diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 7840608..433d0f0 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -196,7 +196,43 @@ pub trait Lifecycle<Key, Val> {
     fn before_evict(&self, state: &mut Self::RequestState, key: &Key, val: &mut Val) {}
 
     /// Called when an item is evicted.
-    fn on_evict(&self, state: &mut Self::RequestState, key: Key, val: Val);
+    ///
+    /// To distinguish evictions from the hot vs cold queues, override
+    /// [`Lifecycle::on_evict_hot`] and/or [`Lifecycle::on_evict_cold`] instead;
+    /// they default to delegating here.
+    ///
+    /// If none of `on_evict`, `on_evict_hot`, or `on_evict_cold` is overridden,
+    /// eviction notifications are silently dropped.
+    ///
+    /// Note: items that are rejected without ever being admitted to the cache
+    /// (oversized inserts and oversized placeholder values) are routed through
+    /// [`Lifecycle::on_evict_cold`], which by default reaches this method.
+    #[allow(unused_variables)]
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_evict(&self, state: &mut Self::RequestState, key: Key, val: Val) {}
+
+    /// Called when an item is evicted from the cold queue.
+    ///
+    /// By default delegates to [`Lifecycle::on_evict`].
+    ///
+    /// Note: items that are rejected without ever being admitted to the cache
+    /// (oversized inserts and oversized placeholder values) are also reported
+    /// via this method.
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_evict_cold(&self, state: &mut Self::RequestState, key: Key, val: Val) {
+        self.on_evict(state, key, val)
+    }
+
+    /// Called when an item is evicted from the hot queue.
+    ///
+    /// By default delegates to [`Lifecycle::on_evict`].
+    ///
+    /// Note: rejected (never-admitted) items are reported via
+    /// [`Lifecycle::on_evict_cold`], not this method.
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_evict_hot(&self, state: &mut Self::RequestState, key: Key, val: Val) {
+        self.on_evict(state, key, val)
+    }
 
     /// Called after a request finishes, e.g.: insert, replace.
     ///
diff --git a/src/shard.rs b/src/shard.rs
index ec40b94..bf01c02 100644
--- a/src/shard.rs
+++ b/src/shard.rs
@@ -783,7 +783,8 @@ impl<
             if self.num_non_resident > self.capacity_non_resident {
                 self.advance_ghost();
             }
-            self.lifecycle.on_evict(lcs, evicted.key, evicted.value);
+            self.lifecycle
+                .on_evict_cold(lcs, evicted.key, evicted.value);
             return true;
         }
     }
@@ -835,7 +836,7 @@ impl<
                     unsafe { core::hint::unreachable_unchecked() };
                 };
                 self.hot_head = next;
-                self.lifecycle.on_evict(lcs, evicted.key, evicted.value);
+                self.lifecycle.on_evict_hot(lcs, evicted.key, evicted.value);
                 self.map_remove(hash, idx);
             }
             return true;
@@ -920,7 +921,15 @@ impl<
                 } else if evicted_weight != 0 && weight == 0 {
                     *list_head = self.entries.unlink(idx);
                 }
-                self.lifecycle.on_evict(lcs, evicted.key, evicted.value);
+                match enter_state {
+                    ResidentState::Hot => {
+                        self.lifecycle.on_evict_hot(lcs, evicted.key, evicted.value)
+                    }
+                    ResidentState::Cold => {
+                        self.lifecycle
+                            .on_evict_cold(lcs, evicted.key, evicted.value)
+                    }
+                }
             }
             Entry::Ghost(_) => {
                 self.weight_hot += weight;
@@ -1052,7 +1061,7 @@ impl<
     ) -> Result<(), Val> {
         self.entries.remove(placeholder.idx());
         self.map_remove(placeholder.hash(), placeholder.idx());
-        self.lifecycle.on_evict(lcs, key, value);
+        self.lifecycle.on_evict_cold(lcs, key, value);
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -1120,15 +1129,19 @@ impl<
         strategy: InsertStrategy,
     ) -> Result<(), (Key, Val)> {
         // Make sure to remove any existing entry
-        if let Some((idx, _)) = self.search_resident(hash, &key) {
+        if let Some((idx, resident)) = self.search_resident(hash, &key) {
+            let prev_state = resident.state;
             if let Some((ek, ev)) = self.remove_internal(hash, idx) {
-                self.lifecycle.on_evict(lcs, ek, ev);
+                match prev_state {
+                    ResidentState::Hot => self.lifecycle.on_evict_hot(lcs, ek, ev),
+                    ResidentState::Cold => self.lifecycle.on_evict_cold(lcs, ek, ev),
+                }
             }
         }
         if matches!(strategy, InsertStrategy::Replace { .. }) {
             return Err((key, value));
         }
-        self.lifecycle.on_evict(lcs, key, value);
+        self.lifecycle.on_evict_cold(lcs, key, value);
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/src/unsync.rs b/src/unsync.rs
index 66ee954..ae7f1d5 100644
--- a/src/unsync.rs
+++ b/src/unsync.rs
@@ -443,9 +443,6 @@ impl<Key, Val> Lifecycle<Key, Val> for DefaultLifecycle<Key, Val> {
 
     #[inline]
     fn begin_request(&self) -> Self::RequestState {}
-
-    #[inline]
-    fn on_evict(&self, _state: &mut Self::RequestState, _key: Key, _val: Val) {}
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]