diff --git a/src/Chronos.php b/src/Chronos.php
index eadcbb1..8957388 100644
--- a/src/Chronos.php
+++ b/src/Chronos.php
@@ -668,6 +668,12 @@ public static function createFromTime(
     /**
      * Create an instance from a specific format
      *
+     * Unlike PHP's native DateTimeImmutable::createFromFormat(), this method
+     * automatically appends the `|` modifier if no reset modifier (`|` or `!`)
+     * is present. This ensures that unparsed components are reset to zero
+     * instead of being filled from the current time, providing more predictable
+     * and deterministic behavior.
+     *
      * @param string $format The date() compatible format string.
      * @param string $time The formatted date string to interpret.
      * @param \DateTimeZone|string|null $timezone The DateTimeZone object or timezone name the new instance should use.
@@ -679,6 +685,12 @@ public static function createFromFormat(
         string $time,
         DateTimeZone|string|null $timezone = null,
     ): static {
+        // Auto-append | modifier if no reset modifier is present
+        // This ensures unparsed components are zero instead of current time
+        if (!str_contains($format, '|') && !str_contains($format, '!')) {
+            $format .= '|';
+        }
+
         if ($timezone !== null) {
             $dateTime = parent::createFromFormat($format, $time, $timezone ? static::safeCreateDateTimeZone($timezone) : null);
         } else {
diff --git a/tests/TestCase/DateTime/CreateFromFormatTest.php b/tests/TestCase/DateTime/CreateFromFormatTest.php
index f124679..a98d240 100644
--- a/tests/TestCase/DateTime/CreateFromFormatTest.php
+++ b/tests/TestCase/DateTime/CreateFromFormatTest.php
@@ -29,6 +29,49 @@ public function testCreateFromFormatReturnsInstance()
         $this->assertTrue($d instanceof Chronos);
     }
 
+    public function testCreateFromFormatMissingTimeIsZero()
+    {
+        // Missing time components should be zero, not current time
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('Y-m-d', '2024-03-14');
+        $this->assertDateTime($d, 2024, 3, 14, 0, 0, 0);
+        $this->assertSame(0, $d->micro);
+    }
+
+    public function testCreateFromFormatMissingSecondsIsZero()
+    {
+        // Missing seconds should be zero
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i', '2024-03-14 12:30');
+        $this->assertDateTime($d, 2024, 3, 14, 12, 30, 0);
+    }
+
+    public function testCreateFromFormatMissingDateIsEpoch()
+    {
+        // Missing date components should be Unix epoch (1970-01-01)
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('H:i:s', '12:30:45');
+        $this->assertDateTime($d, 1970, 1, 1, 12, 30, 45);
+    }
+
+    public function testCreateFromFormatMissingMicrosecondsIsZero()
+    {
+        // Missing microseconds should be zero
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '2024-03-14 12:30:45');
+        $this->assertSame(0, $d->micro);
+    }
+
+    public function testCreateFromFormatWithExplicitPipeModifier()
+    {
+        // Explicit | should still work
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('Y-m-d|', '2024-03-14');
+        $this->assertDateTime($d, 2024, 3, 14, 0, 0, 0);
+    }
+
+    public function testCreateFromFormatWithExplicitBangModifier()
+    {
+        // Explicit ! should still work
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('!Y-m-d', '2024-03-14');
+        $this->assertDateTime($d, 2024, 3, 14, 0, 0, 0);
+    }
+
     public function testCreateFromFormatWithTimezoneString()
     {
         $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '1975-05-21 22:32:11', 'Europe/London');
@@ -49,6 +92,18 @@ public function testCreateFromFormatWithMillis()
         $this->assertSame(254687, $d->micro);
     }
 
+    public function testCreateFromFormatWithUnixTimestamp()
+    {
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('U', '0');
+        $this->assertDateTime($d, 1970, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0);
+    }
+
+    public function testCreateFromFormatWithNegativeUnixTimestamp()
+    {
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('U', '-1000');
+        $this->assertDateTime($d, 1969, 12, 31, 23, 43, 20);
+    }
+
     public function testCreateFromFormatInvalidFormat()
     {
         $parseException = null;
@@ -65,9 +120,9 @@ public function testCreateFromFormatInvalidFormat()
 
     public function testCreateFromFormatDoesNotUseTestNow()
     {
-        // createFromFormat should not use testNow - it should behave like PHP's native method
+        // testNow should not affect createFromFormat - missing components are zero
         Chronos::setTestNow(new Chronos('2020-12-01 14:30:45'));
-        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('Y-m-d H:i:s', '1975-05-21 22:32:11');
-        $this->assertDateTime($d, 1975, 5, 21, 22, 32, 11);
+        $d = Chronos::createFromFormat('Y-m-d', '2024-03-14');
+        $this->assertDateTime($d, 2024, 3, 14, 0, 0, 0);
     }
 }