diff --git a/.changeset/bright-buttons-flash.md b/.changeset/bright-buttons-flash.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..47ef3b12efcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/bright-buttons-flash.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@sveltejs/kit': patch
+---
+
+fix: allow `"false"` value for preload link options
diff --git a/documentation/docs/30-advanced/30-link-options.md b/documentation/docs/30-advanced/30-link-options.md
index 37d3c3a4c35f..4d2445a59f59 100644
--- a/documentation/docs/30-advanced/30-link-options.md
+++ b/documentation/docs/30-advanced/30-link-options.md
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ To disable any of these options inside an element where they have been enabled,
 </div>
 ```
 
-To apply an attribute to an element conditionally, do this (`"true"` and `"false"` are both accepted values):
+To apply an attribute to an element conditionally, do this:
 
-```html
-<div data-sveltekit-reload={shouldReload}>
+```svelte
+<div data-sveltekit-preload-data={condition ? 'hover' : false}>
 ```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/runtime/client/constants.js b/packages/kit/src/runtime/client/constants.js
index cbb2353ed2be..e6b515332801 100644
--- a/packages/kit/src/runtime/client/constants.js
+++ b/packages/kit/src/runtime/client/constants.js
@@ -7,5 +7,6 @@ export const PRELOAD_PRIORITIES = /** @type {const} */ ({
 	hover: 2,
 	viewport: 3,
 	eager: 4,
-	off: -1
+	off: -1,
+	false: -1
 });
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/runtime/client/utils.js b/packages/kit/src/runtime/client/utils.js
index 8af6102cd93f..4ce100dbb7db 100644
--- a/packages/kit/src/runtime/client/utils.js
+++ b/packages/kit/src/runtime/client/utils.js
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ const warned = new WeakSet();
 /** @typedef {keyof typeof valid_link_options} LinkOptionName */
 
 const valid_link_options = /** @type {const} */ ({
-	'preload-code': ['', 'off', 'tap', 'hover', 'viewport', 'eager'],
-	'preload-data': ['', 'off', 'tap', 'hover'],
+	'preload-code': ['', 'off', 'false', 'tap', 'hover', 'viewport', 'eager'],
+	'preload-data': ['', 'off', 'false', 'tap', 'hover'],
 	keepfocus: ['', 'true', 'off', 'false'],
 	noscroll: ['', 'true', 'off', 'false'],
 	reload: ['', 'true', 'off', 'false'],