
+  const src = '/image.png'
+
+  it('props.placeholder with src', async () => {
+    const {
+      resolve: resolveImage,
+      image: placeholderImage,
+      loadEvent,
+    } = getImageLoad(() => {
+      wrapper = mount(NuxtPicture, {
+        propsData: {
+          width: 200,
+          height: 200,
+          src,
+          placeholder: true,
+        },
+      })
+    })
+
+    let domSrc = wrapper.find('img').element.getAttribute('src')
+
+    expect(domSrc).toMatchInlineSnapshot('"/_ipx/q_50&blur_3&s_10x10/image.png"')
+    expect(placeholderImage.src).toMatchInlineSnapshot('"/_ipx/f_png&s_3072x3072/image.png"')
+
+    resolveImage()
+    await nextTick()
+
+    domSrc = wrapper.find('img').element.getAttribute('src')
+
+    expect(domSrc).toMatchInlineSnapshot('"/_ipx/f_png&s_3072x3072/image.png"')
+    expect(wrapper.emitted().load[0]).toStrictEqual([loadEvent])
+  })
+
+  it('props.placeholder with sizes', async () => {
+    const {
+      resolve: resolveImage,
+      image: placeholderImage,
+      loadEvent,
+    } = getImageLoad(() => {
+      wrapper = mount(NuxtPicture, {
+        propsData: {
+          width: 200,
+          height: 200,
+          src,
+          sizes: '200,500:500,900:900',
+          placeholder: true,
+        },
+      })
+    })
+
+    let sizes = wrapper.find('img').element.getAttribute('sizes')
+
+    expect(sizes).toMatchInlineSnapshot('null')
+    expect(placeholderImage.sizes).toMatchInlineSnapshot('"(max-width: 500px) 200px, (max-width: 900px) 500px, 900px"')
+
+    resolveImage()
+    await nextTick()
+
+    sizes = wrapper.find('img').element.getAttribute('sizes')
+
+    expect(sizes).toMatchInlineSnapshot('"(max-width: 500px) 200px, (max-width: 900px) 500px, 900px"')
+    expect(wrapper.emitted().load[0]).toStrictEqual([loadEvent])
+  })
+
+  it('placeholder class can be set', async () => {
+    const { resolve: resolveImage } = getImageLoad(() => {
+      wrapper = mount(NuxtPicture, {
+        propsData: {
+          src,
+          placeholder: true,
+          placeholderClass: 'placeholder',
+        },
+        attrs: {
+          class: [{ test: true }, 'other'],
+        },
+      })
+    })
+    expect([...wrapper.element.classList]).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      [
+        "placeholder",
+        "test",
+        "other",
+      ]
+    `)
+    expect(wrapper.find('img').element.getAttribute('src')).toMatchInlineSnapshot('"/_ipx/q_50&blur_3&s_10x10/image.png"')
+    resolveImage()
+    await nextTick()
+    expect([...wrapper.element.classList]).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+      [
+        "test",
+        "other",
+      ]
+    `)
+    expect(wrapper.find('img').element.getAttribute('src')).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"/_ipx/w_3072&f_png/image.png"`)
+  })
+})
+
 describe('Renders image, applies module config', () => {
   const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
   const config = useRuntimeConfig()